FIFA World Cup Football 2022 (Qatar)

[Zoom E]

I was really hoping Germany were going to lose. Let’s go Costa Rica 

[ErHaO]

I have only seen one match thus far, The Netherlands vs Ecuador. It was one of the most boring matches of any sport I have ever seen. It really seemed we were standing still most of the time. And in the interviews afterwards the players seemed devoid of life.

[Elite]

The only two matches I watched in full were last night’s Spain - Germany clash which was very fun to watch, and Friday night’s England - USA match which was exciting as well.

I saw parts of Netherlands - Senegal, Netherlands Equador (both boring games, damn) and the last 20 minutes of Argentina - Mexico. (Nice goal, Messi!)

Definitely not watching as much as I’d usually do, but it doesn’t help that three of the four daily games broadcast are basically during working hours.

[MirrorMask]

Definitely not watching as much as I’d usually do, but it doesn’t help that three of the four daily games broadcast are basically during working hours.

...that's where working for tech support for a company that sells TVs among other things comes in handy, when the workload is not overbearing it's cool to watch part of the games on a 65'' Oled TV 

[Tomislav95]

I watched most of the early games in background (working from home )
Maybe I'm biased but Canada vs Croatia was the best game this whole tournament. Score is indicating Canada got hammered but I think they really put up a fight (in first half at least).
Last game is agains Belgium. They're kinda disappointing this year but still have great team and (imo) the best player in the world currently so I can't be sure Croatia will manage to get 3 points there.

[Kwyjibo]

I confess that the german team surprised me. I thought there was no way they wouldn't lose to Spain in a devastating way. Now they have a good chance to advance to the next round.

But even so, my interest in this world cup is still not what it used to be. I haven't watched a single minute on tv.

[pg1067]

Making the rounds on Facebook....   

I see you and raise you:

[MirrorMask]

Some fun matches today:

Cameroon - Serbia 3-3
Ghana - South Korea 3-2 (after South Korea equalized in three minutes)

And the portoguese speaking teams (Brazil and Portugal) won 1-0 and 2-0 respectively, and now they're both in the next round.

From tomorrow it's do or die, third and last matches of the first two groups!

[Dave_Manchester]

RIP to the guy who ran across the pitch waving a rainbow flag during Portugal - Uruguay.

[lonestar]

RIP to the guy who ran across the pitch waving a rainbow flag during Portugal - Uruguay.

Yikes....

[TAC]

They killed him??

[Dave_Manchester]

RIP to the guy who ran across the pitch waving a rainbow flag during Portugal - Uruguay.

Yikes....

It was actually kind of funny because the cameras (presumably all broadcasters are using the Qatari feed) instantly cut to the referee to give the impression there'd been an injury or something, only for Flag Dude to run right past the referee  I'm sorry whoever it was is probably gonna be executed at dawn tomorrow, the guy's nuts have their own moons and weather systems and will therefore be sorely missed, but I still had a damn good chuckle at how mortified the authorities must have been.

[Dave_Manchester]

They killed him??

No, no, I'm being sarcastic (I hope!). As far as I know the dude has only been detained.

[TAC]

They killed him??

No, no, I'm being sarcastic (I hope!). As far as I know the dude has only been detained.

Oh, ok..gotcha!

[RodrigoAltaf]

Brazil showed pragmatism today...Neymar was out, and with that, their quality in the attack drops dramatically. We won Switzerland for the first time on a WC Final today, and made it to the round of 16. It looks like we'll be playing against Gana, Uruguay or South Korea on the round of 16. Anything but Uruguay would be a piece of cake to win, and that's purely because of the local rivalry.

[Cool Chris]

RIP to the guy who ran across the pitch waving a rainbow flag during Portugal - Uruguay.

No doubt. That guy should've had a car and driver waiting outside a predetermined exit, with a direct course plotted out to the nearest airport, where a chartered jet was waiting for him with its engines running.

[Kwyjibo]

It was actually kind of funny because the cameras (presumably all broadcasters are using the Qatari feed) instantly cut to the referee to give the impression there'd been an injury or something, only for Flag Dude to run right past the referee

That's a FIFA feed that all broadcasters are showing. And FIFA will air only things that show it's the best world cup ever.

But some countries' broadcasters have their own cameras in the stadium and there's social media, where fans post everything they see, so the attempt to supress "unpleasant" pictures is a bit futile.

Flag Dude will probably be okay because the whole world is looking. Otherwise I wouldn't want to be in his shoes.

[lonestar]

Congratulations to the US... Here's your knockout round game against the Netherlands.


USA fans New to the game definitely learned the gut check tension of the game in those last few minutes 

[cramx3]

I'm an American so of course I'm rooting for the US, but I'm not happy they are playing against Netherlands who are the 2nd team I'm rooting for since I was forunate enough to actually see the Netherlands team play against Belgium two months ago while I was in Amsterdam.  Sadly pitting my two teams against each other.  I'd be shocked if the US wins, I think they are definitely capable, but still, I'd be shocked.

[lonestar]

I'm an American so of course I'm rooting for the US, but I'm not happy they are playing against Netherlands who are the 2nd team I'm rooting for since I was forunate enough to actually see the Netherlands team play against Belgium two months ago while I was in Amsterdam.  Sadly pitting my two teams against each other.  I'd be shocked if the US wins, I think they are definitely capable, but still, I'd be shocked.

If Pulisic is out, we're fucked.

[MirrorMask]

Don't be mad at me but I was rooting for Iran. Or better, for the actual players who dared to speak out against their regime, I hope nothing's gonna happen to them when they go back home.

Qatar ends their first and, for the foreseeable future, last partecipation at the World Cup with three defeats and only one goal scored. Pity the Netherlands only scored twice, I was thinking they were really going to town on them, like England did with Iran.

Speaking of England, they won their group and so they're gonna get Senegal, who won the do or die match against Ecuador!

[Elite]

Good job Senegal!

And good job USA!

I’m actually quite excited for the Netherlands - USA match. Having seen both teams play, this could actually be a pretty even match. The USA team definitely has some fighting spirit, something ours has been lacking. The draw against England shows that they are not to be underestimated.

[Zoom E]

England vs Wales was a tough one for me, as I cheer for both teams. i knew Wales didn’t have much of a chance of advancing though, so that made it easier.

Congrats to the US for likely being the only CONCACAF team to advance.Still bummed that Canada are done.

[KevShmev]

I managed to see most of the match today thanks to timing my lunch nicely to watch most of the first half in the breakroom, and then taking advantage of a slow afternoon to wander over to the breakroom and see big chunks of the second half including the last 10 minutes. Having a cool boss who doesn't care if we do stuff like that so long as our work gets done is a positive. 

[Nick]

I know it's slightly uncouth to come in here just to vent, but I'm going to leave my .02 cents on FIFA and professional football in general and move on.

Because the Philadelphia Union made it to the MLS finals I ended watching way more football this year than I might otherwise, because my wife follows them. That said, that and my previous watching of some World Cup matches makes me have one singular opinion on professional football, which is that it is an absolute and complete joke. It's not a professional sport that should ever be taken seriously, I see less acting in professional wrestling.

And this saddens me because I could feel like I might learn to appreciate football as a sport, but it cannot begin to even be possible thanks to how awful it looks on the professional level. The rules and culture seem to openly promote and facilitate flopping as opposed to curtailing it, and until that changes it's just dumb.

But hey, hope your country wins!

[Kwyjibo]

I agree that what you call flopping is a big nuisance but you guys talk about it as if it's happening a hundred times in every game and that's definitely not the case, or you're watching the wrong teams. 

[cramx3]

It happens enough to be noticeable.  It's also a reason why I stopped watching the NBA.  Flopping is such bad sportsmanship.  Soccer is really bad with it too. 

I've got a bit of a bigger issue with the sport though.  What is up with stoppage time?  I get the concept, but they really need to show a clock that goes up during the half to show the actual stoppage time that accumulates.  I can't help but think it's complete BS and like every match has +9 it seems these days.  I think this should be transparent. 

[Nick]

It happens enough to be noticeable.  It's also a reason why I stopped watching the NBA.  Flopping is such bad sportsmanship.  Soccer is really bad with it too. 

The problem isn't the sportsmanship, you do whatever you can within the rules to win. I have no problem with individual teams and players taking advantage of a broken system. But rules need to be put in place so that it's not an advantageous to do.

[DragonAttack]

Making the rounds on Facebook....   

I see you and raise you:

I'll call

There's a couple of good/great ones here  https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=hockey%20players%20vs%20soccer

and if you don't have Facebook,  Hockey player (Ovechkin) vs Soccer player  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFfxQSxbOuc   

I'll say this in their defence:  having broken an ankle, sprained ligaments in one foot, and at a much earlier age sprained ankles playing basketball, been stepped on and kicked in the shin playing American football.......FRICK!  It hurts!    

That said......one of my former Bad Boys' Bill Laimbeer would be proud of these guys

[pg1067]

I'll call

There's a couple of good/great ones here  https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=hockey%20players%20vs%20soccer

and if you don't have Facebook,  Hockey player (Ovechkin) vs Soccer player  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFfxQSxbOuc   

Bob Baun, anyone?

It happens enough to be noticeable.  It's also a reason why I stopped watching the NBA.  Flopping is such bad sportsmanship.  Soccer is really bad with it too. 

I've got a bit of a bigger issue with the sport though.  What is up with stoppage time?  I get the concept, but they really need to show a clock that goes up during the half to show the actual stoppage time that accumulates.  I can't help but think it's complete BS and like every match has +9 it seems these days.  I think this should be transparent. 

Yeah...instead of counting down the time, we're going to count up...and we're not going to tell you how much time is left!  Brilliant!

[MirrorMask]

Meanwhile France suffers the most unhurtful of defeats against Tunisia, which is not enough for them: Australia defeats Denmark and goes on as second, while France won the group even with said defeat.

Denmark was such a letdown... I really thought they could have passsed!

[Tomislav95]

The problem is how would you punish overacting? Should referee say: "you looked like it hurt 4/5 but it should hurt 2/5".
It's really hard to make a decision about it. On the other hand, trying to deceive a referee when there's no contact at all should be retroactively punished with a least a match ban.
Don't get me wrong, overacting is disgusting as well, I just don't see an easy way to fix it.

[lonestar]

Meanwhile France suffers the most unhurtful of defeats against Tunisia, which is not enough for them: Australia defeats Denmark and goes on as second, while France won the group even with said defeat.

Denmark was such a letdown... I really thought they could have passsed!

Did that last second goal by France not count? I didn't continue watching it cause of work.



Also, go Mexico!!

[cramx3]

The problem is how would you punish overacting? Should referee say: "you looked like it hurt 4/5 but it should hurt 2/5".
It's really hard to make a decision about it. On the other hand, trying to deceive a referee when there's no contact at all should be retroactively punished with a least a match ban.
Don't get me wrong, overacting is disgusting as well, I just don't see an easy way to fix it.

I think you got the right idea.  Upon video review sometimes you can see there isn't even contact.  It may not be called on the spot, but it should be allowed to be called post match and lead to missing a game.  It's at least something. 

[Kwyjibo]

and if you don't have Facebook,  Hockey player (Ovechkin) vs Soccer player  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFfxQSxbOuc   

Obviously some can take more than others.

https://youtu.be/SYTLDMux6M4