High Kick (11/25)

NERVOUS @ HOME - It seemed like D3-USA was using E4-Japan's strategy of absorbing pressure and saving energy for the second half but midway through the first half, the D1-England dominant possession gave way and USA had the better of chances.  Unlike against D4-Wales, USA kept the possession and pressure in the second half but could not finish, settling for a 0-0 draw, USA's first-ever 0-0 WC draw (35 matches).  With D2-IR Iran's two stoppage time goals against 10-men WAL, USA controls their destiny and need a win against IRN.  If you can't beat IRN, you don't deserve to be in the Knockout round.  

WAL had the first red card of the tourney as their GK came out and his high kick knocked the IRN player down way outside the box in the 86'.  IRN's second of two stoppage-time goals was in the 90'+11', the latest goal in regulation... of course, this WC, refs are putting all missing time back in resulting in unusually high added minutes (this match had +9 officially).  With the free-flowing injury-free ENG-USA second half, just +4 was put up, one of the lowest this WC (for 2nd half).  The first half was just +1.

ENG had one last chance in stoppage time thanks to another errant pass by Walker Zimmerman (the same one who dumbly committed the foul in the box to allow WAL to tie USA) but Harry Kane's clear header went wide left.  You could have a drinking game whenever there is a missed pass towards midfield, and if it was Zimmerman, take a shot.  You may get drunk quickly.  Luckily, Zimmerman plays well when defending to stay a starter.

A2-Ecuador got a second-half equalizer to tie A4-Netherlands 1-1 as both sit atop Group A with 4 points while host A1-Qatar got their first goal but A3-Senegal scored 3 and eliminated QAT for the Round of 16.  QAT is the second host to not make the Round of 16 (South Africa in 2010) and will try to not become the first host to finish the group stage with zero points.

I guess my 2010 home USA jersey worked as this jersey was the same type worn in USA 1-1 tie with ENG in 2010.  Since USA needs a win in their last match like 2010 (they somehow fell into 1st in 2014), I guess it'll be the 2010 away USA jersey on Tuesday.

In the pool, only SEN's win was picked by more than 19 entries (73).  19 picked IRN, 17 had ENG-USA draw, and only 6 had NED-ECU draw.  Eggman (30th-T, 10 pts) was the only one to go 3-1 while 23 went 0-4.  This left three at the top with 13 points (Cicero, Kankleiscious, and Walloon) with Markofthebeast and Meli tied for last with 6 pts.

Issue #2.1.2 "Reckoning"

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Sunday, November 20, 2022

QATAR EXPECTATIONS HIGH, SHATTERED IN FIRST MATCH
Our 7th World Cup pool hits record 109 unofficial entries with South American teams favorites to win it all

VANCOUVER, BC/HOME, CA (smt) -- This 22nd FIFA World Cup has brought controversy with human-rights issues, alleged bought votes, the smallest country with a team that has never qualified for the World Cup, moving the tourney to late fall, and fan/reporter troubles leading to the opening match.  But there was hope that Qatar would keep it together and that the team, which stayed together and played entertaining matches in the Asian Cup and Gold Cup, would surprise and make people talk about success and not about all the issues.  Nope. 

Not only did A1-QAT get thoroughly outplayed in the first half against A2-Ecuador in losing 2-0, their "fans", which seemed to wear free or souvenir shirts (not the jerseys), abandoned them as well as the 2-0 halftime scoreline caused swaths of the sold-out stadium to feature empty sections in the second half.  That left the cheering of ECU fans as that is what a reckoning sounds like as QAT became the first host to lose their opening match.  This was a traditional opening match by the host that was bizarrely scheduled as the second match of the day.  Only 3 months ago, it got moved up a day so it can be, you know, the opening match.

Not for Us (11/20)

HOME - A country can buy and pay for the World Cup but they can't buy passion or talent.  The fun team that produced good results during fake qualifying and the Gold Cup hit the main stage and faltered.  Host 1A-Qatar got a reprieve a few minutes in when VAR suddenly intervened (well, a semi-automatic review) to call a technically correct 1B-Ecuardorian offside that no one would have noticed but in the 15', QAT's shaky GK tripped a player resulting in a PK goal in the 16'.  

ECU dominated but if you look at the stats, you'd never know.  Shots:  ECU 6-5.  Possession ECU 53-47%, Fouls 15-15.  ECU only managed to add one more goal (Enner Valencia scored both) to beat QAT 2-0, the first time a host nation has lost in their opening match (South Africa tied in 2010).  

Even more embarrassing was that a good number of Qatar fans among the 67,372 fans didn't come back after halftime.  Soccer is just not part of the culture (yet).  Considering just 11% of teams who lose their first game make the Round of 16, it is very likely QAT will join RSA as the only hosts to not make it out of the Group Stage.  

As for our 7th HWCI World Cup pool, we unofficially have 109 entries (shattering the 2018 record of 79) which may go down depending on payments.  56 got ECU right.  29 did pick ECU to make the Round of 16 and 84% who win their first match make the R16.  13 (including both of mine) have QAT in the R16.  Sigh.

You can now view the standings, results, team distribution, your picks, and who's who in the pool.