Stoppage Time Winner (12/2)

WORK FROM HOME --  H4-Korea Republic (South Korea) scored in first minute of stoppage time to pull off upset of H1-Portugal, 2-1, to become the 3rd Asian team to make the R16.  H3-Uruguay took an early 2-0 lead over H2-Ghana but could not add to the total, and just one more goal would have advanced them.  As such, they lose the goals for tiebreaker to KOR.  I'm sure GHA will relish eliminating URU after an intentional handball by Luis Suarez (who helped with 2 URU goals today but was subbed off in the 66' after picking up a yellow card) in 2010 Quarterfinal forced GHA into a PK which they missed and URU eventually prevailed.  

While G4-Cameroon and G1-Brazil's B-team battled scoreless for most of the day, G3-Switzerland and G2-Serbia exchanged plenty of goals.  SRB rallied to take a 2-1 lead (briefly taking 2nd place slot) but SUI scored twice more to win 3-2 and make the R16 for 4th time in last 5 WCs.  CMR actually got a stoppage time goal but still would need SUI to give up two goals so a moral victory.

BRA's 17-game unbeaten streak in group stage matches came to an end (yes, it was their B-team but that's a pretty good B-team).  No team won 3 games for the first time since 1994 with 1A-ENG #1 thus far (7 pts, +7 GD).  When KOR made the R16 in 2002 they need to beat -- POR in the 3rd group match.  KORvPOR was first non-scoreless tie at halftime (then followed by SRBvSUI 2:2 at half), after the first 23 halftime ties were 0-0.

One busy Friday working from home with several Zoom meetings but still enjoyed the endings of the matches.  Wore my 2020 POR Away jersey with Nations League champion patch.  But I was rooting for KOR so maybe I need to shell out for a KOR jersey.

As it happened:

• Group H - GHAvURU and KORvPOR
• POR already qualified and can guarantee 1st with Win or Draw.  GHA guarantees a R16 spot with a Win.  KOR and URU need to win and need help. POR/GHA/KOR GF+2/URU.
• 5' - New lineup POR scores 1-0 bumping KOR to last.  POR/GHA/URU/KOR.
• 16' - Ref calls for PK for GHA but flag is up.  VAR to intervene.
• 17' - KOR scores but is offsides.  KOR needs to win for a chance.
• 19' - VAR tech shows no offsides so PK stands for GHA.
• 21' - GHA's PK is saved and keeps URU alive.
• 26' - URU goal 1-0 to move into 2nd.  POR/URU/GHA/KOR.
• 27' - KOR goal 1-1 but need to win.  POR/URU/GHA/KOR.
• 32' - URU goal 2-0.  One more goal would give URU GD tiebreaker over KOR.  POR/URU/GHA/KOR.
• 2nd half - KORvPOR about 7 minutes ahead of GHAvURU.
• 59' - URU player brought down and no call - but VAR intervenes! But ref looked at VAR monitor and said GHA player got a touch on the ball first so no foul.  URU need that 3rd goal to help with GD.
• 90'+1' - KOR counterattacks and scores 2-1.  URU losing GF to KOR for 2nd but a URU goal would give them GD tiebreaker.  POR/KOR GF+2/URU/GHA.
• 96:59 - Final: KOR 2, POR 1.  KOR won but need URU to not score as that match enters +8 stoppage time. POR wins group.
• 90'+3' - Again, URU player brought down in box, but no call.  URU desperate for goal.
• 90'+5' - URU shot just saved.  GHA isn't going to forget 2010 Suarez handball and will help knock URU out.
• 90'+6' - GHA shot saved.  If GHA gets 2 goals to tie, they win 2nd via GF over KOR.
• 90'+7' - URU close shot just wide right.
• 99:36 - Final: URU 2, GHA 0.  After getting 2 goals early, URU can't get 3rd to qualify.
• End - URU chasing and touching ref as he exits.  Very poor sportsmanship.
• Group G - SRBvSUI and CMRvBRA
• BRA already qualified and can guarantee 1st with Win or Draw.  SUI guarantees a spot with a Win.  CMR and SRB need to win and need help.  BRA/SUI/CMR GD+1/SRB.
• 20' - SUI scores first 1-0. BRA/SUI/CMR/SRB.
• 26' - Giveaway and SRB converts 1-1. BRA/SUI/CMR GD+1/SRB.
• 35' - SRB goal 2-1 and moves into 2nd.  BRA/SRB/SUI/CMR.
• 44' - SUI ties it 2-2.  BRA/SUI/CMR GD+1/SRB.
• 48' - SUI takes lead 3-2.  BRA/SUI/CMR/SRB.
• 65' - SRB player goes down in the box but no call.  SRB bench goes wild and gets YC.  SRB needs 2 goals if BRAvCMR stays tied.
• 90'+1' - CMR scores 1-0 but SUI would have to give up 2 goals to advance (if 1 goal, lose on head-to-head vSUI).  If SUI scores, they can win the group.  BRA GD+1/SUI/CMR/SRB.
• 90'+4' - SUI keeps pressure up but SRB takes offense as pushing and shoving ensues.  Interestingly, just two YCs (one to each team) issued.  SRB has lost faith.
• End:  CMR 1, BRA 0 and SUI 3, SRB 2.  BRA wins group on GD, SUI 2nd.

Four got 14 of 16 points while two got just 4 of 16 (Qatar's Last Stand (90th-Tied, 49 pts) and Markofthebeast (108th-T, 42) who both just got BRA in R16).  Seven got all 4 R16 teams correct.  Three got 3 of 4 matches correct while 12 went 0-4.  Kankleiscious is still in first with 64 points but has GER as champion.  Overall, 4 got 14 of 16 R16 teams while two (Union FC (101st-T, 47) and Sebass (108th-T)) only got 7 of 16.

88 picked URU to win, 56 SUI, 10 KOR, and 4 CMR.  All 109 got BRA in their R16, 101 POR, 62 SUI, and 15 KOR.  82 entries had URU in their R16 and 3 had them as champs.

May retroactively do elimination run (32K possible outcomes) as I wished there was a rest day.  So all 109 can pretend they can still win the pool :-)  But at 7 am, USAvNED!  Go USA!