C2-Italy routed C4-Jamaica 5-0 to advance to the Round of 16. A double VAR sequence saw it first used to reverse a non-call and gave a penalty kick to ITA in the 9'. On the PK, JAM's young GK saved it in the 11' but was off her line and VAR gave the infraction and on the retake, ITA converted for the first goal in the 12'. This seemed egregious upon live view but I forget the GK can move as long as he/she has a foot on the line. Clearly, she didn't but ignoring she was way off center, it was only by 10 inches or less. Watching another PK from today, the GK was behind the line and timed it run up to the line so she had a foot on it when the PK was taken (not successful BTW). JAM has allowed back-to-back hat tricks against them and now have a -8 Goal Differential.
The Asian Football Confederation is on a roll as D3-Japan beat D2-Scotland 2-1 for the AFC's 3rd straight win after starting 0-5-1. SCO's loss was UEFA's first against a non-UEFA team snapping a nine-match winning streak. Meanwhile, D1-England, despite missing a PK for the first time in a WWC (now 8/9), finally broke through against D4-Argentina so that they didn't suffer the same fate JPN did to ARG in winning 1-0. #37 ARG held two top 7 teams scoreless for 152 minutes and have just a -1 GD despite not taking a single corner kick yet and only reaching ENG's box once. Not one. ENG becomes the 4th UEFA team to advance to the Round of 16 (only 4 have advanced). ARG's save on ENG's PK was the third PK save of the tourney (JAM's would have been 4) which is the most in a WWC edition.
36 went 3-0 but there was no change at the top, as Fotografo il Migliore and Pazzo Americano remain tied for first with 18 points. Eggman went 1-2 to fall into a tie for 35th (14). Soccerhorn is last with 12 pts. 41 picked JPN, 38 picked ITA, and all 44 picked ENG. Still just one tie in 20 matches.
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