Not as Expected (11/27)

CUCINA ALESSÁ, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA -- F2-Canada scored in the 2' but it was all F4-Croatia after that in losing 4-1 and becoming the second team eliminated from the Knockout Stage.  For a CAN team that outplayed #2 F1-Belgium and won the CONCACAF qualifying group, this was a disappointing outcome heading into co-hosting in 2026.  Speaking of #2 BEL, F3-Morocco scored two late goals to shock BEL, 2-0 and take the group lead.

E4-Japan, who rallied and beat E3-Germany, overthought the game against E2-Costa Rica, who got blown out 7-0 by E1-Spain, by changing their lineup and keeping CRC in the match.  A spirited CRC defense fought for every through ball and took their one chance with an off-speed lob that fooled JPN's GK into jumping a tad early for the game-winner in the 81'.  Who would have thought CRC would give CONCACAF their first win of the tourney.

ESP was in control leading 1-0 but power doesn't panic and GER, although with JPN losing they would not have been eliminated with a loss, got the equalizer in the 83'.  GER has one of the more unique direct qualification path in that if they beat CRC by 8 goals, they will qualify.  But most scenarios need help even with a win.  

With Asian Football Confed's C2-Saudi Arabia and JPN losing, they are on the verge to be one of the 16% to fail to make the Round of 16 after winning their first game.  

So waking up at 3:30 am just in time to see CRC score was demoralizing and went out with my family to a very good Italian restaurant (yes, I had an Italian sausage omelet but the kids had pasta which was really good) in Huntington Beach to drown my sorrows in my authentic 2021 Anniversary JPN jersey, one of my favorite jerseys.

While 74 picked CRO, just 29 picked the ESP-GER draw, 13 CRC, and Party Brigade (104th-Tied, 10 pts) was the only one to pick MAR.  26 went 2-2 while 18 went 0-4.  CDOG, DDubs, Kankleiscious, and The Gambler 1 are tied for first with 17 pts while Meli is now alone in last (8).

Asian Shocker Redux! (11/23)

LA MIRADA, CA - For the third straight major tournament, E3-Germany loses their first group match, this time to #24 E4-Japan, 2-1.  GER lost to France in Euro 2020 and was upset 1-0 by Mexico in 2018 where they eventually missed the 2018 Knockout Stage after getting upset by another Asian team, Korea Republic, in their 3rd match.  GER dominated for the first 2/3rds of the match with possession and shots but JPN got two late goals nine minutes apart (75', 83'), the latter a laser up past the GK near post at close range.  This reminded me of Landon Donovan's "aim for the head" laser shot in the 2010 World Cup vs Slovenia.  

E1-Spain, GER's next opponent, showed their dominance putting up 7 goals against E2-Costa Rica.  If GER were to lose against ESP, they would need CRC to beat JPN to have any chance of advancing.  CRC has no shots at all and had just 17% possession (they did have more offsides than ESP with 7).  

#2 in the world F1-Belgium struggled against F2-Canada (getting outshot 21-9) but saved an early PK in holding on, 1-0.  #12 F4-Croatia and #22 F3-Morocco played to the tourney's 3rd scoreless draw.

It was well worth getting up at 6:30 am (after going to sleep near 3 am after watching the satisfying season finale of Star Wars: Andor) to see JPN turn it on and get rewarded with two goals.  Wore my authentic 2020-21 home JPN jersey afterwards when taking my mom to get her car a smog check.  But JPN's WC jersey looks great as well.

Kona Coast Uno (10th-Tied, 7 pts) was the only one to pick JPN while 14 picked the MAR-CRO tie.  101 picked ESP and 96 picked BEL.  12 entries went 3-1 while Firewire (69th-T, 5) and Young Bloods (69th-T) went 0-4 today.  This left nine in a tie for first with 8 pts while Meli (108th-T) joins Markofthebeast in last with 3 pts.

NOTE: Unlucky (1st-T) and What Would Pep Do (69th-T) were inadvertently swapped in points (corrected 11/23).  Thanks for Keith J for finding this error.  I now have an additional check when Excel decides to outsmart me.  

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

Issue 3.0.3 "Par Excellence!"

Archive

Thursday, June 18, 2015 

     TOP 11 TEAMS ALL QUALIFY FOR ROUND OF 16
Soccerhorn rises to the top as he and YellowCard and Bailo Con Hope Solo get 15 R16 teams

NEW YORK CITY, NY (smt) -- Like the Giants, Jets, and Red Bulls, I'm claiming to write this from New York despite flying into Newark, NJ and staying at a hotel in New Brunswick, NJ.  I did ride the train to NYC to see an awesome show (Finding Neverland), so it counts!  So despite the shaky second games for teams (A1-Canada ties! C1-Germany and D1-USA draw, F1-France loses), all four won their group and in fact, the top 11 teams in the WWC made the Round of 16 (hello #16 A2-China, #18 E2-Korea Rep, #19 C2-Swiss, #28 F3-Colombia, and #53 C3-Cameroon, the first African nation to reach the knockout stage).  #14 E3-Spain and #17 A3-New Zealand were the best-ranked teams (top 24) to not make the knockout stage.  C1-Japan and E1-Brazil completed a perfect 3-0-0 record with BRA getting three shutouts. 

Out of order, as the most exciting finish happened in the very last match as

Sam's PANDO! or GORDO? # 20 (June 29 - Match Day 17)

MARK GEIGER assigned a Knockout Round Match; First American Ref to get to the knockout round .. .. KAKA transfers to ORLANDO CITY; OFFICIAL!!.. ..  

Match 51: NETHERLANDS v. MEXICO  16        

Date: Sunday June 29, 2014

Venue: Estadio Castelao, FORTALEZA

PANDO! or GORDO? Pando!

WHAT? YOU DON'T LIKE CHESS MATCHES? I DO!

It was always going to be a very pragmatic, tactical match like this > 97 degrees on the pitch, a probably overcooked EURO side versus a counterattacking CONCACAF side .. .. It always seemed that there was going to be just one goal today, and so far so good .. ..

1  Main action early on was a surprising NED sub in just the 9th minute when NIGEL DE JONG had to come out and went straight to the dressing rooms .. .. hmmm .. .. MEX narrowly looked the livelier side and crushed some decent long bombs .. .. NED didn't have their first shot until ROBIN VAN PERSIEs errant try in the 27th minute .. .. As the 1H scorched on, NED came forward on the flanks, surprising considering they only used 3 crosses in their last match v. CHL and only 5 against AUS .. .. When the chance came, they

Sam's PANDO! or GORDO? # 10 (June 20 - Day 9)

Just eight days after the WORLD CUP begins, ENGLAND is already out but the England FA gives Manager ROY HODGSON a vote of confidence.. ..  

Match 24: ITALY v. COSTA RICA

Date: Friday June 20, 2014 

Venue: Arena Pernambuco, RECIFE

PANDO! or GORDO? Pando!

THE GOLD STANDARD OF C.O.N.C.A.C.A.F. GAVE THE MIGHTY ITALIANS ALL THEY COULD HANDLE! NOT ONLY DO THEY LOSE TO U.S.A. AT HOME, THEY GET TAKEN APART BY MIGHTY COSTA RICA!

You all saw it, tonight CRC officially entered the elite of the Federation with a terrific, cultured, and actually overpowering win over ITA .. .. CRC came out the better side, pressuring high and causing turnovers, both enforced, and unforced .. .. CRC created the better chances and ITA didn't even attempt their first shot until the 27th minute .. .. CRC had 4 CKs, compared to 1 for ITA .. ..

CRC Superstar JOEL CAMPBELL was clearly pushed down in the box in the 42nd minute, but the Ticos were not to be denied three minutes later when