African Strong, Asian Disrupters (8/3)

THE SLICE & PINT, EL SEGUNDO, CA - H1-Germany has to stop playing Asian teams in the group stage.  In 2018 WC, Korea Rep beat GER 2-0 to eliminate them from the knockout round in the last match.  In 2022 WC, Japan shocked GER 2-0 in the group stage opener that led to GER missing the knockout stage again.  Now in 2023, H4-KOR sends GER home again, securing a 1-1 draw, that combined with #72 H3-Morocco's 1-0 upset of H1-Colombia, eliminated both teams from the Round of 16.  

The COL "push" heard around the world gave MAR a PK attempt, and although they didn't score directly (the tourney's first miss after 13 straight converted), they put in the rebound in the 45'+4 for the pivotal only goal of the game.  GER's failure means 2E-USA is the only team to make it to knockout stage in every WWC.  COL still clinched 1st in the group despite the loss.  MAR loses 6-0 to GER and then qualifies over GER in the end?  What a crazy tournament.  MAR is the 3rd African team (and 1st Arab nation) to reach the R16, obviously the most ever.  #54 2G-South Africa and #40 2B-Nigeria are already in (all 3 African teams ranked 40 or worse with #77 3C-Zambia the only African nation to not qualify.

Wore my 2014 home Germany jersey with 2014 final lettering in front of our own Wrigley Field wall of ivy and it cursed them.  Speaking of jerseys, 8 teams have a bright yellow (or "orange" or "gold") jersey, way too many.

Tiocfaidh Ár Lá!!! (15th-Tied, 59 pts) was the only one to pick the KORvGER tie and 4 had MAR winning meaning 5 went 1-1 and 42 went 0-2.  Reggae Vibes (6th-T, 62) was the only to have MAR in the R16 and 14 had COL (all 47 missed GER).  Reggae Vibes got 4 of 8 points to move from 13th-T to 6th-T while 28 got 0 of 8. Vlatko Better Win is alone in 1st with 65 points with Kds911 2nd (64).  Tiny Destroyer is still last with 43 pts.

Four got 12 of 16 R16 teams correct while Tiny Destroyer only got 8 teams in.

Depth (12/5)

CYPRESS, CA - One thing that separates the European and South American teams from the rest of the world is their depth.  2F-Croatia rallied to tie 1E-Japan early 1-1 in the second half and then subbed judiciously, even replacing their scorer, to wear down the JPN pressure in extra time.  JPN seemed to settle for the penalty kick shootout and that is not what should have happened, because the PSO is not a 50/50 chance, experience plays a big role.  Two of the 3 PSO scorers for CRO were substitutes and CRO's towering GK made not 1, not 2, but 3 saves to help CRO win another PSO, 3-1, to advance to the quarterfinals.

1G-Brazil which had the luxury of resting all their starters in their 3rd match (even their GK who had faced zero shots on goal in 2 matches) ran all over 2H-Korea Republic in the first half, scoring four goals, three of the pretty kind and one PK by Neymar, who returned from injury.  After each goal, BRA were dancing in choreographed moves, which after a bit, seemed like they were stomping on the dead, who hadn't died yet.  KOR did manage to get a goal in the 76' to prevent the shutout.

But just as you are ready to brand BRA the villains of this WC, they bring out a touching tribute and banner for Pele, who was hospitalized.  Great gesture.

Issue #5.1.4 "The Axe Forgets" (After Group Stage)

Archive

Friday, December 2, 2022  

GHANA AND USA EXTRACT REVENGE, BEL & GER OUT
Kankleiscious is alone in 1st; no eliminations until end of Round of 16

WORK FROM HOME (smt) -- Although it has been 24 years since B2-IR Iran shocked B3-USA and 12 years since H2-Ghana lost in Quarters to H3-Uruguay on a sure game-winning goal nullified by a blatant handball by Luis Suarez, there is an African proverb that is used in Star Wars: Andor - the axe forgets but the tree remembers.  USA battled political questions at press conferences and US Soccer sabotaging players and survived IRN 1-0 to advance to the Round of 16 for the 4th time in their last 5 WCs.  A first-half goal on a crushing run by Christian Pulisic was just enough to erase the 1998 memories.  GHA, after going down 2-0 early with slim hopes of advancing, bunkered down and played spoiler, preventing URU from the R16-clinching 3rd goal as URU may have won 2-0 but were eliminated.  Like the 2010 QF vURU, GHA missed a PK that started their downfall.

While just 11% of teams who lose their first match make the R16, 3 of the first 5 teams (60%) advanced (A3-Senegal, C1-Argentina, D2-Australia).  The last 6 teams did not make it so it ended up being 3/11 (27.3%).  On the flip side, just 16% of teams who win their first match fail to qualify and 2 of the first 5 (40%) did miss out (A2-Ecuador, C2-Saudi Arabia).  Just 1 of the final 6 teams failed to qualify (F1-Belgium, ending that Golden Generation) so it ended up being 3/11 as well (27.3%).  5 teams (C3-Mexico, D4-Tunisia, E3-Germany, G4-Cameroon, and URU) did win their last match but also failed to qualify. 

A4-Netherlands and B1-England picked up easy wins while 3 teams who had already clinched lost (D1-France 0-1 to TUN, G1-Brazil 0-1 to CMR, and H1-Portugal 1-2 to H4-Korea Republic).  ENG actually finished with the best record (7 pts, GD+7) as no team won 3 games for the first time since 1994.  There was just one tie in the last 16 matches (F4-Croatia 0-0 to BEL).

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:

Twenty-Two Shots (6/17)

Each match saw one team take at least 22 shots but only two of the four won today.  B1-Germany got tired of 1-0 wins and came out swinging shooting 23 times and scoring four times in a 4-0 win over B4-South Africa to clinch Group B with 9 points.  In an interesting match where the winner would be the loser, only a loss would keep B3-Spain, holding 2nd place, from likely facing the F1-United States in the Round of 16 and yet they came out shooting 24 times with 9 shots on goal but was held to a scoreless draw by B2-China PR, who had just one shot and none on goal.  By finishing 3rd, CHN will likely play C2-Italy, C3-Brazil, C4-Australia, D1-England, or D4-Japan, all preferable over facing a hot USA team.

Issue #4.1.3 "No German Ingenuity" (After 48 Matches)

Archive

Friday, June 29, 2018 

OLD GERMANY OUSTED; JAPAN SNEAKS IN
Kds911 leads by 2; 22 lost Germany as their champ 

TERMINAL 21, WASHINGTON REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, VA (smt) --  F4-Korea Republic shocked F1-Germany in stoppage time... twice, to send the defending champs out of the Knockout Stage or the first time since 1954.  KOR's win saved F2-Mexico the embarrassment of being the team to win their first two matches and fail to make the Round of 16 (getting trounced by eventual Group F winner F3-Sweden 3-0).  B1-Portugal was eerily close to being eliminated as B4-Iran had tied them 1-1 and threatened a couple times late to win which would have sent the Portuguese out on Fair Play Points against B2-Spain.  Spain got a stoppage time goal using a quick restart just to make sure they made the R16 and with IRN's late goal, won Group B.  

H2-Japan did advance via Fair Play Points, however, as both they and H4-Senegal

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

Group F Remains Open (6/23)

F1-Germany fell behind 1-0 to F3-Sweden and after tying the game, saw Jerome Boateng go out with his second yellow in 11 minutes in the 82'.  Germany was following in Argentina's footsteps of needing help in their 3rd match and no chance at winning the group.  But a foul outside the box in the fourth minute of stoppage time (of five minutes added) saw Germany execute a perfect free kick play as Toni Kroos took the free kick and a quick short pass to Marco Reus to stop the ball gave Kroos a better angle and his kick bent around the charging Swedish players and curled in just past the outstretched hands of the SWE goalkeeper.  It was a first-class, world-class goal in the clutchest moment possible.  The 90'+5 goal meant they can still win the group and now have more paths to make the Round of 16 although GER should not be doing classless acts after the match.

F2-Mexico took care of F4-Korea Rep, 2-1 and missed clinching a spot in the Round of 16 when

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? # 17 (June 26 - Day 15)

NIGERIA cancels their Sunday practice due to their own conflict with the Nigerian Football Federation over bonuses.. ..  

Match 45: UNITED STATES v. GERMANY

Date: Thursday June 26, 2014     

Venue: Arena Pernambuco, RECIFE

PANDO! or GORDO? Pando!

"We're out to win it!"

Yes & No; It sounds good to the pimped-media, but pragmatically, both sides are trying not to lose .. .. And both USA & GER are doing a world-class job of it .. .. If we can beak - break, if not - just pass it around .. .. If we don't need blood, let's put the knives away .. .. for now .. ..

GER came forward early when USA gave up the flanks early on and some nice 1-v-1 marking by OMAR GONZALEZ kept the match level .. .. Not many quality chances but in the 35th minute, MESUT OZIL hit a ball through the '5' hole of an USA defender and TIM HOWARD did well to parry it away .. .. USA came into the match late on in the 1H, but again is getting

Sam's PANDO! or GORDO? # 12 (June 22 - Day 11)

I just wanna go to bed .. .. sigh .. .. U-S-A U-S-A U-S-A!.. ..  

Match 31: BELGIUM v. RUSSIA

Date: Sunday June 22, 2014

Venue: Estadio Maracana, RIO DE JANEIRO

PANDO! or GORDO? Gordo?

AFTER 135 MINUTES, IT'S OFFICIAL > RUSSIAN DOMESTIC FOOTBALL BLOWS!!

This is what happens when you pick 23 players, all from your subpar domestic league > Bad passing, Bad teamwork & Really Bad finishing .. .. RUS was just horrendous in possession during the 1H, committing a WC-high 7 unforced TOs in just 45 error-strewn minutes .. .. Because of that, RUS Had precious few chances, and just threw away their one golden opportunity when DENIS GLUSHAKOV sent a perfect L/Flank cross to an unmarked ALEXANDER KOKORIN whose easy header went wide right when it was 1,000% harder NOT to put the ball on goal > Hey ALEXANDER, this isn't MLS circa 1998!

Nonstop running BEL dynamo DRIES MERTENS ran all over

Blast from the past?

Uruguay, behind Suarez's two goals including the GWG in the 80', holds of South Korea 2-1.  URU, probably the least remembered WC champion (the four stars are for 2 WC and 2 Olympic titles, I think, none since 1950), reaches the QF for the first time since 1970.  The pitch and weather were bad and while URU should've gotten a PK, KOR missed a golden opportunity for the tying goal in the late minutes.

Narrowing, but Forza Pazza maintains one point lead

The surprising Japan win was picked by just 10 and their advancement to the Round of 16 was picked by just four.  Who knew when they had that losing streak coming in and failed to secure a match after the WC against Mozambique that the Samurai Blue would join South Korea as members of the elite 16.  Who knew JPN were free kick specialists?  Two goals off FKs.  In fact the only other FK goal (I believe) was KOR's.  JPN & KOR linked again.  The Dutch became the second team to sweep (9 pts) with BRA and CHI trying to do the same tomorrow.  59 picked Holland to win their game and 64 had them making the Round of 16.


Forza Pazza remains in first with 51pts, but EEChick1400 (50), and Big Tex (49) are close behind.  Eros 1 and Eros 2 (as you can guess, the same person and our defending champ) picked both matches and got both teams to move from a tie for 42nd to a tie for 12th (45).  El Ruso was the only other one to get both R16 teams and moved from 26th-T to 12th-T.  A total of 9 got both late matches correct.  Source (12th-T) had a topsy-turvy day missing both PAR & SVK but getting both JPN & NED.

For the day, 12 went 2-1 while 7 went 0-3.  Three picked 3 of the 4 R16 teams while four only got one correct and Coin Tossed (Last, 24) picked none.  As for the top picks, Forza Pazza, Lionelmessi, and El Oso (12th-T) have gotten 24 of 32 games correct while six have picked 9 of 12 R16 teams (not including BRA).

Italy is our biggest bust so far.  They were one of 3 teams (ESP and ARG are the other two) where everyone picked them to advance. Nine had them in the Semis, five in the Final, and Ram58 (55th-T, 39) picked them as champion.  It seems hopeless for him, but we won't know for sure until after tomorrow's matches.  That is when we will find out which of the 67 entries have no chance of finishing in the top 4.

More Gordos

Nigeria's #9 after missing the easy chip now fails to chest down a ball in the box which could have resulted in a easy goal.  Meanwhile Greece is cooked going down 2-0 which means of Korea protects the tie, they are in.