World Cup 2022

What a comeback by Japan. But … the second Japan goal was very iffy. Was the ball outside the touchline or not? Hmmm, that’ll be the topic of conversation in the football world for a while. That Japan came roaring out of the gate in the second half is a real credit to team spirit!

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Yes, amazing to see Japan come back and win.

I expect the TVs in Germany will be showing the second Japan goal over and over - disallowed on the field, allowed on video review - when the goal was the difference between Germany going through or not. Yep, very iffy.

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All I wanted was Spain to be kicked out . . . :sunglasses:

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They won’t survive the knockout round anyway. But then of course, Team USA has its work cut out for it against Netherlands too.

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Wow, still pics coming out of the lead up to the Japan goal already - the ball seems to be out by a slither.

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I agree, but wanted to celebrate early :slight_smile:

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Lol! A football fan who really knows what he wants. Awesome.

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My wife had Spain as her team in one of the world cup sweeps - and was a bit worried when Japan went ahead.

Maybe it was because Spain didn’t need to win, but they weren’t looking like potential World Cup winners tonight.

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Group H is just plain nuts after today’s match results. Korea’s defeat of Portugal is another shocker IMO. But what had my head spinning was working the permutations considering how both matches were panning out. Uruguay and Korea are identical in the table, finishing with 1-1-1 (W-L-D) and 0 GD. If I understand FIFA rules correctly, Korea advanced and Uruguay goes home based on goals for (even though both obviously surrendered the same number of goals to wind up with a 0 goal differential).

Man that’s a tough pill to swallow for Uruguay. Yikes.

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So the USA v Netherlands kick off the second round knock out matches. Anything possible now…

Hoping against hope there’s a bit more bounce left in the Socceroos. I feel they’ll need the game of their lives and and an off-colour Argentina to progress :kangaroo:

Let the fun begin!

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Bummer, but the US made it further than any of us imagined. I mean, right? Netherlands kicked some a$€.

Oh man! I haven’t had a chance to see the game yet!!! Sigh.

As a NL fan, even they don’t look anywhere close to their 2010 form, it’s the best team they’ve had since so I have to hope…

That Argentina just go ahead and implode. It’s going to be a dirty game.

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Argentina v Netherlands should be great. I think the game can be won by the Netherlands.

Australia gave it everything against Argentina, conceding from two silly moments, to lose 2-1. Argentina’s keeper gratefully hugged the ball and had a lie down late in extra time after a good save, as we tried to force it into extra time.

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Upstart Japan loses to Croatia in a shootout. Not that I begrudge Croatia its win, but I detest a shootout as a means of deciding an entire WC campaign. Japan’s fans can hold their heads high. The team held its own by topping Group E. Nicely done, hope they receive a warm welcome back home.

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Amazing run by Japan, beating two former World Champs and then getting clawed back from a goal up. They should be proud.

England v France is looking like the game of the tournament so far. The winner from that pot is likely to go to the final.

Then it might be Argentina v Brazil in the semis before a France v Brazil final?

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I have never liked penalty shootouts. I liked the old NASL shootout method: the ball set 30m out, one on one with the keeper, five seconds to score. It was much more exciting than a penalty kick. NASL also moved offsides to 30m out instead of midfield to increase offense.

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Those were the days…

Fascinating! Sounds a bit like the approach to hockey penalty shoot outs, where anything can happen. Did they run five team members each through the 30 metre one on one penalty format?

I believe they did.
I also seem to remember they forced the keepers to wear clown shoes.
Wait….

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