2022 World Cup

Blackleaf

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Morocco are leading 1-0 against Portugal at half time in the Quarter Final.
 

Blackleaf

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Quarter Final

Morocco 1-0 Portugal

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Morocco have made history by becoming the first African side to reach the World Cup Semi-Finals after a shock victory over Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.

Ronaldo, who has just left Manchester United and who has spent this World Cup diving in the opposion penalty area and trying to claim a teammate's goal as his own, shows again what a class act he is by storming down the tunnel at the final whistle without acknowledging the Portugal fans.

Morocco will play either England or France in the Semi-Final.

 
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Blackleaf

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Quarter Final

Netherlands 2-2 Argentina (after extra time; Argentina win 4-3 on penalties)

Messi turns on the magic yet again as Argentina edge by the Netherlands in a game which saw a record number of yellow cards.

Argentina play Croatia in the Semi-Final.

 

Blackleaf

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Come on!! Get in there!!

Kane has just equalised for England. 1-1. The goal coming after around 55 minutes. France's goal after 17 minutes should never have been a goal, coming after Saka was clearly fouled on the edge of the French box but the Brazilian ref never awarded it. England were also wrongly not awarded a penalty in the first half.

England have been the better team in the Quarter Final. Hopefully we can do it.

France have never beaten England in the World Cup.
 

Blackleaf

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The refereeing in this match has been shocking. The ref is hardly giving England anything, even clear fouls.

Yet it's still 1-1.
 

Blackleaf

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England - who are according to a former Wales player are the best team at this World Cup - are all over the World Champions right now. England are completely dominating. It's only a matter of time surely before it's 2-1 to England.

France are rattled.
 

Blackleaf

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France take a 2-1 lead against the run of play.

England then have a penalty and a chance to equalise late on, but only after the referee didn't award it despite it being a clear push on the England player. The referee then went to the video ref and the penalty was awarded. Kane had a chance to make it 2-2 in the 84th minute - but he shot well over the bar.

The refereeing decisions against England in this match have been shocking. Even a clear push in the back on an England played in the box and the ref initially refused to reward it.
 

Blackleaf

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Quarter Final

England 1-2 France


England were outstanding and were the better team and would have won had it not been for shocking decisions going against them.

Eight minutes minimum time added on at the end. After NINE of those minutes had been played England were - surprisingly - awarded a free kick on the edge of the French box, a great chance to equalise. Unfortunately, Rashford knocked it just over the bar.

France were lucky. They came up against a better side and only won it thanks to the referee.

They will lose against Morocco.
 

spaminator

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pgs

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B.C.
Quarter Final

England 1-2 France


England were outstanding and were the better team and would have won had it not been for shocking decisions going against them.

Eight minutes minimum time added on at the end. After NINE of those minutes had been played England were - surprisingly - awarded a free kick on the edge of the French box, a great chance to equalise. Unfortunately, Rashford knocked it just over the bar.

France were lucky. They came up against a better side and only won it thanks to the referee.

They will lose against Morocco.
Refereeing suck but England were still allowed two direct penalties and Kane had his chance .
 

Blackleaf

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Refereeing suck but England were still allowed two direct penalties and Kane had his chance .

France's first goal shouldn't have been allowed.

Saka was clearly fouled just outside the the right hand edge of the French penalty area but the ref waved play on and France charged towards the England goal and scored.

There were one or two other penalty shouts which England maybe should have been awarded.

Even the second one, which Kane missed, was only awarded after the England players protested and it went to VAR, who awarded it. The ref didn't want to award it despite it being a clear push from behind.

Griezmann should also have been sent off for a second yellow, but the ref wrongly never showed him a second yellow.

France were lucky. They came up against a stronger and better side and won thanks only to to the referee.

The so-called great player Mbappe did nothing. England neutralised him.


England v France controversial decisions & bad refereeing analysis | World Cup 2022, England robbed?​

In this video, the guy is wrong to say that it should have been a free kick on the edge of the box.

A law states that if a foul occurs just outside the opposing penalty area, but continues into it, then it's a penalty. So I think it should have been a penalty.

 
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Blackleaf

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Tomorrow:

Semi-Final

Argentina Vs Croatia

Lionel Messi and Luka Modric battle for last final​

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Two iconic Ballon d'Or-winning number 10s. Two beaten World Cup finalists. Two captains. One last chance to finally reach the peak of football and lift the famous trophy before they retire.

It is hard to look past Argentina's Lionel Messi and Croatia's Luka Modric as the two difference-makers in Tuesday's first World Cup semi-final.

With Paris St-Germain's Messi now 35 and Real Madrid's Modric 37, it seems highly likely the final or third-place play-off this weekend will be where their World Cup careers end.

So how do the two compare and which one will lead his country to a final against France or Morocco on Sunday?

 

Blackleaf

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Dave the cat coming home with England team​

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Dave has become the Three Lions' mascot during the World Cup

The Three Lions didn't roar to World Cup victory, but a new member of the squad will be coming home with them.


Fleet-footed Dave the Cat will be swapping Qatari warmth for English chill - and just in time for the January transfer window.

The purring predator has won hearts as the players' unofficial mascot.

They originally said they'd bring stray Dave back if they won the trophy, but decided to rehome him anyway despite their quarter-final heartbreak.

Manchester City duo John Stones and Kyle Walker have been Dave's biggest fans, posting regular updates and pictures of the cat most evenings.

"First day we got there ... Dave pops out," said Stones.

"Every night he's sat there waiting for his food."

"He was just there one day so we've just adopted him, me and Stonesy," Walker told the FA's official media channel.

Dave the cat

Dave is primed and ready to purr

Dave became a regular fixture at the team's dinner table, where Walker says he was "welcome" - but not everyone agreed.

"Some people really don't like the cat, but I love him."

One of those rumoured to jump in the air when Dave arrives is Bukayo Saka.

John Stones claims to have come up with the moggy's no-nonsense moniker "because it's just a good name".

And he took to calling him "Big Dave" after the four-legged dinner guest started to get a bit "greedy".

Stray cats are a common sight around restaurants and hotels in host nation Qatar.

Dave has won not just the hearts of the England players, but also the attention of the world's media - with questions about him in the week building up to the quarter-final against France.

And, perhaps inspired by the drama of that game, Dave recently got into "a little scrap with another cat", according to Walker.

"Fighting over territory and the food. But he's doing well."

Dave joins an illustrious list of famous animals who have carved a special place in the hearts of the English public.

One of those has already tweeted his excitement at his impending arrival:

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Larry the cat, Chief Mouser of the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom:


Dave left Al Wakrah just two hours after the squad had departed and will first head to a local vet.

There he will have a blood test and receive vaccinations, spending four months in quarantine before heading to his new digs.

So while football may not be coming home, Dave the cat is.

 
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Blackleaf

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Semi-Final

Argentina 3-0 Croatia

Argentina will play France or Morocco in the Final

 

Blackleaf

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Saturday

3rd/4th Place Play-off

Croatia Vs Morocco


Sunday

Final

Argentina Vs France

Either Argentina or France will win the World Cup for a third time on Sunday.

Argentina won it in 1978 and 1986 and France won it in 1998 and 2018.

If France win, they'll be the first country to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962.

Which one will do it? It looks set to be an amazing World Cup Final.
 
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Blackleaf

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3rd/4th Place Play-off

Croatia 2-1 Morocco

Modric helps Croatia finish third

 

Blackleaf

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2022 World Cup Final

Argentina Vs France

Two hours to go

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The Argies sang an anti-English and anti-Brazilian song after beating Croatia in the Semi-Final...