Kissing Your Sister (7/28)

HOME, CA - The second half produced exciting soccer as G2-South Africa went up 2-0 in the 66' only to see G4-Argentina score twice in 5 minutes to tie it a 2.  In a match both teams needed to win to significantly improve their chances of advancing to the Round of 16, both teams frustratingly settled for a point, and remain tied for last (though RSA owns GF tiebreaker).  RSA, ranked #54, was trying to continue the African resurgence after B3-Nigeria's comeback win yesterday also missed some great opportunities.  In the end, they both helped G1-Sweden and G3-Italy's chances instead.

D1-England just chugs along one goal at a time beating D3-Denmark, 1-0.  A 6' goal is all that was needed and it's hard to tell if ENG is stable or disappointing.  

A wild match saw D4-China PR produce Group D's fourth 1-0 score line in holding off D2-Haiti.  A VAR intervention turning an initial yellow card into a straight red card put CHN down to 10 players just 28 minutes in.  Unnecessary tackle, and, ouch!  A obvious foul by HAI in the box was negated by an offsides call, except VAR intervened again and the ref determined there was no offsides so the foul counts, and thus a PK for CHN.  CHN converted in the 74' to lead 1-0.  Again, two minutes later HAI fouls CHN in the box but it is not called and VAR confirms it was a foul but outside the box (really?) so no action needed.

Turn about is fair play, right, as CHN jumps over a HAI defender and heads it down while taking the player down for a HAI PK in the 2nd minute of stoppage time.  But VAR, for the 4th time, intervenes and the ref takes another look and declares no foul so no PK, driving the French HAI coach bonkers!  A couple more close calls in the box but CHN survives almost 14 minutes of stoppage time, 1-0.  Despite all this, HAI is still alive but need to beat DEN and have CHN to lose to ENG and win the tiebreaker.

With 6 ENG players playing for Manchester City WFC, wore my 125th anniversary 2019 Manchester City home jersey while admiring that our tangerine tree is sprouting a lot of fruit and should be a good harvest come late Fall.

Sieger went 3-0 to move from a tie for 4th into sole position of 2nd place with 20 points.  Eggman 2 still leads with 21 points and 7 are tied for 3rd with 19.  Tiny Destroyer and Kung Fu Master Kai (46th, 12) went 0-3 with the former still last with 9 pts.  Seiger and KevLo 3 (42nd-Tied, 14) were the only two to get ARGvRSA draw correct while 36 got ENG and 44 CHN.

Live! USA vs NED (7/7)

1F-United States (6-0-0) "The Stars and Stripes" vs
1E-Netherlands (6-0-0) "Orajeleeuwinnen"

Start: USA is going for their 4th WWC title and are heavy favorites (as high as 5 to 1) and hold the CONCACAF Women's Championship '18 as well.  NED is in the Final in just their 2nd year in the WWC and hold the UEFA EURO Women's Championship '17.  Both go for the Double.  USA has scored in the first 12 minutes in all 6 matches while NED has scored 6 goals (including 4 game-winners) in the 75' or later.  Alex Morgan leads the Golden Boot with 6 goals (3 assists) with Megan Rapinoe behind at 5 goals (3 assists).  USA has 24 goals (record is 25 by '91 USA and '03 GER).  USA has won a record 11 straight WWC matches while NED has won 9 straight overall (6 this WWC) and 12 straight tourney matches ('17 EURO, '19 WWC).  While UEFA dominance and getting 7 of 8 QF teams in, NED is the first UEFA team in the final since '07 (GER).  USA 6-1-0 vs NED ('91).

Current total goals tiebreaker is 3 (SWE 2, ENG 1).  If NED pulls off the biggest upset in WWC history, then UncleChimps needs the total goals in this match to be 3 goals or less while Tom J wants 4 or more (for battle for 3rd/4th).  The goals count only in regulation or Extra Time, not the Penalty Shootout.  From the Pubs! wins the pool if USA wins and THE GAMBLER 1 wins the pool if NED wins.  UncleChimps, Futbol Fabone Dix and Pazzo Americano win 2nd/3rd/4th if USA wins and From the Pubs! gets 2nd if NED wins.

1':  Funny that the start the match with PA doing a countdown for the fans.  USA Rapinoe starts so it's the deadly combo of Heath-Morgan-Rapinoe.

10':  Early yellow for NED who's been a little sloppy.

13': NED survives the first 13 minutes, first time USA has not scored this early.  NED also playing with one less day's rest and played 30 extra minutes in the SF.  No shots for either side yet.

17':  Neat CK play by USA but results in no shot.  Temps in the high 80s.  USA has had several drives into the box but the crosses haven't connected.  The NED forward line has not had the explosive spark expected though they have scored six goals.  NED has just scored twice in the first half.

Live! ENG vs SWE (7/6)

1D-ENGLAND "The Lionesses" 5-1-0 vs
2F-SWEDEN "Blågult" 4-2-0 

Start: ENG has scored in the first 20 minutes 5 of 6 matches. ENG is going for 2nd Third Place finish ('15) and SWE is going for their 3rd ('91, '11).  SWE is 14-3-8 vs ENG (1st matchup in WWC).  For the pool tiebreaker, if NED wins the final, then UncleChimps needs the total goals in this match and the Final match to be 6 goals or less while Tom J wants 7 or more (for battle for 3rd/4th).  The goals count only in regulation or Extra Time, not the Penalty Shootout.  Ellen White (ENG) has scored in 5 straight matches.

11':  All SWE thus far and a poor ENG clearance is pounced upon by Aslanni, who came off the field in the last match in a scary potential neck injury.  So she starts and scores!  SWE 1:0.  ENG has allowed a goal in the first 12 minutes two games in a row.

22':  A great curling strike in the box by Jakobsson and now SWE leads 2:0.  But two SWE players are injured so ENG playing up for now.   Tom J is happy as goals are pouring in.

45':  An unusually high 5' of stoppage due to VAR and SWE injuries.  Now an ENG player is down.  SWE 2:1.

33':  Back to back ENG goals but no, the second won't count as VAR shows an unintentional handball calls yet another White goal back (she'd have 8 if not for VAR) and is back stuck on 6 goals.  But Kriby's goal in 31' was a great effort.  ENG 1:2.  Total time 51:00.

75':  Game has slowed down, SWE out of subs.  Retiring Karen Carney enters the match for ENG.  SWE 2:1.

88':  If White is kept off the board, then USA's Alex Morgan would retain the Golden Boot (more assists).  White's 6 goals is impressive considering she didn't take any of ENG's 4 PKs.

89':  Goal mouth block by SWE's Fischer head!  SWE 2:1.  4 min stoppage.

Finish:  94:23.  SWE wins their 3rd Bronze medal (tying USA)!  Total goals for tiebreaker is 3.  So if NED wins tomorrow, Tom J is going to need at least 4 goals scored between USA and NED.  FOX calling ENG a failure which is funny.  SWE didn't have many opportunities but made the most of them with 8 of their 9 shots on goal.

Like Winning a Championship (6/10)

After seeing 21 goals in the first 7 matches, today saw just one in two matches.  In the biggest surprise of the tournament, D4-Japan was held to a zero-zero draw by #37 ranked D3-Argentina.  While ARG had no shots in the first half, did not have a shot on goal until the 73', had zero corner kicks, and never got into JPN's box until the 65', ARG's defense formation held firm for the whole 90 minutes.  JPN was too patient and never had many runs at ARG's defense, opting to play the ball around (sort of like men's Spain team did in '18 WC) and had just eight shots.  ARG celebrated like they had not only won but won a championship.  When you're in the shadow of the men's team, a tie is a great result.  It's a shame that the largest crowd since the opening match (1st >20,000 at 25,055) saw this dud.  D1-England leads the Group and D2-Scotland's chances have greatly improved with this result.

E1-Canada had lots of possession but only managed one goal against #46 E2-Cameroon in the lowest attended event at 10,710 fans.  But as always, getting the result of 3 points is the goal in the first match as 89% of WWC teams who won their first match, advanced to the Knockout Stage including all 9 teams in 2015.

The Asian Football Confederation is off to a

Final: FRA v CRO (Live!) (7/15)

REFRESH periodically, as this post will be updated throughout the day and match.

1:00 am:  The tiebreaker total goals is currently at 2.  The goals scored today in regulation and Extra Time will be added.  This is important for those in a tiebreaker situation to win money.  If CRO wins, then there is a tie for 2nd place and 4th place.  BigRedSquare gets 2nd if total goals in 3rd place & Final matches is 5 or less and Blitzkreig813 gets 2nd if the total goals is 6 or more.  Bigblue2 gets 4th if the total goals is 5 or less and FernandoHeirrosArmada gets 4th if the total goals is 6 or more (note the loser ends in 5th which is zero prize money).
For the $40 Bonus, if FRA wins, then Flying Elvi and Bigblue2 will split the $40 prize ($20 each) if the total goals is 6 or less, they will split with Krispy Kremer (3-way tie or $13.33 each) if the total goals is 7, and Krispy Kremer will win the Bonus if the total goals is 8 or more.  If CRO wins, then Flying Elvi wins if total goals is 5 or less (because Bigblue2 will win 4th and be ineligible for Bonus), Flying Elvi and Bigblue2 will split ($20) if total is 6, will split 3-ways ($13.33) with Krispy Kremer if total is 7, and Krispy Kremer will win if total goals is 8 or more.

1:25 am:  Coincidentally, all four who picked FRA will finish 1-2-3-4 if FRA wins.  Sokkerbix, who got a worst 17 of 48 group matches correct (but tied a high getting 14 of 16 Round of 16 teams), would jump to 109 pts, two more than

Third Place: BEL v ENG (Live! ) (7/14)

REFRESH periodically, as this post will be updated throughout the match (hopefully).

2:40 am: In the pool, this third place match is not picked.  However it does play into any tiebreaker situation and we have a few.  If CRO wins the final, then there is a tie for 2nd place and 4th place.  BigRedSquare gets 2nd if total goals in 3rd place & Final matches is 5 or less and Blitzkreig813 gets 2nd if the total goals is 6 or more.  Bigblue2 gets 4th if the total goals is 5 or less and FernandoHeirrosArmada gets 4th if the total goals is 6 or more (note the loser ends in 5th which is zero prize money).

For the $40 Bonus, if FRA wins tomorrow, then Flying Elvi and Bigblue2 will split the $40 prize ($20 each) if the total goals is 6 or less, they will split with Krispy Kremer (3-way tie or $13.33 each) if the total goals is 7, and Krispy Kremer will win the Bonus if

At Least No Coin Flip (6/28)

WASHINGTON REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, VA -- Both H2-Japan and H4-Senegal just need a draw to advance to the Round of 16 and both failed to do so, by identical 1-0 scores.  As such, both teams were level on points (4), goal differential (4), goals for(4), and head-to-head (2-2).  So we headed to the next tiebreaker, Fair Play Points.  This was instituted by FIFA in 2016 so this is the first World Cup to use it.  At the start, Japan led Senegal -3 pts to -5 pts on yellow cards and SEN picked one up in 51' to put it out reach, -3 to -6.  JPN did pick one up in the 66' but still held on to a 2 point margin.  JPN joins MEX as the only non-European, non-South American teams in the R16.

What if?  SEN had favorable results in all three matches but

Fit to be tied

Since D.R. and Spermicidal WFC have the same pick for the tiebreaker (total goals in 3rd and Final matches), the tiebreaker won't come into play for any money spot.  But the total is 1 as England beat Germany in extra time.  Remember penalty kick shootout goals don't count if the USA and Japan go to PKs.