2018 World Cup

Post by **Pies4shaw** » Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:31 am

Sweden 1, Suisserland 0.

England 1, Colombia 1 and 4:3 on penalties after extra time.

In the round of 16, three games went to extra time and each of those went to penalties - one starts to wonder if there's any poiint to playing the extra 30 minutes or whether it would be better to go straight to penalties. Looking at England at the end of 120 minutes, it's hard to see them running out the game in their quarter final after that extra work today.

Quarter final results will be:

If Cavani is fit, Uruguay 4, France 1. If Cavani isn't fit, Uruguay 0, France 0 and France through 4:1 on penalties.

Brazil 2, Belgium 0. Belgium are great up front but they look too plodding at the back to cope with Brazil on an average day. Belgium are the best team at the tournament going forward with the ball, so it would be great to see them win but, realistically, who's going to catch Neymar and Coutinho?

Sweden 1, England 0. Kane to miss 3 penalties on the way - just to remind us of what makes England so compelling in international championship games.

Croatia 5, Russia 0. Really, how did Russia get this far? Ok, ok - by knocking out Spain. Once, it's funny, twice and it's a lop=sided semi-final.

Now that the picture is emerging, there is clearly a harder road to the Final and an easier road.

K · Post by K » Wed Jul 04, 2018 1:24 pm

Pies4shaw wrote:...
In the round of 16, three games went to extra time and each of those went to penalties - one starts to wonder if there's any poiint to playing the extra 30 minutes or whether it would be better to go straight to penalties. ...

I'm keen to make penalty shootouts the absolute last option. I preferred it when they had the golden-goal period added on after extra time, though everyone apparently hated that more than shootouts. They can hardly complain about bad fortune in the shootout if they did not at least try to win the game in extra time.

The option they've never tried although the idea has long been raised is taking players off. e.g. instead of the golden-goal period, have a period with 9 a side. Heck make it 8 if you want.

roar · Post by **roar** » Wed Jul 04, 2018 3:45 pm

I also liked the golden goal and don't know why they abandoned it.

Post by **Pies4shaw** » Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:08 pm

Oliver Bierhoff's golden goal in the 1996 European Championship comes to mind. I think FIFA probably liked the idea of finding a version of soccer that the Germans couldn't win.

thesoretoothsayer · Post by **thesoretoothsayer** » Thu Jul 05, 2018 1:06 pm

Good article about something that I'm glad seldom occurs in the AFL:

https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/ ... 298cb3f840

Post by **Jezza** » Fri Jul 06, 2018 4:21 pm

Sweden 1-0 Switzerland

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44610243
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=012FkPcI1uE

Goals:
Sweden - 66' (Forsberg)

Colombia 1-1 England
England wins 4-3 on penalties

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44610244
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbmaLT320hw

Goals:
England - 57' (Kane) - Penalty
Colombia - 90' (Mina)

Quarter Finals:
- Uruguay v France
- Brazil v Belgium
- Russia v Croatia
- Sweden v England

Post by **Jezza** » Fri Jul 06, 2018 4:26 pm

Tonight's Matches:

Uruguay v France - 12am EST

Brazil v Belgium - 4am EST

Post by **Pies4shaw** » Sat Jul 07, 2018 8:01 am

No Cavani, no Uruguay. No Socrates, no Brazil.

Uruguay and Belgium go home and we have Neymar neymore.

Post by **Jezza** » Sat Jul 07, 2018 3:34 pm

Uruguay 0-2 France

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44652179
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YK4o-Gbppg

Goals:
France - 40' (Varane)
France - 61' (Griezmann)

Brazil 1-2 Belgium

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44652178
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8IK0ZqfxNI

Goals:
Belgium - 13' (Fernandinho) - Own Goal
Belgium - 31' (De Bruyne)
Brazil - 76' (Renato Augusto)

Post by **Jezza** » Sat Jul 07, 2018 3:38 pm

Tonight's Matches:

Sweden v England - 12am EST

Russia v Croatia - 4am EST

roar · Post by **roar** » Sat Jul 07, 2018 3:54 pm

French looking the business and Belgium did us all a favour. The semi between them promises to be a cracker.

Hoping England and Croatia win tonight to make it another cracker for the other semi.

Post by **Pies4shaw** » Sat Jul 07, 2018 5:37 pm

This might prove to be a World Cup in which no competent team makes the Final.

swoop42 · Post by **swoop42** » Sat Jul 07, 2018 5:58 pm

The only time I really watch soccer is during the world cup and while I enjoy it the softness and staging of the prima donna players reminds me of why it'll never have more than a passing appeal to me and many other Australians who love their AFL or NRL.

While watching some of the Geelong and Sydney game last night however I was left wondering if a nil all game of soccer between two world class sides is still a much better spectacle than a game of AFL where the winning side has 17 more scoring shots and yet only wins by 2 goals.

In a game where the goals have no cross bar or dedicated goal defender the inaccuracy of AFL is inexcusable sometimes.

Post by **Jezza** » Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:05 pm

Sweden 0-2 England

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44665445
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr7-HtVlAdI

Goals:
England - 30' (Maguire)
England - 58' (Alli)

Russia 2-2 Croatia
Croatia wins 4-3 on penalties

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44665444
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjU8j2bj3RY

Goals:
Russia - 31' (Cheryshev)
Croatia - 39' (Kramaric)
Croatia - 100' (Vida)
Russia - 115' (Figueira Fernandes)

Semi Finals:
- France v Belgium
- Croatia v England

swoop42 · Post by **swoop42** » Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:35 am

Come on England.

This is an unofficial Bulletin Board - owned and run by its users. We welcome all fans of the Mighty Collingwood Football Club.

2018 World Cup