Group F Shuffles Around (6/27)

FREDERICKSBURG, VA -- One team was going to have one of the biggest collapses ever.  Either F2-Mexico was going to be the team to win their first two matches and get eliminated or defending champion F1-Germany was going to bow out of the Group Stage for the first time since 1954.  With F3-Sweden handily ahead of MEX, GER and F4-Korea Rep were still scoreless.  A GER goal would eliminate MEX and they had 26 shots to try to get that one goal.  But then the unthinkable happened as KOR scored off a corner kick in stoppage time (ruled not offsides by VAR (in either case - GER played the ball to a teammate or KOR was onside anyway) overturning the sideline ref).  With GER needing two goals now, GER GK became the 11th attacker but quickly KOR took advantage and scored an empty netter (wow, so many hockey terms this World Cup) to seal GER's fate, 2-0.  So who picked GER to finish LAST in Group F?  In 2002, KOR helped another CONCACAF team, the USA, advance to the R16 with their 70' goal against Portugal to eliminate Portugal.  MEX is the only non-European, non-South American team to qualify thus far (H2-Senegal and/or H4-Japan still have a chance).  Just two spots remain among 3 Group H teams (Group G's Belgium and England have already qualified).

In Group E, E1-Brazil took care of business

beating E4-Serbia 2-0.  E2-Switzerland settled for second even if they didn't allow a "Pando" type goal when CRC's PK went off the woodwork then off the GK and then into the goal in stoppage time to tie the match at 2.  

Kds911 kept the top spot with 60 points.  He got 11 of 16 points to lead by one over Flying Elvi.  Krispy Kremer (up 18 spots to 24th-T, 53) and Gimme Your Mane (up 6 spots to 59th-T, 47) got 12 points while Soccerhorn only got 5 points to move into last (38).  14 have picked 11 of 12 Round of 16 teams while Soccerhorn only had 6 correct.  Ilvecchio (3rd-T, 58) has the most group stage wins with 28 while Larzby (71st-T, 73) and Wondolousy's Skyball (76th-T, 40) have just 16 correct.

All 79 had picked GER in the R16, 68 had them in the Semis, 44 had them in the Final, and 22 had them as their champ.  Oops.

For Group E, 72 picked BRA and 17 picked SUI-CRC tie with 16 getting both matches and 6 missing both.  78 picked BRA (Argh (76th-T) picking CRC) and 58 picked SUI into the Round of 16 with 77 getting both and 22 getting one.  11 got all 8 points while Argh and Destista de Suarez (68th-T, 44) got just 3 points.

For Group F, just 5 picked KOR and just 12 picked the SWE with Toshiyori and Ramos Tackles getting both correct and 64 missing both.  16 got SWE and 61 got MEX into the Round of 16 with 77 getting one team and Soccerhorn and Ramos Tackles missing both. Toshiyori got 5 points while Soccerhorn got just 1 point.

Round of 16 (14 of 16) 

A-RUS via URU>EGY
A-URU via URU>EGY
C-FRA via FRA>PER

D-CRO via CRO>ARG

G-BEL via ENG>PAN

G-ENG via ENG>PAN

B-ESP via ESP=MAR

B-POR via POR=IRN

C-DEN via DEN=FRA

D-ARG via ARG>NGA & CRO>ISL

F-SWE via SWE>MEX

F-MEX via KOR>GER

E-BRA via BRA>SRB

E-SUI via SUI=KOR

Eliminated (15 of 16)
A-KSA via URU>EGY
A-EGY via URU>EGY
B-MAR via ESP>IRN
C-PER via FRA>PER

E-CRC via SUI>SRB

G-PAN via ENG>PAN

G-TUN via ENG>PAN

H-POL via COL>POL

B-IRN via IRN=POR & ESP=MAR

C-AUS via PER>AUS

D-NGA via ARG>NGA

D-ISL via CRO>ISL

F-GER via KOR>GER

F-KOR via SWE>MEX

E-SRB via BRA>SRB

Won Group (6 of 8)
A-URU via URU>RUS

B-ESP via ESP=MAR & IRN=POR

C-FRA via FRA=DEN

D-CRO via CRO>ISL

F-SWE via SWE>MEX & KOR>GER

E-BRA via BRA>SRB & SUI=KOR

Possible Group Winners (after 2 matches each team):

G: BEL or ENG

H: JPN or SEN or COL