Yeah and after World Cup 2018 we get to find out how this new UEFA Nations League is going to go. Sounds freakin awesome for an International Soccer junkie like me. One who keeps score and ranks the teams...more matches that "count" Muwahahaha!
By Cavani (Uruguay) I think you meant Higuain. Yes, I agree with all the loaded offense Argentina had going into the tournament... They have looked enough to get by and that's it. However a "questionable" back four going in has looked organized.
I'll be rooting for Germany as I have kind of adopted the team that only beat us (USA) 1-0, and also being the homeland for our coach and half our players. Looking for a nice tidy 2-0 win from "The Machine". Oh and Özil will show all the doubters by netting at least one goal, he's the man.
EDIT: Sorry for the double-post the site has been acting up me the past couple days on whether posts are going through or not.
Go Germany as I have kind of adopted a rooting interest for the team that only beat us (USA) 1-0 and our coach and half the team are from. Looking for a decisive 2-0 win for "The Machine". Oh and Özil is the man, he'll show the doubters by putting at least one of them in.
I can't believe I just witnessed history today. That didn't look like Germany vs. Brazil today, it looked like Germany in a WC Qualifying match vs. Luxembourg or something. Heck, Tahiti looked more competitive in their matches last year in the Confederations Cup. Total and utter embarrassment for Brazil.
Yes the Red Devils dominated most of the game. USA obviously chose to play a defensive wall/counterattack game like always. The problem is their clearances were so piss poor for 75% percent of the game and to either no one or a Belgian player. They could not start a counterattack.
That said the best chance in the game was in the 90th minute with Wondolowski. Had he converted that one, USA wins. Now apparently the flag was up anyway despite the fact that he was a mile onside, can you IMAGINE the fallout if the goal had been disallowed???
What a near comeback by the Americans which goes to prove that in desperate times they can attack "two walls of 4" defense at will like any other team. Not every team in the world can just turn it on when they want like that. They need to be able to play forward more consistently and have a confidence in their back four. They obviously are not there yet. They play afraid to lose, instead of trying to win.
Tim Howard is amazing and makes me laugh at everyone who laughed at my analysis of Howard as a Top 5 GK in the world pre-World Cup. Really????
I LOVE the future core of Yedlin, Jones, and Green. Love the fact that Kilnnsman is signed through 2018. I expect easier qualifying and USA to show themselves as even more of a powerhouse globally leading up to Russia 2018.
It'll probably be USA 1:2 Belgium, but of course I'd like it to go differently. I just know historically whenever the USMNT gets praise from fans of other countries for their play, the coach starts telling player's families to book tickets for July 13th, Belgium has red carded players and injuries starting to pile up, Altidore may make a miraculous appearance as possibly even a late game striker addition, and everyone is saying the match could go either way with the USA having a great chance to make the QF...that's exactly the time we make a couple unthinkable mistakes and kill ourselves again.
Yes thank you CR7. Kills us the cross of the tournament in the 95th minute only to turn around and bring us back to life in the 80th minute vs. Ghana.
The 20 minute stretch from after Germany scoring and Ghana tying Portugal was absolutely brutal as a USA fan. Our history told us to expect that Ghana goal to come and knock us out.
USA has been kind of defying odds a bit, maybe this is the year for a deep run?
Bad penalty call........ will be debated for days .....
Greece in fairness ripped two shots off the bar
How's it bad? A referee actually made the correct call in a match deciding moment like he should any other time. Sio clipped the back of the Samaras's heal while the Greek player was in a clear position to take a shot on goal. It caused him to lose balance and not be able to make a play on the ball. Clear penalty.
I also agree having Greece advance is a bad thing stylistically for a great World Cup so far. So I definitely was not rooting for them.
I also was not rooting for Italy until after the Suarez biting incident. Before that, I thought Marchisio being sent off was a lame call though. Watch FIFA screw it up and find some way of not kicking Suarez out of the tournament.
OK< so I took the time to figure out what needs to happen for the US to advance on Thursday. Do note that the Draw lots tiebreak is in full effect here regarding Portugal and the US:
US Wins: US advances as Group G Winner, faces Group H Runner Up
US and Germany Draws OR Portugal and Ghana Draw: US Advances as Group G Runner up, faces Group H winner
If we do lose though, we can still advance as group G Runner up if any of the below happens:
USA loses by 1: Portugal needs to win by 5 or Ghana needs to win by 2 to eliminate the US (If Portugal wins by 4 OR we go to drawing lots to determine who advances)
US Loses by 2: Portugal needs to win by 4 or Ghana needs to win to eliminate the US (If Portugal wins by 3 we go to drawing lots to determine who advances)
US loses by 3: Portugal needs to win by 3 or Ghana needs to win to Eliminate the US (If Portugal wins by 2 we go to drawing lots to determine who advances)
This tiebreaker info is false.
To make it clear here's the scenario from a USA perspective. Some of your info is correct so it will look like I'm re-hashing it but I just want it all there.
USA Wins, Into Round of 16 as Group winner.
USA draws, Into Round of 16 as Group Runner-Up.
USA Loses but Ghana/Portugal draw, USA advances as Runner-Up.
USA Loses and Ghana wins, with any combination of more than 2 goal difference (i.e. Germany wins by more than 1 or Ghana wins by more than 1 goal.) Ghana advances on goal differential.
If Ghana wins and both games are 1 goal margins, than USA advances on head-to-head (No drawing pots.)
If USA loses and Portugal wins (The better outcome of a USA loss/Gha/Por non draw) The total of goal difference of the two games would have to be at least 5 for Portugal to advance.
Just go to ESPN.com // World Cup tab // Highlights //
100% on GTA V
100% on Saints Row 2
100% on Saints Row: The Third
pause on that franchise
Level 9 on Borderlands (just started)
EDIT: Sorry for the double-post the site has been acting up me the past couple days on whether posts are going through or not.
That said the best chance in the game was in the 90th minute with Wondolowski. Had he converted that one, USA wins. Now apparently the flag was up anyway despite the fact that he was a mile onside, can you IMAGINE the fallout if the goal had been disallowed???
What a near comeback by the Americans which goes to prove that in desperate times they can attack "two walls of 4" defense at will like any other team. Not every team in the world can just turn it on when they want like that. They need to be able to play forward more consistently and have a confidence in their back four. They obviously are not there yet. They play afraid to lose, instead of trying to win.
Tim Howard is amazing and makes me laugh at everyone who laughed at my analysis of Howard as a Top 5 GK in the world pre-World Cup. Really????
I LOVE the future core of Yedlin, Jones, and Green. Love the fact that Kilnnsman is signed through 2018. I expect easier qualifying and USA to show themselves as even more of a powerhouse globally leading up to Russia 2018.
The 20 minute stretch from after Germany scoring and Ghana tying Portugal was absolutely brutal as a USA fan. Our history told us to expect that Ghana goal to come and knock us out.
USA has been kind of defying odds a bit, maybe this is the year for a deep run?
How's it bad? A referee actually made the correct call in a match deciding moment like he should any other time. Sio clipped the back of the Samaras's heal while the Greek player was in a clear position to take a shot on goal. It caused him to lose balance and not be able to make a play on the ball. Clear penalty.
I also agree having Greece advance is a bad thing stylistically for a great World Cup so far. So I definitely was not rooting for them.
I also was not rooting for Italy until after the Suarez biting incident. Before that, I thought Marchisio being sent off was a lame call though. Watch FIFA screw it up and find some way of not kicking Suarez out of the tournament.
CONCACAF Pride 2014.
Brazil 1:2 Chile (a.e.t.)
70' Arturo Vidal (CHI)
76' Thiago Silva (BRA)
120' Alexis Sánchez (CHI)
Netherlands 2:0 Mexico
56' Robin van Persie
61' Robin van Persie
This tiebreaker info is false.
To make it clear here's the scenario from a USA perspective. Some of your info is correct so it will look like I'm re-hashing it but I just want it all there.
USA Wins, Into Round of 16 as Group winner.
USA draws, Into Round of 16 as Group Runner-Up.
USA Loses but Ghana/Portugal draw, USA advances as Runner-Up.
USA Loses and Ghana wins, with any combination of more than 2 goal difference (i.e. Germany wins by more than 1 or Ghana wins by more than 1 goal.) Ghana advances on goal differential.
If Ghana wins and both games are 1 goal margins, than USA advances on head-to-head (No drawing pots.)
If USA loses and Portugal wins (The better outcome of a USA loss/Gha/Por non draw) The total of goal difference of the two games would have to be at least 5 for Portugal to advance.
Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen