Futbol

[Vrede too]

O Really is crushed:

Swanson: UCLA women’s soccer rallies, beats North Carolina for NCAA title
The Bruins claim their program’s second national title – and their school’s 120th – by beating the perennial power Tar Heels, 3-2, in a wild match

Round of 16 final games Tue, 12/6

10:00 AM EST
Group F #1 Morocco 2-0-1 vs Group E #2 Spain 1-1-1
Hmm, I've spent time in Spain and love it, but Morocco is the last remaining African team and last Muslim team. Go Morocco, I guess.

2:00 PM EST
Go Group H #1 Portugal 2-1-0 > Group G #2 Switzerland 2-1-0

Last African team to advance to the Quarter-finals was Ghana in 2010.

0-0 in regular time and OT. Morocco won the toss and elected to shoot first, which surprised me. Then, the announcers said the team that kicks first wins more often. They didn't say why.

Morocco made 3 out of 4 PKs. Allah is willing.
Spain had 2 blocked and hit the side post with a third, did not get a 4th kick. In 2018 Spain was beaten by Russia on PKs in the round of 16. Disaster.

[Vrede too]

2:00 PM EST
Go Group H #1 Portugal 2-1-0 > Group G #2 Switzerland 2-1-0

6-1, ouch, and they did it with Ronaldo on the bench. I didn't bother reading why.

Quarter-finals

Fri, 12/9

10:00 AM EST
Go Brazil > Croatia, Lula! Pele!

2:00 PM EST
GO Netherlands > Argentina, Orange!

Sat, 12/10

10:00 AM EST
Go Morocco > Portugal, Africa! Islam!
But I don't hate Portugal.

2:00 PM EST
Go England > France

The only problem with the US getting knocked out is the reduced overall media coverage.

[GoCubsGo]

The only problem with the US getting knocked out is the reduced overall media coverage.

That and unfamiliarity. I don't know much about the rest of the players/teams and my curiosity level has dipped without a dog in the fight.

Too bad really, I do enjoy watching the games.

[Vrede too]

Europe has won the last 4 WCs.

World Cup 2022: Ranking the 8 quarterfinalists from worst to best

8. Morocco (BetMGM odds +4000)
7. Croatia (+4000)
6. The Netherlands (+1400)
5. Portugal (+600)
4. Argentina (+600)
3. England (+600)
2. France (+400)
1. Brazil (+175) 5-time winner

My favorites, having nothing to do with odds of success, in descending order:

The Netherlands
Morocco
England, Go O Really!
Argentina
Portugal
Brazil
France
Croatia

[Vrede too]

Rough day for me. First 2-shootout day since 1986.

Quarter-finals

Fri, 12/9

10:00 AM EST
Go Brazil > Croatia, Lula! Pele!

2:00 PM EST
GO Netherlands > Argentina, Orange!

Europe has won the last 4 WCs.

World Cup 2022: Ranking the 8 quarterfinalists from worst to best

8. Morocco (BetMGM odds +4000)
7. Croatia (+4000)
6. The Netherlands (+1400)
5. Portugal (+600)
4. Argentina (+600)
3. England (+600)
2. France (+400)
1. Brazil (+175) 5-time winner So much for predictions.

My favorites, having nothing to do with odds of success, in descending order:

The Netherlands
Morocco
England, Go O Really!
Argentina
Portugal
Brazil
France
Croatia

Croatia 1 (4), Brazil 1 (2)
Mash-up of different articles:
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/09/11418481 ... inal-qatar
https://sports.yahoo.com/world-cup-2022 ... 58882.html

In fact, Friday's contest was the 5th of Croatia's last 6 matches in the World Cup knockout round that went to extra time.

The goal, the 77th of Neymar's career, tied him with the legendary star Pelé for most international goals by a Brazilian men's player.

But, he won't surpass dying Pele this WC.

For Brazil, it was their sixth loss at the quarterfinals. Four of those defeats have come during the last five World Cups.

All four Croatia kick takers made their penalty kicks while Marquinhos missed Brazil’s final penalty off the post.



Petkovic’s goal was Croatia’s first shot on target of the entire game. It came in the 117th minute.

Croatia felt destined to win the game after Petkovic’s goal given their incredible run after regulation over the past two World Cups. It made the final of the World Cup in 2018 after winning its first two knockout-round games in penalties and in extra time over England in the semifinals. And Friday’s penalty kick win came after goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved three penalties in a round of 16 penalty kick win over Japan.

Livakovic made a key save on Friday too. He stopped Rodrygo’s penalty kick on Brazil’s first turn. That save forced Brazil to play catchup the rest of the way but Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Luka Modric and Mislav Orsic made sure that didn’t happen. All four clinically hit their penalty kicks as Orsic’s shot tucked just inside the post turned out to be the winner.

As evidenced by Croatia’s inability to get a shot on goal during regulation, Brazil was the better side across the run of play and created far more scoring chances. Livakovic had to make 10 saves over the course of regulation and extra time as Brazil peppered the goal.

Netherlands 2(3), Argentina 2(4)
Doomed Netherlands equalized with goals in the 83rd and 101st (stoppage time) minutes!
Argentina goalie had 2 brilliant PK saves.

GO Argentina > Croatia Tuesday, 1pm EST, TV: Fox
Go Morocco, win it all!

[Vrede too]

Neymar unsure if he'll play for Brazil again after tying Pele scoring record in loss to Croatia

If not, he and Pele would remain tied as Brasil's all-time leading men's scorers with 77 goals, perhaps for another 50 years.

... Brazil great Pele remained in a hospital in Brazil treating a respiratory infection that was aggravated by COVID-19. The latest medical report indicated that the 82-year-old Pele was doing OK.

... The 30-year-old Neymar scored his 77 goals in 124 matches for Brazil. Pele's goals came in 92 appearances with the national team between 1957 and 1971....

Brazil women's forward Marta holds the country's all-time record with 115 goals in 171 games....

[Vrede too]

Go Morocco, win it all!

1-0 over Portugal, first time an African team has ever reached the Semis!
The Semis will be one African, one South American and 2 European teams, decent mix.

Vuvuzelas or something equally annoying must be allowed. For the first time this WC I noticed this incessant buzzing.

[GoCubsGo]

Frogs or Limeys....

Who do we want?

[Vrede too]

Frogs or Limeys....

Who do we want?

It's the 100 Years War Redux.

France has won it all twice, in 1998 and 2018. England has only prevailed once, way back in 1966. England has never been a runner up, France once in 2006.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_F ... _of_finals
So, go O Really and go England!

O Really's Mum was English. He's pretending to be soccer aloof, but he's too enthralled to log on.

[GoCubsGo]

O Really's Mum was English. He's pretending to be soccer aloof, but he's too enthralled to log on.

Poached salmon > Snails

Futbol players flop more than NBA guys.

They also need acting lessons.

[Vrede too]

O Really's Mum was English. He's pretending to be soccer aloof, but he's too enthralled to log on.

Poached salmon > Snails ...

1-1! O Really's neighbors are calling the cops because of all the yelling. Lady O has considered it, too.

[O Really]

So, go O Really and go England!

O Really's Mum was English. He's pretending to be soccer aloof, but he's too enthralled to log on.
[/quote]

Not pretending. A taste for fish and chips, bangers and mash, toad in the hole, a pint of Newcastle Brown and maybe a spot of afternoon tea may be hereditary. Fancy for soccer, not so much.

But OK, "Go England!"

[Vrede too]

So, go O Really and go England!

O Really's Mum was English. He's pretending to be soccer aloof, but he's too enthralled to log on.

Not pretending. A taste for fish and chips, bangers and mash, toad in the hole, a pint of Newcastle Brown and maybe a spot of afternoon tea may be hereditary. Fancy for soccer, not so much.

But OK, "Go England!"

They lost due to your apathy . . . to the French! Barely, England played the better game.

Go Morocco > France. Wed 2 pm EST. The formerly colonized will be avenged!

[O Really]

But OK, "Go England!"

They lost due to your apathy . . . to the French! Barely, England played the better game.

[/quote]
They farted in our general direction and said our mum was a hamster. All was well until they taunted us for the second time.

[Vrede too]

But OK, "Go England!"

They lost due to your apathy . . . to the French! Barely, England played the better game.

They farted in our general direction and said our mum was a hamster. All was well until they taunted us for the second time.

England's MNT is also Monty Python's Flying Circus? No wonder they lost.

[Vrede too]

Pouring Through a Crisis: How Budweiser Salvaged Its World Cup

All interesting to me, but this is a plausible theory re the timing:

... Meanwhile, dark theories abounded as to why the Qataris had waited so long to pull the plug on beer in stadiums. Fort, the sports marketing expert, said he thought Qatar’s decision was a result of inattention, not premeditation. But many fans were convinced the beer’s removal had been the idea all along.

“I think the Qatari government planned the entire time not to allow beer sales in the stadium, but they didn’t want to say anything because they were afraid people wouldn’t come,” said Marty Brazeau, a 36-year-old teacher from the Seattle area, who had come to the W Hotel in search of something to drink. “I’m not sure I would have come.”

As for Budweiser, Brazeau said, he felt bad about what had happened, but only to a point. “I do believe in the fulfillment of contractual obligations,” he said, “though it’s hard to feel sorry for a company as big as InBev.”

Good point. Plus, how much global free advertising has Bud gotten as a result of the Qatari ban? It's not like we ever discuss Bud other than to disparage it (neoplacebo excepted). I'm even considering buying a Bud product in solidarity.

[Vrede too]

World Cup 2022: Ranking the 8 quarterfinalists from worst to best

8. Morocco (BetMGM odds +4000)
7. Croatia (+4000)
6. The Netherlands (+1400)
5. Portugal (+600)
4. Argentina (+600)
3. England (+600)
2. France (+400)
1. Brazil (+175) 5-time winner So much for predictions. 2, 4, 7 and 8 still alive isn't very good ranking.

My favorites, having nothing to do with odds of success, in descending order:

The Netherlands
Morocco
England, Go O Really!
Argentina
Portugal
Brazil
France
Croatia

My 2, 4, 7 and 8 are still alive. My wishes are as good as the pro picks.

GO Argentina > Croatia Tuesday, 2pm EST, TV: Fox
Go Morocco, win it all!

[Vrede too]

3-0 Argentina, yay. Messi kicked ass, a PK and a brilliant assist.

Go Morocco > France. Wed 2 pm EST. The formerly colonized will be avenged!

[GoCubsGo]

3-0 Argentina, yay. Messi kicked ass, a PK and a brilliant assist.

Go Morocco > France. Wed 2 pm EST. The formerly colonized will be avenged!

This was an intense game.

Sorry Morocco.

France still owns you.

[Vrede too]

Go Morocco > France. Wed 2 pm EST. The formerly colonized will be avenged!

This was an intense game.

Sorry Morocco.

France still owns you.

I see what you did there. Morocco "won" IMO . . . except for the score, 0-2. Most of the stats are equal except for:
Possession
France 39%, Morocco 61%
https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-c ... -11327242/

World Cup 2022: Ranking the 8 quarterfinalists from worst to best

8. Morocco (BetMGM odds +4000)
7. Croatia (+4000)
6. The Netherlands (+1400)
5. Portugal (+600)
4. Argentina (+600)
3. England (+600)
2. France (+400)
1. Brazil (+175) 5-time winner So much for predictions. 2, 4, 7 and 8 still alive isn't very good ranking.

My favorites, having nothing to do with odds of success, in descending order:

The Netherlands
Morocco
England, Go O Really!
Argentina
Portugal
Brazil
France
Croatia

My 2, 4, 7 and 8 are still alive. My wishes are as good as the pro picks.

GO Argentina > Croatia Tuesday, 2pm EST, TV: Fox
Go Morocco, win it all!

My 4 and 7 are still alive. My wishes are now worse than the pro picks - 2 and 4. GO Argentina, beat the defending champs and win it all!