Author Topic: World Cup Soccer Discussion Thread (updated) (Read 10708 times)

dfwgator · « **Reply #25 on:** June 15, 2018, 03:47:49 pm »

Quote from: TomSea on June 15, 2018, 03:45:09 pm

GO IRAN!

Actually, the Iran Football Team has many of the Shah's backers as fans.... so, when we see these teams, for me, it's not about the government behind them because it's not.

Oh, and Iran almost scored there, they look to be the better team.

If that guy "supports the Shah", why is he wearing the flag of the Islamic Republic?

TomSea · « **Reply #26 on:** June 15, 2018, 04:00:05 pm »

I just tossed the photo in, no significance.

Weird Tolkienish Figure · « **Reply #27 on:** June 15, 2018, 04:00:55 pm »

This is the thread where we pretend to care about the World Cup?

Suppressed · « **Reply #28 on:** June 16, 2018, 08:18:17 pm »

Iceland beats Argentina, 1-1.

WOO-HOO! WTG!

berdie · « **Reply #29 on:** June 17, 2018, 12:02:57 am »

Quote from: Suppressed on June 16, 2018, 08:18:17 pm

Iceland beats Argentina, 1-1.

WOO-HOO! WTG!

I don't get it...How can they tie and still beat Argentina? @Suppressed

I admit I am a soccer illiterate and my consultant is unavailable. ^-^

Disclaimer...I usually root for the team with the cutest guys.I really don't see a whole team of lookers this year.

TomSea · « **Reply #30 on:** June 17, 2018, 12:02:58 am »

Quote from: Suppressed on June 16, 2018, 08:18:17 pm

Iceland beats Argentina, 1-1.

WOO-HOO! WTG!

Intentional pun? Playing on this from 2010:

Or just saying that by accident, either is fine. That was some game.

Congrats Iceland, now, Croatia and Nigeria who played this afternoon are also in their group.

Nigeria looks, like they have in the past, pretty rough, meaning rough around the edges, not too fluid, they seem to have some sort of problem in the World Cup though they advanced last time in 2014.

Croatia will be a bear for any of those teams.

dfwgator · « **Reply #31 on:** June 17, 2018, 12:05:29 am »

Quote from: Suppressed on June 16, 2018, 08:18:17 pm

Iceland beats Argentina, 1-1.

WOO-HOO! WTG!

LOL, that's exactly what the Fox announcers said.

I predicted that the Argies wouldn't make it out of the group, they barely made it in, anyway.

Suppressed · « **Reply #32 on:** June 17, 2018, 12:24:06 am »

Quote from: berdie on June 17, 2018, 12:02:57 am

I don't get it...How can they tie and still beat Argentina? @Suppressed

I admit I am a soccer illiterate and my consultant is unavailable. ^-^

Disclaimer...I usually root for the team with the cutest guys.I really don't see a whole team of lookers this year.

@berdie

It was a joke... Iceland scored it's first ever World Cup goal, and didn't lose to Argentinia, so that's quite a win!

truth_seeker · « **Reply #33 on:** June 17, 2018, 12:32:17 am »

"In the 20 tournaments held, 77 nations have appeared at least once. Of these, 12 have made it to the final match, and eight have won.[n 1] With five titles, Brazil is the most successful World Cup team and also the only nation to have participated in every World Cup finals tournament.[5] Italy and Germany have four titles. The other former champions are Uruguay and Argentina with two titles each, and England, France, and Spain with one each."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_FIFA_World_Cup_finals

berdie · « **Reply #34 on:** June 17, 2018, 01:28:32 am »

Quote from: Suppressed on June 17, 2018, 12:24:06 am

@berdie

It was a joke... Iceland scored it's first ever World Cup goal, and didn't lose to Argentinia, so that's quite a win!

I get it...now!

TomSea · « **Reply #35 on:** June 17, 2018, 03:51:11 pm »

Los Mexicanos tiene un gol contra los Alemanes....los corrientes Campeons, Moscow esta yendo loco.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2018/06/17/world/world-cup/germany/mexico/2166092/

One heckuva game. Halftime, Mexico 1 0 Germany

dfwgator · « **Reply #36 on:** June 17, 2018, 04:53:16 pm »

Crap! Meh-Hee-Co beat Germany.

TomSea · « **Reply #37 on:** June 17, 2018, 05:12:01 pm »

Quote from: dfwgator on June 17, 2018, 04:53:16 pm

Crap! Meh-Hee-Co beat Germany.

I think this is where one sees how much a player like Miroslav Klose, who I believe is their all time leading goal scorer, helped Germany for all of those years, yes, I know, he was born in Poland. Maybe even Michael Ballack too. Germany was close to missing a closer.

That one attempt by Germany almost went in so it was tight, Mexico parked the bus a bit in the last 30 minutes. Great game.

Mexico deserves all the credit here, Ochoa doing a swell job as goalkeeper.

I see nothing like this in this in the upcoming Brazil Switzerland game, I say Brazil wins, maybe it'll only be a goal but it won't be this big shocker.

dfwgator · « **Reply #38 on:** June 17, 2018, 05:16:41 pm »

Mexico has always had the talent to play with anybody, but they never could play well as a unit. It might be different this time. I think they can make the Semi-Finals, at least.

Your observation about Germany is the same as mine, they don't have the finishers. They are in some trouble. I wouldn't be shocked if both Germany and Argentina don't make it out of the group.

TomSea · « **Reply #39 on:** June 17, 2018, 05:40:30 pm »

Rafael Marquez came in as a sub late in the game....

Quote

Kingpin Act designation

On 9 August 2017, it was reported that MÃ¡rquez was among 22 people sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (also known as the "Kingpin Act") by the United States Treasury Department for alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization allegedly headed by RaÃºl Flores HernÃ¡ndez,[65] a suspected drug trafficker with links to the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.[66] He was placed on a Specially Designated Nationals List by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Nine businesses, including a soccer school and charitable foundation, were linked to MÃ¡rquez by the OFAC. All 22 people were accused of providing support to, or being under the control of Flores HernÃ¡ndez.[67]

According to the OFAC, MÃ¡rquez conducted money laundering by acting as a strawperson for Flores HernÃ¡ndez and his criminal organization. They alleged that MÃ¡rquez used businessmen Mauricio Heredia Horner and Marco Antonio Fregoso GonzÃ¡lez to act for or on his behalf. MÃ¡rquez's assets "that are under U.S. jurisdiction or are in the control of U.S. persons" would be frozen.[66][67] The Mexican Attorney General's Office said in a statement that MÃ¡rquez came voluntarily to their offices to provide a statement that same day.[68]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_M%C3%A1rquez#Kingpin_Act_designation

I never noticed him too much versus some of the other Mexican players.

TomSea · « **Reply #40 on:** June 17, 2018, 07:33:12 pm »

Brazil 1 1 Switzerland 71st minute, amazing.

Switzerland tied it up in about the 56th minute, too bad we aren't there seeing how wide open this is getting....

The Swiss managed to tie it up, 'the times they are a changing' in World soccer, heck, I don't even know if any of the traditional powers, countries that have already won the World Cup will be in the finals this time.

Parity...

Another giant having problems.

TomSea · « **Reply #41 on:** June 22, 2018, 12:04:53 am »

The games go on, here is an interesting historic article, not directly related to the World Cup but to Spartak Moscow,

Quote

The Starostin brothers After 75 years, Russia has finally declassified a case against four soccer legends accused of plotting to assassinate Stalin
Kommersant
15:10, 21 june 2018

On June 20, the newspaper Kommersant published an article revealing new details about the criminal case against Nikolai Starostin, the founder of the Spartak Moscow soccer club, and his three brothers, who played on the team â€” all of whom were arrested in 1942. The Federal Security Service finally declassified the first two volumes of the case in June 2018, making the documents available to researchers. The rest of the case materials will be unsealed next year. The Soviet authorities tried to convict these brothers â€” now legends of Russian soccer â€” of plotting to assassinate Joseph Stalin at the 1937 May Day Parade in a series of terrorist attacks.

In 1935, Nikolai Starostin founded the â€œSpartakâ€ sports society, modeled on the â€œPischevikâ€ soccer club. A year later, the first Soviet soccer championship took place, and Spartak instantly became one of the most popular teams in the country, catapulting its players to stardom.

In July 1937, Stalin summon Alexander Kosarev (the head of the Soviet All-Union Leninist Young Communist League) and asked for an update on the fight against â€œenemies of the peopleâ€ within the Komsomol. Kosarev explained that his organization didnâ€™t have any enemies of the people, but Stalin didn't like that answer, and a few days later he secretly ordered a â€œrepression operationâ€ against â€œanti-Soviet elements.â€ Police immediately started investigating the Staristin brothers, who were among Kosarev's closest friends.

Continued at: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2018/06/21/the-starostin-brothers

TomSea · « **Reply #42 on:** June 22, 2018, 01:10:05 am »

Switzerland vs. Serbia play tomorrow, AP via Fox runs this story, some comment on what I think could be the outcome after:

Quote

Switzerland, Serbia coaches don't want to talk about Kosovo
By MIKE CORDER | Associated Press

KALININGRAD, Russia â€“ The coaches of Serbia and Switzerland only want to talk about football, not about an entrenched political dispute casting a shadow over their teams' World Cup showdown in Russia.

Tensions have been building in Serbia before the Group E match Friday in Kaliningrad. Not between Swiss and Serbian fans, but between Albanian and Serbian supporters.

That is because several players in the Swiss squad have Kosovo Albanian roots, including midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri who was born in Kosovo, the former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008. Serbia doesn't recognize Kosovo's independence and relations between the two countries remain tense.

Read more at: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/21/switzerland-serbia-coaches-dont-want-to-talk-about-kosovo.html

This is group E: https://us.soccerway.com/international/world/world-cup/2018-russia/group-stage/group-e/g8874/

Tomorrow, early game Brazil vs. Costa Rica, if the Ticos (Costa Rica) lose tomorrow, they can go home basically.

But back to the late match, Switzerland vs. Serbia, Russia (Kalingrad) should be a home game to Serbia or close to it.

Standings right now:

1. Serbia 1 win, 3 points.
2. and 3. Brazil and Switzerland, 1 draw, 1 point.
4. Costa Rica, 1 loss, 0 points.

I think I will go with Serbia to win. Serbia seems to make most of the recent World Cups, well, they were at South Africa I believe. Should be close, 1-0. Switzerland appears to actually be a very good team.

Brazil should take care of Costa Rica but I'd love to see CR get a result.

Nigeria vs. Iceland, the middle game tomorrow, you've got to think Iceland has an edge. They just keep on going and going. That would eliminate Nigeria but who knows? Argentina losing really opens the door for the Super Eagles-Nigeria to redeem themselves. Iceland, if people do not know, the country of 400,000 people has put together a strong team.

TomSea · « **Reply #43 on:** June 22, 2018, 01:37:38 am »

Quote

After 40-Year Ban, Iranian Women Allowed To Watch World Cup With Men
Female soccer fans packed a stadium in Tehran on Wednesday after the de facto ban on their attendance was lifted.
By Nina Golgowski

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Women are seen attending a public World Cup viewing event inside Tehranâ€™s Azadi Stadium on Wednesday. It was the first time in nearly 40 years that women were allowed inside.

More with pictures: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/iranian-women-allowed-to-watch-world-cup_us_5b2be9efe4b00295f15a87f9

TomSea · « **Reply #44 on:** June 22, 2018, 11:46:13 am »

It has some charm.

Quote

Saransk swells from building boom of World Cup proportions
By BRETT MARTEL | Associated Press

SARANSK, Russia â€“ Valerie Fayzullina expresses a hopeful sense of wonder as she stands near a wire sculpture of a soccer player, in the shadows of eight new apartment high-rises and a freshly finished stadium that will host stars as big as Cristiano Ronaldo this month.

Like many Saransk residents, Fayzullina was incredulous upon learning the World Cup was coming to her quiet, obscure community 400 miles east of Moscow in rolling hills where white puffs of pollen from poplar trees create the illusion of summer snow flurries.

More: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/22/saransk-swells-from-building-boom-world-cup-proportions.html

GrouchoTex · « **Reply #45 on:** June 22, 2018, 01:29:46 pm »

It's been interesting, so far.
Germany, Columbia, and Argentina haven't played as well as I thought they would.

Suppressed · « **Reply #46 on:** June 23, 2018, 01:43:55 am »

At least Rakitic wasn't a wimp when Otamendi earned his orange card!

TomSea · « **Reply #47 on:** June 28, 2018, 02:05:54 pm »

Sometimes, almost circumstances beyond your control see you eliminated in the World Cup,

The referees helped Brazil in 2014 at Croatia's expense, maybe Croatia should have bounced back better. Then, Croatia had some sort of problem at the 2016 Euro Cup with the eventual champs, Portugal (yes, I will generally be cheering Croatia)... So Senegal got that fluke goal against Poland to win, Poland eliminated in game 2.... but I think Poland might get a result here, and though, I'd like to see Senegal go through, they are big underdogs to Colombia.

Poland already looks much better, moving, a bit fluid.

TomSea · « **Reply #48 on:** June 28, 2018, 02:11:45 pm »

Japan really started playing soccer from scratch just a few decades ago....

Some Brazilian stars helped get their J-League off the ground, now, Japan does pretty well in soccer/football. Japan may play well today but already advancing, the pressure is not on them.

Japan played great versus Senegal coming back from being a goal down 2 times.

Yeah, we may see Poland get 3 out of this....and their match versus Senegal really should have been a draw imho..... terrible fluke goal... that guy coming on....World Cup is also hard breaks, at least, they are trying to fix the number of bad calls, the World Cup has had.

TomSea · « **Reply #49 on:** June 28, 2018, 09:26:19 pm »