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The Official 2018 World Cup Thread...

I appreciate that. I fell in love with soccer during the 2006 WC. I do a good bit of traveling in the car for work so I find myself listening to some soccer and FSU podcasts. This WC has been a lot of fun. Its nice being able to catch a game on the iPad while at work lol
 
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I clicked that hoping for much more melodrama than I actually saw.

Spent most of my time on that page wondering why there was a Keebler Elves post and if they were trolling Argentina... then I realized it was just a random sponsored post and not some sort of elaborate troll... unless it was about Messi's height.
 
I clicked that hoping for much more melodrama than I actually saw.

Spent most of my time on that page wondering why there was a Keebler Elves post and if they were trolling Argentina... then I realized it was just a random sponsored post and not some sort of elaborate troll... unless it was about Messi's height.
Must have been before the edit. It’s just a picture.
 
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I didnt get to see the game but it seems to me that they are being overly harsh on the keeper. And the keeper played no part in Messi producing a 0 on the score sheet. This isnt similar to Lebron scoring 50 and losing. Complete team failure for Arg.
 
I just saw that meme with Messi. I kinda figured that from now on anytime someone does something incredibly boneheaded that is the meme you show. For instance I would expect that with MoSalah/Lebron and the Liverpool keeper in the spot of the other guy.
 
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I told y'all Argentina wasn't getting out of the group stage. They've been a mess during WCQ and now this. Why they would roll out a 3-4-3 knowing full well a) their keeper sucks, b) their D isn't good, and c) Croatia has all of those stud attacking mids makes no sense. And them Sampaoli comes out and says "yep, our plan was to give it to Messi and hope he can do something with it"...

Go Iceland!
 
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Friday, June 22

8 AM – Brazil vs Costa Rica (Group E), St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, FS1
11 AM – Nigeria vs Iceland (Group D), Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, FOX
2 PM – Serbia vs Switzerland (Group E), Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad, FOX

Not the best slate of games on paper, but everybody's favorite minnow, Iceland, with a chance to vastly improve their chances to go through to the knockout round if they can beat Nigeria.
 
I didnt get to see the game but it seems to me that they are being overly harsh on the keeper. And the keeper played no part in Messi producing a 0 on the score sheet. This isnt similar to Lebron scoring 50 and losing. Complete team failure for Arg.

The first goal was a real howler by the keeper. He almost caused a couple of others before that as well with silly passes. Hard to believe that Argentina does not have a better goal keeper than him. I know Romero is out, but Caballero only played 3 games all year for Chelsea.
 
Yeah, was coaching a 6th grade baseball team the past two days in tourney play. I miss anything fun? Did I see someone ask why US Soccer isn't playing and what the problem is?

US Soccer got a bye...
Friday, June 22

8 AM – Brazil vs Costa Rica (Group E), St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, FS1
11 AM – Nigeria vs Iceland (Group D), Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, FOX
2 PM – Serbia vs Switzerland (Group E), Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad, FOX

Not the best slate of games on paper, but everybody's favorite minnow, Iceland, with a chance to vastly improve their chances to go through to the knockout round if they can beat Nigeria.

If Iceland can win and tally two or three goals and add to that differential, Argentina might/should start some light packing after the game. That might be an insurmountable climb to second place in the group.
 
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I’ll be rooting for Brazil, Nigeria, and Serbia so you can fully expect CR, Iceland, and the Swiss to win.

CR is treating Neymar like a rag doll. One dude horsecollared him.
 
I’ll be rooting for Brazil, Nigeria, and Serbia so you can fully expect CR, Iceland, and the Swiss to win.

CR is treating Neymar like a rag doll. One dude horsecollared him.
That’s sort of the downside of the World Cup, especially during the Group Stage...the underdog frequently just fouls the best players on the favorite team, and those are their “tactics.” Makes for frustrating watching, but you can’t blame the minnow for trying to get an edge.
 
Brazil with a flurry of opportunities at the start of 2nd half.
 
Finally, Brazil scores in stoppage time. Up 1-0
 
Neymar's Rainbow at the end of the match, in the corner...



tenor.gif
 
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Brazil's flopping was on its A-game today. I hope they get absolutely destroyed in the first KO game after that performance.
 
Brazil's flopping was on its A-game today. I hope they get absolutely destroyed in the first KO game after that performance.
Are you just an anti-Brazil fan? They got mauled all match, particularly in the first half when all Costa Rica was doing was fouling.

Other than Neymar's flop in the box, which was correctly called/overturned, they just plain got beaten up.
 
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Are you just an anti-Brazil fan? They got mauled all match, particularly in the first half when all Costa Rica was doing was fouling.

Other than Neymar's flop in the box, which was correctly called/overturned, they just plain got beaten up.

The first half, yes, that was obviously Costa Rica's strategy. The 2nd half...Brazil was on a whole other level of flopping
 
BTW, I'm pretty sure Iceland and Nigeria have set a record in the first half for this World Cup.

Zero flops.

So refreshing to see this right now, especially after the earlier game today.
 
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NGA vs ISL was a snooze fest first half. Start of second, nil all.
 
Musa better then Messi? Doubles up, NIG 2-0.
 
Stupid penalty gives Iceland penalty kick - missed.
 
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Nice win for Nigeria!!! Makes group D one of the more interesting groups early in the second round of games.

Argentina exhales a tiny bit I’m sure.
 
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I didn't see the first goal. The second was a thing of beauty. The 3rd was a complete collapse on defense and the keeper with his twin weren't going to prevent that score.
You need to go back and watch the first goal. I don't think anybody is blaming the keeper for the second goal and the third was just a result of them pulling the goalie in desperation to try and get a score at the end.
 
You need to go back and watch the first goal. I don't think anybody is blaming the keeper for the second goal and the third was just a result of them pulling the goalie in desperation to try and get a score at the end.

First was better than the second?

Who knows how the Argentinians will react, some people just need to blame a loss even if they were the lesser team. At least football fans (some) stop at couches, we don't execute our players.

edit - nice on the first. They just got taken behind the wood shed.
 
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Nice win for Nigeria!!! Makes group D one of the more interesting groups early in the second round of games.

Argentina exhales a tiny bit I’m sure.

They certainly are in better position than they were at the start of the day, though Croatia could hose them by laying down if they chose to do so.
 
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