The Gang of Five

Beyond the Mysterious Beyond => Hobbies and Recreation => Sports => Topic started by: The Chronicler on June 13, 2018, 07:45:22 PM

Title: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 13, 2018, 07:45:22 PM
Tomorrow will be the first match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

I have to say, it's quite surprising which teams were able to qualify for this World Cup (such as Egypt, Panama, and Iceland) and which teams failed to qualify (such as Netherlands, Italy, and the United States). At this point, I honestly don't know which team I'd like to see win it all, but maybe I'll have something more definitive once the group stage is under way.

I won't be watching any of the matches from the group stage (it'll just take up too much of my time), but I will be keeping track of the results at the end of each day.

For anyone here who's interested in this, which team do you think is most likely to win?
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Sneak on June 14, 2018, 04:11:32 AM
I have watched World and Euro Football Cups for 16 years. And our team, money bags who can't even run, keep disappoint me at least since 2010...
And we couldn't able to build normal team to this day. I don't even know what to expect from our team now. :/
I wouldn't spoil tradition and will watch maches with our team, and matches after 1/4 finals.

Don't know who will win. Hope this year would bring us surprise. :3
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 16, 2018, 11:00:17 PM
As I previously mentioned, I simply don't have the time to watch any of the group stage matches. However, I have been keeping track of them through summaries and news articles. I'll be posting links to the summaries I follow, for those of you who are interested in all the significant moments of each game.

Three days in and already there's been some rather interesting events.

Russia vs Saudi Arabia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/russia-saudi-arabia-95587/) 5 - 0
In the first game, host nation Russia absolutely crushed Saudi Arabia with five goals, two of which came within the last few minutes. Though considering that Saudi Arabia is regarded as one of the weakest teams in this World Cup, that might not be saying much.

Egypt vs Uruguay (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/egypt-uruguay-95588/) 0 - 1
Despite sitting out their best player (who's still recovering from a shoulder injury), Egypt was surprisingly able to hold off against Uruguay for much of the match. It was only in the last few minutes that Uruguay was finally able to score a goal and win the match.

Group A now stands with Russia at the top with Uruguay in second.

Morocco vs Iran (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/morocco-iran-95589/) 0 - 1
This one seemed like it would end in a scoreless draw, but then right at the very last minute, Morocco made a serious error and ended up scoring an own goal, giving a point and the win to Iran. That has got to be quite an awful way to lose a game, even more so when you consider the two other teams they'll be facing in their group.

Portugal vs Spain (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/portugal-spain-95590/) 3 - 3
This was arguably the first highly anticipated match of this World Cup, and both teams delivered. Christiano Ronaldo scored all three goals for Portugal, but Spain was able to equalize with each goal, so this one ended in a draw.

Group B now stands with Iran at the top with Portugal and Spain tied for second.

France vs Australia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/france-australia-95593/) 2 - 1
Australia is considered one of the weaker teams, so it's rather surprising that a supposedly strong team like France struggled against them. At least France was able to win this match, so there's still a good chance they'll advance.

Peru vs Denmark (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/peru-denmark-95594/) 0 - 1
This one seemed fairly evenly matched, though it was Denmark that managed to score a goal and get the win.

Group C now stands with France at the top with Denmark in second.

Argentina vs Iceland (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/argentina-iceland-95591/) 1 - 1
You might expect a strong team like Argentina would do very well against a newcomer like Iceland, but this match turned out to be surprisingly even. While there's sure to be questions about Argentina and their star player, I'm starting to think that Iceland just might have what it takes to go further.

Croatia vs Nigeria (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/croatia-nigeria-95592/) 2 - 0
With a goal in the first half (counted as an own goal as it deflected off one of the defenders), followed by another goal in the second half, Croatia decisively beats Nigeria to earn a win and a good chance of advancing.

Group D now stands with Croatia at the top with Argentina and Iceland tied for second.

And that's the first set of matches for half of the groups. It'll be interesting to see how the other half of the groups will start out.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 16, 2018, 11:17:57 PM
Argentina had like 3 penalty shots and didnt convert ANy of them. they should have won 4-1 or 5-1.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Ducky123 on June 17, 2018, 06:49:58 AM
Looking forward to seeing Germany play later :)

I only watched the match between Portugal and Spain so far and that one was pretty awesome :P
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 17, 2018, 07:09:32 PM
Mexico upsets Germany 1-0. its the first opening round loss for Germany since 1982.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Ducky123 on June 18, 2018, 05:54:17 PM
We played terrible, yep yep yep :sducky
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 19, 2018, 05:30:45 PM
One thing I forgot to mention last time is that apparently this is the first World Cup in which VAR (which I just recently found out means "video assistant referee") will be used to help referees make better calls for incidents that might otherwise be difficult to determine. The first time it was used was during the match between France and Australia, and when its use made a call in favor of France, I heard that some French fans were so excited that they even sang a chant praising the use of video. :lol:

Anyway, Groups E through H have now played their first set of matches, and there continues to be big surprises.

Costa Rica vs Serbia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/costa-rica-serbia-95596/) 0 - 1
This one was rather evenly matched, though it was Serbia that ultimately got a single goal and thus the win. I guess Costa Rica relying on the same strategy as the previous World Cup may not be working out so well.

Brazil vs Switzerland (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/brazil-switzerland-95595/) 1 - 1
Brazil got their goal relatively early, but then Switzerland equalized in the second half, and Brazil struggled to overcome that, so this match ended in a draw. Brazil will have to do better against the other two teams in their group.

Group E now stands with Serbia at the top with Brazil and Switzerland tied for second.

Germany vs Mexico (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/germany-mexico-95597/) 0 - 1
This was perhaps one of the biggest upsets of this World Cup so far, no question about it. Germany really struggled in this match, and Mexico actually managed to win. The last two defending champions (Italy in 2006 and Spain in 2010) ended up going out in the group stage of the following World Cup, so now there's a possibility that trend might continue.

Sweden vs South Korea (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/sweden-south-korea-95599/) 1 - 0
This match had a lot of fouls, but the only goal was made possible during a penalty kick, given thanks to the use of VAR. Other than that, not much else happened.

Group F now stands with Mexico and Sweden tied for first.

Belgium vs Panama (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/belgium-panama-95598/) 3 - 0
Not much happened during the first half, but in the second half, Belgium scored three goals, and thus we finally see one of the big favorites of this World Cup actually prove themselves. This match also had quite a lot of yellow cards, with three for Belgium and five for Panama.

Tunisia vs England (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/tunisia-england-95600/) 1 - 2
England got an early lead, but Tunisia equalized before halftime, then England scored the winning goal within the last few minutes. A rather exciting finish, and it looks like England could very well have a good chance of advancing.

Group G now stands with Belgium at the top with England in second.

Colombia vs Japan (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/colombia-japan-95601/) 1 - 2
Columbia was the big favorite of this group, but just a few minutes in, they got a red card due to a handball, and Japan scored the resulting penalty kick. Columbia equalized before halftime, but Japan got another goal in the second half. Looks like this was yet another upset result, so it seems there are some teams here that shouldn't be underestimated.

Poland vs Senegal (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/poland-senegal-95602/) 1 - 2
With apparently a failure of communication for Poland, Senegal scores one goal in the first half, then score another in the second half thanks to impeccable timing of an injured player coming back onto the field. Poland eventually scored a goal late in the match, but it's too little too late. I did find it rather odd that Poland had gotten such a high rank in this group by simply taking advantage of a broken system, and today's results pretty much proved they didn't deserve it.

Group H now stands with Japan and Senegal tied for first.

And that covers the first set of matches for all of the groups, with plenty of shocking surprises all around. The next set of matches will give us a better idea on which teams really do have what it takes to advance beyond the group stage.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 20, 2018, 03:07:48 PM
Urugary defeats Saudi Arabia 1-0, and Portugal beats Morocco by 1-0 as well. Russua and Urugary have basically clinched spots in the knockout round in Group a as both have 6 points while Saudi Arabia and Egypt have 0. Portugal has 4 pioints in Group B, while Iran is currently tied with Spain, which if that holds puts Spain in a must win and get help scenario.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Sneak on June 20, 2018, 03:26:39 PM
Can't believe we stepped in finals.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 20, 2018, 04:29:43 PM
spain edges iran 1-0, putting spain at 4 points, and iran needing a win in their finale and help to advance.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 21, 2018, 03:58:25 PM
Croatia pounds Argentina 3-0, and clinch a spot in the knockout round. Argentina is not eliminated, but now needs to beat Nigeria and get help elsewhere.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 22, 2018, 06:30:26 PM
As with the first set of matches, I'm covering half of the groups for each post, so even though some additional matches occurred today, I'll cover them with the rest of the groups on my next post here. Anyway, onto the results of the second set of matches for Groups A through D.

Russia vs Egypt (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/russia-egypt-95603/) 3 - 1
Although Egypt's star player finally scored a goal at the World Cup, it didn't come until after Russia scored three goals in the second half (the first of which counted as an own goal). There might actually be something to this Russian team, though the real test will come when they next face off against Uruguay.

Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/uruguay-saudi-arabia-95606/) 1 - 0
Saudi Arabia had a much better effort this time, but it wasn't enough with Uruguay's best player, Luis Suarez, scoring in the first half. Though with only one goal scored in this match, it's uncertain how Uruguay will do in their next match against Russia.

For Group A, Russia and Uruguay are definitely advancing, while Egypt and Saudi Arabia have definitely been eliminated, with Russia at the top and Saudi Arabia at the bottom. The final set of matches will determine the final rank between the two advancing teams and the two eliminated teams.

Portugal vs Morocco (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/portugal-morocco-95605/) 1 - 0
Once again, Christiano Ronaldo scores for Portugal, this time in only the first few minutes. Morocco certainly gave their best effort, but it just wasn't enough.

Iran vs Spain (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/iran-spain-95604/) 0 - 1
Both teams played well, but it was Spain that managed to score a goal early in the second half, and that was all they needed.

For Group B, Spain and Portugal sit at the top, currently tied in every way except for the final possible tiebreaker, accumulation of yellow cards, with Spain having one less than Portugal and thus earning the top spot, for now. Although Morocco has definitely been eliminated, Iran still has a chance of advancing, and with Spain and Portugal currently tied, we won't know for sure who will actually be advancing until after the final set of matches.

Denmark vs Australia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/denmark-australia-95608/) 1 - 1
Denmark's star player scored early on, but then Australia equalized before halftime thanks to a penalty due to a handball. Both teams did well in the second half, but couldn't get anymore goals, so this one ended in a draw.

France vs Peru (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/france-peru-95609/) 1 - 0
Despite some struggles for France, they were able to score a goal in the middle of the first half. Peru's best chance came just minutes before that, but couldn't make the goal.

For Group C, France is definitely advancing and currently sits at the top, while Peru has definitely been eliminated and currently sits at the bottom. Denmark and Australia both still have a chance of advancing, with Denmark currently ahead.

Argentina vs Croatia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/argentina-croatia-95607/) 0 - 3
After a stalemate in the first half, Argentina made a terrible error that allowed Croatia to score the first goal, and later got two more in. No doubt, this was definitely one of the most shocking results of the group stage so far. It's one thing for a former champion to lose, but it's quite another for a former champion to lose by such a large margin and not even score a single goal.

Nigeria vs Iceland (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/nigeria-iceland-95611/) 2 - 0
Again it was a stalemate in the first half, but it was in the second half that Nigeria was able to get some results. After the two goals, Iceland had a chance with a penalty kick, but missed. It seems Iceland's draw with Argentina had more to do with the latter's weakness rather than the former's strength.

For Group D, Croatia is definitely advancing and currently sits at the top. All three other teams still have a chance of advancing, with Nigeria currently in second, while Argentina is at the bottom behind Iceland due to conceding more goals.

So now we know of four teams definitely advancing (Russia, Uruguay, France, and Croatia) and four teams have definitely been eliminated (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Peru). Even so, it's not yet certain which teams will win their group or be the runner-ups, so we'll have to wait for the third and final set of group stage matches to know for sure. For now, we have the second set of matches for the other groups to go through.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 23, 2018, 02:12:16 PM
Mexico beats South Korea 2-1, giving Mexico 6 points in their group, and making  them almost certain to clinch a knockout berth. If Germany loses or ties with Sweden, Mexico will be in for sure.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 23, 2018, 10:24:42 PM
Germanys win against Sweden prevents Mexico from clinching a spot. Basically, if Mexico loses to Sweden by a goal, and Germany wins against South Korea by 2, then Germany will win the group, based on goal differential, and Sweden would get the second spot, based on head to head with Mexico.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Ducky123 on June 24, 2018, 09:12:59 AM
That last minute goal of Germany... holy treestars
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 24, 2018, 01:45:34 PM
Yes that last second was the difference between Germany being REALLY behind the 8 ball, and Germany now in a position to advance.
 Todays games saw England hang 6 goals on Panama, and Japan tied Senegal 2-2. England win, clinches a berth for them in the knockout stage.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 24, 2018, 11:20:16 PM
The rest of the groups have now finished their second set of matches, with still more incredible results.

Brail vs Costa Rica (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/brazil-costa-rica-95610/) 2 - 0
Although Brazil won, both of their goals came only in extra time at the end of the second half. Costa Rica put up a good defense (such as frequently putting their opponent into an offside, which I remember seeing them do a lot at the previous World Cup), but just couldn't make anything happen on their offense.

Serbia vs Switzerland (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/serbia-switzerland-95612/) 1 - 2
Serbia scored early on, but Switzerland equalized in the second half, then scored the winning goal near the end. However, it seems that the two Swiss goal scorers celebrated with a hand gesture that Serbians consider very offensive, so there's a real possibility they could end up in trouble with the officials ahead of their next match.

For Group E, Brazil sits at the top, followed by Switzerland and then Serbia, with Costa Rica at the bottom and definitely eliminated. The top three are really close, so there's no telling which of them will be advancing. Brazil will really need to step it up in their next match.

South Korea vs Mexico (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/south-korea-mexico-95615/) 1 - 2
Mexico scored a goal in the middle of each half, while South Korea, after committing many fouls and getting four yellow cards, were able to score a goal at the last minute. Mexico has really proven itself to be one of the dominant teams in this World Cup.

Germany vs Sweden (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/germany-sweden-95614/) 2 - 1
Sweden scored in the first half, but Germany equalized at the start of the second half, then came that incredible winning goal during extra time at the end. Germany still has a chance of advancing, though with one of their players out of the next match due to two yellow cards, there's no way to know for sure how things will go.

For Group F, Mexico sits at the top, while South Korea sits at the bottom, with Germany and Sweden tied in the middle (the tiebreaker system currently puts Germany ahead of Sweden). However, no one is definitely advancing and no one has definitely been eliminated, so the final set of matches for this group should be very interesting.

Belgium vs Tunisia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/belgium-tunisia-95613/) 5 - 2
Belgium kept scoring consistently throughout the match, while Tunisia, despite losing two players to injuries in the first half, were able to at least score two goals, with the second coming during extra time at the end. Even so, Belgium have definitely proven themselves to be one of the most dominant teams in this World Cup.

England vs Panama (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/england-panama-95616/) 6 - 1
England just dominated out there, with one of their players, Harry Kane, scoring half of their goals, enough to make him surpass even Cristiano Ronaldo for total goals scored so far in this World Cup. Panama may have lost by a huge margin, but their fans were definitely excited that they actually scored a goal in the World Cup for the first time ever.

For Group G, England and Belgium are definitely advancing and are tied at the top (tiebreaker system puts England ahead of Belgium), while Tunisia and Panama have definitely been eliminated, with Panama at the bottom. Now all that's left to determine is which of the two advancing teams will earn the top spot.

Japan vs Senegal (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/japan-senegal-95617/) 2 - 2
Both halves pretty much went the same way, Senegal scored a goal, then Japan equalized. Senegal sure seemed like they had the advantage, but Japan managed to show just enough effort to keep pace.

Poland vs Colombia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/poland-colombia-95618/) 0 - 3
Poland put up a good effort, but Colombia ultimately proved to be a much better team, with one goal in the first half and two more in the second half.

For Group H, Poland has definitely been eliminated and sits at the bottom, while Japan and Senegal are tied at the top (with the tiebreaker system putting Japan at the top). Columbia is now close behind the two at the top, so all three of them still have a good chance of advancing.

So now there are two more teams definitely advancing (England and Belgium) and four more teams definitely eliminated (Costa Rica, Tunisia, Panama, and Poland). Even though we now know six of the sixteen teems that'll be advancing, we do not yet know for sure where they will place for the knockout stage, but that's what the final set of group stage matches will determine. Since the final pair of group matches are always played at the same time, it won't be much longer before the group stage is finished.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 25, 2018, 07:50:22 PM
For the sake of not spending an entire afternoon on these posts, I'll start commenting each day for the rest of this World Cup. Anyway, time for the final results of the first two groups.

Saudi Arabia vs Egypt (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/saudi-arabia-egypt-95620/) 2 - 1
With both of these teams already eliminated, this match was pretty much just for bragging rights. Egypt started off strong with a goal in the first half, but Saudi Arabia played remarkably well, equalizing at the end of the first half and then scoring the winning goal right at the very end.

Uruguay vs Russia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/uruguay-russia-95622/) 3 - 0
With both of these teams already guaranteed to advance, the results of this match would determine where they would be placed on the bracket for the knockout round. Russia had crushed the other two teams while Uruguay only just barely beat them, but that all changed with this match. Uruguay simply dominated, scoring two goals in the first half and a third in the final minutes, while Russia struggled quite a bit and even lost one of their players due to receiving two yellow cards.

The final results for Group A:
1, Uruguay
2, Russia
3, Saudi Arabia
4, Egypt

Spain vs Morocco (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/spain-morocco-95621/) 2 - 2
With Morocco already eliminated, all Spain had to do to advance was simply not lose big time. In both halves, Morocco scored first, followed by Spain equalizing, with that incredible last goal in the final minutes, though Morocco severely disagreed with the referee's call on that one. Not only that, Morocco committed a lot of fouls and got a lot of yellow cards, so it seems they really played like they had nothing to lose.

Iran vs Portugal (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/iran-portugal-95619/) 1 - 1
This match was a must win for Iran, while Portugal would be okay with a tie but preferring a win. Portugal finally scored at the end of the first half, but Iran was able to equalize with a penalty in extra time at the very end. Iran is eliminated, and although Portugal will advance, it's not as ideal as they would have liked.

The final results for Group B:
1, Spain
2, Portugal
3, Iran
4, Morocco
(Spain wins the tiebreaker due to scoring one more goal than Portugal did)

With the results in for these two groups, we now know who will be playing in two of the upcoming knockout stage matches.

Uruguay vs Portugal
(This one is going to be very close, and probably will even go to overtime, but I think Portugal will eventually come out on top.)

Spain vs Russia
(I'm very sure that Spain will win this one, probably by more than one goal.)

Two groups done, six more to go.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 26, 2018, 06:45:16 PM
The next two groups are now finished.

Australia vs Peru (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/australia-peru-95623/) 0 - 2
This was a must win for Australia, while Peru has already been eliminated. Remarkably, it was Peru that performed well, while Australia was just sloppy and missed a lot of opportunities.

Denmark vs France (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/denmark-france-95624/) 0 - 0
France was already guaranteed to advance, while Denmark could easily advance with a tie, and it seems they both were well aware of that. They ended up playing a rather slow and boring game with not much really happening, resulting in the very first scoreless draw of this World Cup.

The final results for Group C:
1, France
2, Denmark
3, Peru
4, Australia

Iceland vs Croatia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/iceland-croatia-95625/) 1 - 2
This was a must win for Iceland, while Croatia was already guaranteed to advance. This match was remarkably close, but Croatia managed to score the winning goal in the last few minutes. I have to admit, I'm impressed by just how close Iceland actually came to advancing.

Nigeria vs Argentina (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/nigeria-argentina-95626/) 1 - 2
Both Argentina and Nigeria had to win this one to ensure either of them could advance. Argentina got an early lead thanks to star player Lionel Messi, Nigeria equalized early in the second half from a penalty kick, and Argentina scored the winning goal in the last few minutes. A truly remarkable comeback for the former champion team after the awful results of their last two matches.

The final results for Group D:
1, Croatia
2, Argentina
3, Nigeria
4, Iceland

With the results in for these two groups, we now know who will be playing in two more of the upcoming knockout stage matches.

France vs Argentina
(This could be another very close one and possibly go to overtime, but if I had to pick one, I think I'll go with France.)

Croatia vs Denmark
(I'm confident that Croatia could win this one.)

Four groups done, four more to go.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 27, 2018, 10:00:47 PM
Two more groups are now finished.

Serbia vs Brazil (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/serbia-brazil-95629/) 0 - 2
Finally we got to see Brazil play just as well as we had been expecting. Serbia put up a good effort at first, but as Brazil scored their two goals, Serbia simply lost their spirit and have now been eliminated.

Switzerland vs Costa Rica (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/switzerland-costa-rica-95630/) 2 - 2
Switzerland was in a good position to advance, while Costa Rica was already eliminated. Switzerland scored in the first half, Costa Rica equalized in the second half, then Switzerland scored again near the end, only to concede an own goal minutes later. (I've heard rumors that the own goal may have been deliberate in order to ensure Switzerland would end up on the more favorable half of the knockout round bracket.) Either way, the tie is enough for Switzerland to advance.

The Final results for Group E:
1, Brazil
2, Switzerland
3, Serbia
4, Costa Rica

Mexico vs Sweden (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/mexico-sweden-95628/) 0 - 3
Both teams played very well in the first half, but then Sweden was able to score three goals in the second half. This match certainly had some high stakes, but thanks to the result in the other final match of Group F, both of these teams will be advancing.

South Korea vs Germany (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/south-korea-germany-95627/) 2 - 0
All Germany had to do was not lose, but that team was just terrible in this match, and ultimately South Korea was able to score two goals in the last few minutes, arguably one of the biggest upsets of this World Cup. Even though South Korea did have a chance to advance, the result of the other final Group F match meant that it wasn't enough, and both teams in this match have been eliminated. (The last time Germany was eliminated in the group stage was way back in 1938.)

The final results for Group F:
1, Sweden
2, Mexico
3, South Korea
4, Germany

With the results in for these two groups, we now know who will be playing in two more of the upcoming knockout stage matches.

Brazil vs Mexico
(This one could be close, but as much as I'd like to see Mexico win, I think it'll more likely be Brazil.)

Sweden vs Switzerland
(This one's a complete tossup, but I think it'll be Sweden that wins.)

Six groups done, two more to go.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 27, 2018, 10:38:47 PM
Germay gooing out is the bigest upset so far, and guarantees there will be a new champion this time around.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 28, 2018, 09:00:22 PM
And now the last two groups have finished.

England vs Belgium (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/england-belgium-95631/) 0 - 1
Both of these teams were already guaranteed to advance, so this match would determine where on the knockout round bracket they would be placed. With both teams sitting out their best players for this one, not much really happened, with Belgium scoring the only goal early in the second half. (With the way the bracket has been forming, some say that the loser of this match actually has the easier path to the finals, so that might explain the lack of effort of both teams today.)

Panama vs Tunisia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/panama-tunisia-95633/) 1 - 2
Both of these teams were already eliminated, so this one was just for bragging rights. Panama got a goal in the first half, but Tunisia scored two goals in the second half, allowing them to win a World Cup match for the first time since 1978.

The final results for Group G:
1, Belgium
2, England
3, Tunisia
4, Panama

Senegal vs Colombia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/senegal-colombia-95634/) 0 - 1
Both of these teams had a chance to advance and needed a win, though a tie could've suited them both depending on the outcome of the other match. Despite having to remove their best player early due to an injury, Colombia was eventually able to score a goal, giving them the win.

Japan vs Poland (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/japan-poland-95632/) 0 - 1
Poland has already been eliminated, while Japan still had a chance of advancing. Japan sat out most of their best players, which apparently helped Poland eventually score a goal. However, despite losing this match, Japan is able to advance thanks to a very close tiebreaker. (Though it's certainly rather questionable how Japan seemed to make no effort to improve their chances, despite the high stakes.)

The final results for Group H:
1, Colombia
2, Japan
3, Senegal
4, Poland
(Japan and Senegal ended up tied in every way except for yellow card accumulation, with Japan getting fewer than Senegal, so Japan will advance and Senegal is eliminated.)

With the results in for these two groups, we now know who will be playing in two more of the upcoming knockout stage matches.

Belgium vs Japan
(I'm confident that Belgium will win this one.)

Colombia vs England
(This could be a close one, but I think England might be the winner here.)

All groups are done, and now it's on to the knockout round. Now the the starting matches of the bracket have been filled in, how about we speculate which team is likely to win each of those matches and eventually win the championship. I've already shared who I think will be the winners in the Round of 16, so I'll make the rest of my predictions tomorrow.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 29, 2018, 08:24:22 PM
Okay, here are my predictions for the knockout stage of the 2018 World Cup.

First, I've already mentioned who I think will win in the Round of 16:
Uruguay vs Portugal (Portugal)
France vs Argentina (France)
Brazil vs Mexico (Brazil)
Belgium vs Japan (Belgium)
Spain vs Russia (Spain)
Croatia vs Denmark (Croatia)
Sweden vs Switzerland (Sweden)
Colombia vs England (England)

Of course, some of these predictions could turn out to be wrong, so the following match-ups are not sure to happen, and are simply what I think could probably happen.

My predictions for the Quarterfinals:
Portugal vs France (This could be rather close, but I think Portugal has the best chance of winning this one.)
Brazil vs Belgium (Maybe not quite a close one, but I think Brazil will win here.)
Spain vs Croatia (Again, it could be surprisingly close, but I think Spain will win this one.)
Sweden vs England (Both teams have been surprisingly impressive, but I think England will probably win here.)

My predictions for the Semifinals:
Portugal vs Brazil (Things could change by this point, but from what I've seen of these teams so far, I think Portugal could win this one.)
Spain vs England (Spain has a good chance here, but we've seen upsets before, and I think England could pull one off here.)

My predictions for the Finals:
Third-place match: Brazil vs Spain (I think by this point, Brazil will be most likely to win such a match-up.)
Championship match: Portugal vs England (Both of these teams I'd love to see them win a championship, but I think Portugal will have what it takes to win.)

Well, those are my predictions. Tomorrow is the start of the knockout stage, and unlike the group stage, I will be actually watching all of these matches. It'll be very interesting to see how well these sixteen remaining teams will do.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 29, 2018, 10:03:22 PM
England the Chronicler has  not been past the quarterfinals since `1990, when they finished 4th. I dont expect England to advance past the quarters, although I also have them winniong their round of 16 match.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Sneak on June 30, 2018, 05:11:20 AM
Only I know that Russia will be disgraced again, only these money bags can do is slowly walking not running and kick ball to the sky when nobody except goalkeeper stands on front of them.
so Spain will win.

Anyway, I will be for our team. *rollseye*

And since the most adverted skillful players and their teams didn't show very good football on group stage, I don't even know now who will win. I love intrigue!!!
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 30, 2018, 11:58:00 AM
France holds on to beat Argentina 4-3.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on June 30, 2018, 04:22:56 PM
Urugary upsets Portugal 2-1. its only the second time since 1970 that urugary has gotten this far at the world Cup, they also reached the quarters in 2010. So half your WC Final is gone chronicler. 
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on June 30, 2018, 09:00:18 PM
For the record, Nick, I had chosen England for the final because I just didn't want to see a rematch of Spain vs Portugal, which we already saw in the group stage. Either way, I'll definitely be changing my predictions, which I'll explain after the summaries of today's matches.

France vs Argentina (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/france-argentina-95636/) 4 - 3
This sure was quite an exciting match, and while Argentina certainly showed some talent, they also left a lot of open spaces that France was able to take advantage of. France scored early, then Argentina equalized before halftime. Argentina took the lead early in the second half, but then France was able to score three more goals in only a dozen minutes (two of which came from Kylian Mbappe, who is now the youngest person to ever score more than one goal in a knockout stage match since Pele did so for Brazil in 1958). Argentina eventually got another goal in extra time, but it was too little too late, and Lionel Messi's World Cup career comes to an end.

Uruguay vs Portugal (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/uruguay-portugal-95635/) 2 - 1
I did say I hadn't watched any of the group stage matches, and that could explain why I seriously underestimated Uruguay, which displayed some incredibly great defense that you'd have to actually see it to really understand just how effective it is (in complete contrast to Argentina). Not to mention, Uruguay's two best players, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, displayed some excellent teamwork, with the latter scoring both of Uruguay's goals. Portugal may have been able to equalize early in the second half, but they just couldn't get any more past that strong defense, and Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career comes to an end. (Though I will say that, unlike the previous match, the referee in this match seemed to miss a lot of fouls, especially that rather obvious one near the end, and the only yellow card he gave out was to Cristiano Ronaldo for arguing that he missed that aforementioned foul. Just unbelievable.)

(Quite ironic that the two biggest names of this World Cup ended up with their teams eliminated on the same day.)

With these results, we know which teams will be playing in one of the Quarterfinal matches:
Uruguay vs France

And now my new predictions:
Quarterfinal; Uruguay vs France (Uruguay's excellent defense could make this a close one, but I think France might pull off a win here.)
Semifinal; France vs Brazil (France has done well, but I think Brazil will be the more likely winner of this one.)
Semifinal; Spain vs England (Now that I don't have to be concerned with a rematch of a group stage match, I'm going to be more realistic here and say Spain will win.)
Third-Place; France vs England (I have a feeling that France will have a better chance of winning this match.)
Final; Brazil vs Spain (Unless I see proof that Brazil really is improving, I'm going to say that Spain will win the Championship.)

Two matches done in the Round of 16, six more to go.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Sneak on July 01, 2018, 12:48:43 PM
Spain - Russia

the worst match.
Because in my opinion, Spain was in level ZERO, comparing to their usual good plays. And our team, Russia, was UNDER ZERO.
As result - I thought BOTH of them deserved to lose, but Russia - didn't even deserved to win.

And it lasted till the penalty series, where... well, it was just unhonest Russia's win, me think.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on July 01, 2018, 12:55:43 PM
Penalties are always a crap shoot, where 1 miss can kill you. Spain missed twice. you don;t win penalties when you miss twice very often. Spain, on whole completely outplayed Russia, but we've seen several games like thatr in this WC where one team completely outplays the other, in terms of possession and shots, yet they dont win.  Russia did what it had to do, play bend but dont break, and get it to penalties.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on July 01, 2018, 05:55:20 PM
Croatia hangs to beat Denmark 3-2 in Penalties.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 01, 2018, 09:00:14 PM
Well, looks like I'll have to revise my predictions again, including the winner of the final. But first, my summaries of today's matches.

Spain vs Russia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/spain-russia-95637/) 1 - 1 (penalty kicks: 3 - 4)
Another consequence of not watching the group stage matches, I had no idea Spain was said to have so many problems. Although Spain got a rather lucky goal early on, Russia was able to equalize before halftime. For the second half and both halves of overtime, it was all the same; Russia held back with a solid defense and didn't bother much with offense, while Spain struggled to find a way forward and instead spent most of their time simply passing the ball back and forth between each other (making them the first team to make over a thousand passes in a single World Cup match). To me, it seemed as if both teams preferred to just take their chances with the penalty kicks. The gamble payed off for Russia, and after their first Round of 16 appearance since 1986, they're now going to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 1970. (In both cases, this is obviously the first time they're doing so as "Russia" rather than "Soviet Union", with their best finish ever being fourth place in 1966, the only time they had reached the semifinals.)

Croatia vs Denmark (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/croatia-denmark-95638/) 1 - 1 (penalty kicks: 3 - 2)
Both of these teams proved to be solidly good in both defense and offense (much better than either team in the previous match). There was a very exciting start with Denmark scoring after just one minute and Croatia equalizing after just four minutes (the fastest first two goals in World Cup history), but after that, not much happened. Despite many good attempts, neither team could score anymore goals, so it went all the way to penalty kicks. Again, both teams proved evenly matched right up until the final set of penalty kicks. Although Croatia was the heavy favorite to win this one, I have to admit that Denmark definitely proved themselves to be surprisingly talented.

(Interestingly, this is only the second time ever in a World Cup that two knockout stage matches on the same day went all the way to penalty kicks. The first one was in 1974.)

With these results, we know which teams will be playing in one of the Quarterfinal matches:
Russia vs Croatia

And now my new predictions:
Quarterfinal; Russia vs Croatia (Based on today's performances, I'd say that Croatia has the better chance of winning this one.)
Semifinal; Croatia vs England (I think I'll go back to my previous pick and go with England on this one.)
Third-Place; France vs Croatia (They're both solid teams, but I think the young talent will help France win this match.)
Final; Brazil vs England (I think I'll go with Brazil for the Championship, though knowing my luck so far, that prediction could easily change tomorrow.)

Four matches done in the Round of 16, four more to go.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 02, 2018, 08:00:20 PM
Looks like my predictions still stand after today, though I certainly now have a better idea of the two teams that'll advance.

Brazil vs Mexico (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/brazil-mexico-95639/) 2 - 0
No results in the first half, but Brazil was able to score the goals they needed in the second half. Perhaps the most impressive part of this match was just how many saves were made by Mexico's goalkeeper, Ochoa (I actually remember him from the previous World Cup, when he got the nickname "Fortress of Fortaleza"), but even with so many incredible saves, he just couldn't catch them all. Mexico's coach (who will almost certainly be fired after this loss) essentially behaved like a sore loser afterwards by blaming the referees. Though I will admit that Brazil's star player, Neymar, seemed completely pathetic for flopping around like a fish just from someone stepping on his ankle (not exactly the first time he's behaved in such a silly way in a match, as he's apparently gaining a bad reputation for his theatrics out on the field). Anyway, quite remarkably, the result of this match keeps two streaks going for the seventh World Cup in a row: Brazil advances to the Quarterfinals, and Mexico goes out in the Round of 16.

Belgium vs Japan (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/belgium-japan-95640/) 3 - 2
I have to admit, Japan was remarkably good in this match for two reasons I noticed; they're very good at taking away possession, and they like to make long passes with impressive accuracy. The first half went by with no results, but it was the second half where things got very interesting. Japan managed to score two goals only minutes apart, then after a pair of substitutions, Belgium did the same thing to equalize. Then, in the very last minute, an incredible ten-second dash from one goal to the other gave Belgium the winning goal, preventing this match from going into overtime. Although Belgium will advance, it was still amazing just how close we came to yet another stunning upset, and just how close Japan came to reaching the Quarterfinals for the first time ever.

With these results, we know which teams will be playing in one of the Quarterfinal matches:
Brazil vs Belgium

Like I said, my predictions that I revised yesterday still stand. (With the way Belgium struggled against Japan, I'm more confident now that Brazil will win this Quarterfinal match.)

Six matches done in the Round of 16, two more to go.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on July 03, 2018, 11:57:31 AM
sweden holds off Switzerland 1-0 to advance.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on July 03, 2018, 04:55:12 PM
England wins 4-3 in Penalties over Columbia
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 03, 2018, 07:00:23 PM
It got really close in both of today's matches, but my picks still remain. (So it seems I got 6 out of 8 correct, so far.)

Sweden vs Switzerland (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/sweden-switzerland-95641/) 1 - 0
This was another one of those matches where both teams seemed evenly matched and not much happened for a while. Sweden managed to score a goal in the second half, thanks to a deflection off a Swiss player's foot. Even so, both teams played very well, so Sweden certainly won't be an easy team to beat in their next match.

Colombia vs England (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/colombia-england-95642/) 1 - 1 (penalty kicks: 3 - 4)
Wow... Now this particular match is one I'll definitely remember for a long time. The way Colombia played was just brutal, getting so many yellow cards that I lost count, and more then once I was actually concerned a fistfight might break out. England scored in the second half with Harry Kane on a penalty kick, but Colombia incredibly was able to equalize at the very last minute, sending the game into overtime. With no further goals, it then went to penalty kicks (the third Round of 16 match to do so, a World Cup record). England has traditionally lost every match that ended this way, but not this time. For the first time ever, England actually won a match on penalty kicks, and will move on to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2006.

(I have to admit, my favorite of the eight remaining teams now is definitely England.)

With these results, we know which teams will be playing in one of the Quarterfinal matches:
Sweden vs England.

My remaining predictions in the Round of 16 came true, so there's no need for me to make any further revisions today.

All eight matches of the Round of 16 are now done. Next, the four Quarterfinal matches, which will be on Friday and Saturday.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on July 03, 2018, 08:21:56 PM
England got EXTREMELY lucky to advance
 if that kick by the Columbian player is just 100th of an inch further in on the bar, it goes in and Columbias up 4-2 and has things basically wrapped up.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 05, 2018, 07:50:20 PM
A quick recap of my current predictions...

Quarterfinals:
Uruguay vs France (France)
Brazil vs Belgium (Brazil)
Russia vs Croatia (Croatia)
Sweden vs England (England)

Semifinals:
France vs Brazil (Brazil)
Croatia vs England (England)

Third-Place:
France vs Croatia (France)

Final:
Brazil vs England (Brazil)


By the way, remember Brazil player Neymar's silly antics on the ground that I mentioned a few days ago? Apparently, "Neymar rolling" has become the latest internet meme, from what I've heard.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 06, 2018, 06:45:42 PM
One of my predictions was correct, and the one I got wrong is one that I probably should have expected.

Uruguay vs France (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/uruguay-france-95643/) 0 - 2
With Cavani out due to an injury, Uruguay wasn't at its best, and while its defense did well, the same could not quite be said of their goalkeeper, who made a serious error that allowed the second goal for France. The goalkeeper for France, on the other hand, did an excellent job with a lot of saves. The way I see it, France seems like a solid team that stands a very good chance of winning the championship.

Brazil vs Belgium (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/brazil-belgium-95644/) 1 - 2
Just a few minutes in when Belgium scored their first goal, I realized that it was rather obvious Belgium was going to win (contrary to my original prediction). Belgium was much better organized than Brazil, and Brazil kept losing possession rather frequently. In addition, it seems Neymar and in fact his whole team has now faced the consequences of his antics, because virtually every time he tried to deliberately force a foul in favor of his team, the referee simply waved him off and kept the game going (and thus a fine demonstration of that old moral of the boy who cried wolf). Belgium have definitely proven that this team is arguably one of the best they've ever had, so it'll be interesting to see how they'll do next.

(Here's another interesting statistic: This is now the very first World Cup in which neither Brazil, Argentina, or Germany made it to the semifinals.)

With these results, we know which teams will be playing in one of the Semifinal matches:
France vs Belgium

Time once again for me to revise my predictions:
Semifinal; France vs Belgium (I'm going to go with France for this one, but that's probably because I just don't want to see a rematch of a Group stage match, though that could change if my picks in tomorrow's matches turn out wrong.)
Third-Place; Belgium vs Croatia (I think Belgium would very easily win this.)
Final; France vs England (I'll admit I might be biased here, but I'd like to see England win the Championship.)

Two Quarterfinal matches done, two more to go.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Sneak on July 07, 2018, 05:09:57 PM
Finally.
FINALLY.

This was a match I liked.
Croatia won in match with Russia in penalty series, but this time, I don't hate my team or curse opposing team. I say great thanks to both teams for good football and fair result!
Hope it won't be end of good football!
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 07, 2018, 09:00:20 PM
Both of my picks for today's matches were correct, so it looks like I got 3 out of 4 right for the Quarterfinals.

Sweden vs England (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/sweden-england-95646/) 0 - 2
Both teams played very well, but it was England that was able to score goals from corner kicks. And although both teams had good defense, England was able to back theirs up with a goalkeeper that made some very good saves. With this win, England has now made it to the semifinals for only the third time ever (first was in 1966 when they won the championship, and the second was in 1990, so it's been 28 years since the last time this team made it this far).

Russia vs Croatia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/russia-croatia-95645/) 2 - 2 (penalty kicks: 3 - 4)
Russia sure had a rather solid defense formation, but both teams ended up in a stalemate, with one goal each in regular time, and then each scoring another goal in overtime, so it went on to penalty kicks once again for both of these teams. It was Croatia that ultimately won, and thus they become only the second team to ever win back-to-back matches on penalty kicks (the first was Argentina in 1990).

(I've heard that thanks to Russia's better than expected results in this World Cup, there's a good chance it will lead to more interest in this sport throughout that country, much like what happened here in the United States when we hosted the World Cup back in 1994.)

With these results, we know which teams will be playing in one of the Semifinal matches:
Croatia vs England

All Quarterfinal matches are now done. All that's left to go are the two Semifinal matches, followed by the Third-Place match and finally the Final.

Here's a quick recap of my current picks for the remaining matches...

Semifinals:
France vs Belgium (France)
Croatia vs England (England)

Third-Place:
Belgium vs Croatia (Belgium)

Final:
France vs England (England)

So those are my picks at this time, which means I'll be cheering for England. Which teams do you guys think will win the last few matches?
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 10, 2018, 06:00:19 PM
Onto the semifinals, which means only one match per day from this point onward.

France vs Belgium (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/france-belgium-95647/) 1 - 0
Both of these teams were very good on all fronts, offense, defense, and goalkeeping. There was a good chance this match could have gone to a scoreless draw the whole time, but all it took was a corner kick early in the second half for France to get the only goal today. France is going to the final for the third time ever (previously done in 1998 and 2006, winning the final only in 1998), while Belgium will get a second chance to win in the third-place match (the only time they made it that far was in 1986, which they lost to France, so there's still a chance Belgium can get their best finish ever in this World Cup).

My pick for this match was correct, so my predictions currently remain unchanged. I'll definitely be looking forward to the other semifinal match tomorrow.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on July 10, 2018, 07:39:26 PM
 I agree with your pick for tomorrow and the championship. i Have england beating france 2-1 with the winning goal scored in the final 10 minutes.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: Nick22 on July 10, 2018, 11:49:50 PM
France beats Belgium 1-0 to reach the WC final for the second time. Belgium now awauis the Croatia-England loser in the 3rd place game.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: rhombus on July 11, 2018, 06:19:34 PM
It looks like it will be France versus Croatia for the title, and England versus Belgium for the third-place game.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 11, 2018, 07:15:41 PM
Well, there goes my pick to win this year's World Cup (again).

Croatia vs England (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/croatia-england-95648/) 2 - 1 (overtime)
England got off to a great start after scoring a goal from a corner kick just five minutes in. Croatia was able to equalize in the second half, and both teams held on to send this match into overtime. With just ten minutes left to go, all it took was a brief lack of attention from England's defense that allowed Croatia to score the winning goal. Croatia will be going to the finals for the first time ever (also becoming the first team to ever win three World Cup matches in a row that went into extra time), while England will face off against Belgium in the third-place match for a chance to surpass their 1990 finish. (Looks like that Group stage rematch I was hoping wouldn't occur will actually happen, but I suppose it's better in the third-place match than the final.)

Well, one more time, I must give new picks for the remaining matches...
Third-Place; Belgium vs England (These teams weren't even trying in their group stage match, since they were already going to advance, so this second time should be more exciting, and unlike the first time, I think England will win this one.)
Final; France vs Croatia (This World Cup has had tons of surprises and upsets, so to follow that trend, my pick here will be for the one that has never won a World Cup, and that would be Croatia.)

The third-place match will be on Saturday, followed by the final on Sunday, both of which I will definitely be watching.
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 14, 2018, 08:00:06 PM
Well, so much for hoping for a different result from a rematch.

Belgium vs England (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/belgium-england-95649/) 2 - 0
Once again, it didn't take long for me to realize just who was likely going to win. Belgium scored their first goal very early in the first half, then got the second goal late in the second half. England missed a lot of excellent chances to score, so much so that it wouldn't be hard to imagine the score could have easily ended up tied at the end of regular time. With this match over, Belgium has officially had its best World Cup ever, while England ends up tied with its second best run back in 1990.

(I quickly looked up past World Cup results, and it seems that rematches between the same two teams in the same World Cup, although rare, have occurred before, nearly half a dozen times in total.)

Now all that's left in this World Cup is the final match tomorrow. Let's see if my final pick will turn out correct. Who do you guys think will win?
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: brekclub85 on July 15, 2018, 01:17:54 PM
Congratulations to France!
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: DiddyKF1 on July 15, 2018, 01:49:13 PM
France put on a great show, and they greatly deserve that World Cup! Many congratulations to them, particularly to 19-year-old sensation Kylian Mbappe!
Title: Re: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Post by: The Chronicler on July 15, 2018, 07:45:20 PM
It may not have been the pick I made, but I'm still proud of the winner, nonetheless.

France vs Croatia (https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/france-croatia-95650/) 4 - 2
I had expected not much to happen like in the more recent World Cup finals, but this one completely blew away that assumption and turned out to be very exciting, with lots of incredible moments worthy of the record books. The first goal, which went for France, was the very first own goal ever scored in a World Cup final, which also makes this year's World Cup have the most own goals of any World Cup with a final total of twelve. After Croatia equalized, the referee had to use the VAR (another first for a World Cup final) to determine that a handball had occurred, giving France a penalty kick that put them ahead again. With that score of 2-1 at halftime, it was already the most goals scored in a World Cup final since 1998, but things didn't stop there by a long shot. Some crazy people ran out onto the pitch at one point in the second half, so that sure added to a match full of notable events. Later, just a few minutes apart, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe each scored a goal for France, with the latter making him only the second teenager to ever score a goal in a World Cup final (the first being Pele in 1958). That was soon followed by Croatia taking advantage of an error by the French goalkeeper, but were unable to get any further goals. Even so, the final score means this World Cup final match had the most goals scored in any final match since 1958. And there was even the threat of a thunderstorm possibly delaying the match (which has never happened before to a World Cup final), but thankfully the downpour didn't start until after the match was finished, though that left the French team to celebrate in the rain. In addition, the manager of the French team is also now only the third person to have ever won a World Cup first as a player and then won it for the same team again as a manager (the first was for Brazil and the second was for Germany). Croatia may have lost, but this was still their best finish ever in a World Cup.

Now that was a really thrilling end to a World Cup that was full of surprises!

Next year will be the Women's World Cup, which will be hosted in France.