viva fifa!
- Thread starter spaminator
- Start date
I assume you didn't see the same matches I saw today. Portugal is "winnable" for the U.S. if the Portugese are struck by massive food poisoning. No way nohow otherwise.
But. . . the U.S. could still advance. Here's a possible outcome:
Germany 3-0 goal difference +7
U.S.A. 1-2 goal difference -3 (beats Ghana, loses to Portugal by 2 and to Germany by 2)
Ghana 1-2 goal difference -3 (beats Portugal by 2, loses to Germany by 4)
Portugal 1-2 goal difference -4 (beats U.S.A. by 2, loses to Ghana by 2)
Did the U.N. come and confiscate his gun?
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/06/16/sports/worldcup/world-cup-germany-vs-portugal.html
I watched the highlights as Germany easily defeated Portugal 4-0 - according to the accounts given by the commentators it was fully lopsided.
I watched the highlights as Germany easily defeated Portugal 4-0 - according to the accounts given by the commentators it was fully lopsided.
BBC Sporf @BBCSporf 
Messi was crap in that game. His one moment of brilliance was the goal he scored. Argentina weren't very good either against a team making their World Cup finals debut. Messi and his Argentine team-mates will have to play much better if they are to win the tournament.
I don't know how the US won that match. Ghana were the better side and started to dominate proceedings from about halfway into the first half. When they got their equaliser it was what they deserved, coming after they'd spent a long time laying siege to the American goal. But, as I say, football is a funny old game and sometimes the better team doesn't win - just as the fact it's very rare that the best team in the World Cup wins the World Cup.
I can't see either Ghana or the USA advancing from the group. Neither looked particularly good last night. Both still have to play a Germany team which looks very strong and Portugal. If Ronaldo - who vies with Messi as the best player in the world - starts getting his shooting boots on then I can't see the Americans or the Ghanaians troubling the Portuguese.
That goal after just 31 seconds by Clint Dempsey - who, despite being American, is probably much better known by English football fans than by American football fans because he played for London team Fulham between 2007 and 2012 becoming their highest Premier League goalscorer of all time - is the fifth-fastest World Cup goal of all time.
Here are the four World Cup goals which were faster than Dempsey's:
1. Hakan Sukur (2002): 11 seconds
For Turkey in a 3-2 win against South Korea at the Daegu World Cup Stadium in Daegu, South Korea
Earliest World Cup Goal of All Times by Hakan Sukur - YouTube
2. Vaclav Masek (1962): 16 seconds
For Czechoslovakia in a 3-1 win against Mexico at the Estadio Sausalito, Vina del Mar, Chile
Václav Mašek (CZE) - Meksyk-Czechosłowacja 3-1 MS, 7 czerwca 1962, gol w 16 sek[www.rabonas.pl] - YouTube
3. Ernst Lehner (1934): 25 seconds
For Germany in a 3-2 win against Austria at the Stadio Ascarelli in Naples, Italy
4. Bryan Robson (1982): 27 seconds
For England in a 3-1 win against France at the Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain
World Cup best Goals _ Robson - 1982 - YouTube
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Sheer, blind luck and remarkably bad shooting by Ghana.
Ya think?
It must have been incredibly frustrating for Ghana. So many shots before one finally dropped.
It's only happened once. 1966.
And the fact that Everton's Tim Howard was in goal for the USA. He's one of the best goalies there is. He was probably the Yanks' best player.
Nope. It happens nearly every tournament. The best team very rarely wins.
Probably the best example of this was the fact that Italy won the World Cup in 1982 despite the fact that Brazil played probably the greatest football ever played in history at that tournament. The best football team in the history of humanity didn't even win that tournament. They were knocked out by eventual winners Italy.
As for England in 1966, I would say that was one of the few occasions in which the best team DID win the World Cup.
England won that World Cup whilst being the only team in it not to lose a game in the whole tournament.
They only conceded one goal en route to the Final, and that was in the 2-1 win against Portugal in the Semi-Final.
And Bobby Charlton's goal in England's 2-0 win against Mexico in the Group Stage is one of the greatest World Cup goals (below). As for Brazil, they were knocked out at the Group Stage!!
England 2-0 Mexico (1966 World Cup) - YouTube
Oh, and don't forget that Geoff Hurst's hat-trick in the 4-2 win against West Germany in the Final is still the ONLY hat-trick ever to be scored in a World Cup Final.
1966 World Cup Final - England vs West Germany - Highlights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iKKuk25rXJk
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That's what I said. For comprehesion-challenged victims of the English "education" system, I said the best team has only won the World Cup once, and that was in 1966.
I misunderstood what you said. I thought you said England didn't deserve to win the 1966 World Cup. The English education system doesn't come into it.
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Today we start the second round of group matches.
Belgium vs Algeria
Don’t expect goals from Algeria. They haven’t scored at the World Cup since 1986 and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved 87.1 per cent of shots in qualifying.
On the eve of the last World Cup, Belgium were ranked 48th in the world. When the draw for 2014 was made, Belgium were 5th and are one of the tournament's dark horses.
However, Belgium have won only one of their last nine World Cup games (3-2 v Russia on June 14, 2002), drawing five and losing three. They have kept one clean sheet in these nine games: v Netherlands in 1998 (0-0).
Eight of Belgium’s last 14 goals at the World Cup have come from set-pieces (5 from a corner kick, 2 from a direct free-kick, 1 from an indirect free-kick).
The Red Devils are unbeaten in two previous World Cup games against sides from Africa, winning one and drawing one.
One to watch: Belgium's Eden Hazard had a superb season with west London giants Chelsea and was their top goal scorer last season with 16 goals. He holds the key for Belgium to be successful in the World Cup 2014.
Brazil vs Mexico
Brazil and Mexico are meeting for the fourth time at the World Cup. The Seleção have won their three previous meetings with a combined score of 11-0.
Brazil and Mexico met the last time the World Cup was held in Brazil, in the opening game of the 1950 edition at the Maracanã. The Seleção won 4-0.
Mexico are the Olympic Champions after beating Brazil 2-1 in the Final of the men's football tournament at London 2012.
Mexico have only beaten the Seleção once on Brazilian soil. It was on October 31, 1968 in a friendly (2-1).
Mexico have only won one of their 11 games at the World Cup against South American sides (2-1 v Ecuador in 2002), drawing two and losing eight.
One to watch: Oscar. Brazil’s creator in chief was at his best against Croatia, scrapping in midfield, grabbing a goal and assist and playing a part in another goal. The Chelsea midfielder's tendency to drop deep makes him difficult to mark and his injury troubles in the second half of the season appear to have left him fresh to star for the Seleção.
Russia vs South Korea
Russia have only kept one clean sheet in their last six World Cup games, it was against Tunisia on June 5, 2002 (2-0).
This is South Korea’s eighth World Cup in a row (since 1986); only Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and Spain can boast a longer streak currently.
South Korea have only won two of their last 10 World Cup games (against Togo in 2006 and Greece in 2010).
The one previous meeting between Russia and South Korea came in a friendly in November 2013; Russia won 2-1.
South Korea have scored the most direct free-kicks in the World Cup since 1990 (5).
One to watch: South Korea's Bayer Leverkusen forward Son Heung-min was unplayable at times in the Bundesliga this season and was largely responsible for his side’s surprise 1-0 win away to Borussia Dortmund in December. Best used on the counter-attack, the 21-year-old will be crucial to his side’s chances of springing an upset.
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I agree, and I apologise to the English education system. Surely it cannot be held solely accountable for you.
If it was accountable solely for me I'd be the most intelligent person in England.
The match might not have been so one-sided had Thomas Muller not gone down like he'd been shot when he was tapped in the face by Pepe. No wonder Pepe was so angry that he headbutted Muller, leading to him being sent off. Portugal missed him when he was gone. Afterwards Pepe was portrayed as the villain of the piece and Muller as the angel, but like Pepe I'd be annoyed if a player went down like he'd been shot in the face if I'd only given him a gentle nudge. It was Muller's play acting which got Pepe sent off.
As a result of the red card, Pepe will miss the game against the USA.
Hopefully I can find a replay of the match somewhere on youtube or another place. I just hate it when players fake injury and it reflects poorly on the game. I realize it happens in other sports but for some reason it happens more in soccer and that's no darn good.
It never used to happen. It's a modern phenomenon. Southern Europeans and South Americans - the Latin peoples - are particularly prone to it.
Here's the Muller/Pepe incident:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xZPSmMuNNm0
Australia are used to going into a World Cup as the favourites - or one of the favourites - to win it. Whether it is the Rugby Union World Cup, Rugby League World Cup or the Cricket World Cup, that strong sporting nation, which is often ranked No1 in the world for each of those three sports, is usually expected to win the thing - and it usually does.
The Football World Cup is different, however. The Aussies come into this World Cup as the lowest-ranked of all the 32 competing nations. They are in 62nd place in the FIFA rankings, just below the likes of Uzebekistan, Burkina Faso and Finland and just above Jordan and Libya. So there won't be many people who fancy their chances against a Netherlands side who put five past the reigning World and European Champions, Spain, last week, despite the fact that the Aussies have never lost to the Dutch.
Today could also be the first day in which we see a team eliminated from this World Cup. Whoever loses the Group A clash between Cameroon and Croatia - that is if it doesn't finish a draw, of course - will be out of the World Cup despite still having one game to play. So neither side dare lose that one.
The holders Spain (believe it or not) and Australia will also both be eliminated from the tournament today if they both lose.
Australia vs Netherlands
This is the first World Cup encounter between Australia and Holland.
Australia are unbeaten in their three previous meetings against Holland (W1 D2). Their last encounter was on October 10, 2009 in a Sydney friendly (0-0).
Australia have won one of their six World Cup encounters with European sides (2-1 v Serbia in 2010), drawing one and losing four. They have never kept a clean sheet in any of these games.
Cahill (four goals, one assist) has now been involved in 56 per cent of Australia’s goals (9) in World Cup history.
Holland are unbeaten in their last 11 World Cup group stage matches, winning eight and drawing three. Their last group stage defeat came back in 1994 versus Belgium.
Key clash: Matthew Spiranovic vs Robin van Persie
Australia struggled with the pace and strength of Chile’s frontline in their opening game and that could well continue against Louis van Gaal’s side. Van Persie was unplayable at times against the reigning champions Spain and Spiranovic will have to stay disciplined to have any chance of winning his battle with the Manchester United forward.
Spain vs Chile
Chile have never beaten Spain in their 10 previous encounters (D2 L8 ).
Spain have won the two previous meetings with Chile at the World Cup: in 1950 (2-0) and in 2010 (2-1). The game in 1950 was played at the Maracanã; which is where this encounter is taking place.
Chile have lost their two previous World Cup games against the defending champion, both against Brazil (in 1962 and 1998 ).
In their group opener against the Netherlands, Spain conceded 5+ goals in an international for the first time since losing 6-2 to Scotland in June 1963.
Spain’s 1-5 defeat to the Netherlands was the heaviest margin of defeat by a reigning World Cup champion in the history of the tournament (four goals). The previous heaviest were Brazil losing 0-3 v France in 1998 (in the Final) and West Germany losing 3-6 v France in 1958.
Spain have won just one of their last five internationals played at a neutral venue (L2 D2) and that victory was a 2-0 win over El Salvador (FIFA Ranked 68th) in Washington earlier this month.
Key clash: Javi Martinez vs Alexis Sanchez
If, as expected, Bayern Munich's Javi Martinez comes in for the out-of-sorts Gerard Pique alongside Sergio Ramos at the heart of Spain's defence then he will have his work cut out keeping the lively Alexis Sanchez quiet. Martinez, a central midfielder by trade, will have to cope with the lightning pace of Barcelona forward if Spain are to stay in the tournament.
This will be the first ever game between Cameroon and Croatia.
This is also Croatia’s first ever World Cup game against an African side.
Cameroon have won only one of their 13 World Cup games against European sides (2-1 v Romania in 1990), drawing five and losing seven.
Cameroon have only won one of their last 14 World Cup games (1-0 v Saudi Arabia in 2002), drawing four and losing nine.
Cameroon have lost their last five World Cup matches; the longest losing streak of any African nation at the tournament.
Cameroon have played 21 World Cup matches overall and their one shot on target tally against Mexico in the opening game was the fewest they’ve ever mustered in a WC finals match.
Croatia have not won any of their last five World Cup matches (L3 D2), with their last WC finals victory coming in 2002 versus Italy (2-1).
Key clash: Alex Song vs Luka Modric
A mini-Clasico will take place in central midfield between two players that left north London for La Liga two summers ago as Barcelona’s Song, formerly of Arsenal, lines up against ex-Spurs star Modric, now of Real Madrid. It will be fascinating to see how the two fare in Manaus coming off the back of very contrasting seasons. The latter enjoyed a fantastic campaign at club level, while the former endured a stop-start one at the Nou Camp.
dailymail.co.uk
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Thanx for that vid.
The game is so much better when played in a straight forward manner with skill, precision, aggression, and determination. I enjoyed the match between Mexico-Brazil as both goalies shined and kept the ball out of the net.
The game is so much better when played in a straight forward manner with skill, precision, aggression, and determination. I enjoyed the match between Mexico-Brazil as both goalies shined and kept the ball out of the net.
That Mexico goalie was amazing. That save he made at point blank range was probably the save of the tournament so far.
You're not kidding! I've been thinking of the name Yashin over and over again ever since I saw that incredible save.
I understand he was a substitute goalie and if so that makes it even more memorable.
What an incredible tournament this has been so far. Small wonder why it's the world's # 1 sport.
I understand he was a substitute goalie and if so that makes it even more memorable.
What an incredible tournament this has been so far. Small wonder why it's the world's # 1 sport.
Not just Yashin.
After this save he made in that game against Brazil....
... England's 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks - who was named the second best goalkeeper of the 20th century, after Lev Yashin and ahead of Dino Zoff, by the IFFHS - tweeted the pundits in the BBC studio (Gary Lineker and Co) that the save was reminiscent of the one that he made from Pele's header for England against Brazil in the 1970 World Cup.
