Costa Rica has been to 5 WCs, New Zealand has been to 2 WCs.
CRC - 1990, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2018
NZL - 1982, 2010
The game will also feature 1 former Minnesota United captain (Francisco Calvo of CRC) and 1 current Minnesota United captain (Michael Boxall of NZL).
I’ll be surprised if Costa Rica doesn’t win, but I might bet on this going to extra time first.
More goals w/in 2 minutes today than all game yesterday.
CRC up 1-0
VAR has not been kind to the Kiwis.
Had a goal taken away upon review in the first half due to a foul on their build up. Now have a player sent off in the 68th minute on a bad slide tackle after review.
In Australia that’s the only way they can get kids to agree to play goalkeeper, by promising them that it involves dancing.
Ticos book a return trip to Qatar. Their reward are games vs Spain and Germany.
The field of 32:
Group A - Qatar, Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador
Group B - England, USA, Iran, Wales
Group C - Argentina, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia
Group D - France, Denmark, Tunisia, Australia
Group E - Spain, Germany, Japan, Costa Rica
Group F - Belgium, Croatia, Morocco, Canada
Group G - Brazil, Switzerland, Serbia, Cameroon
Group H - Portugal, Uruguay, South Korea, Ghana
Putting it here because it doesn’t quite fit any other threads: Germany is destroying Italy in UEFA Nations League. Up 5-0 and toying with them IMO
They’re probably hoping it’s the Germany of 2018 and the Spain of 2014, rather than the Germany of 2014 and Spain of 2010.
Interestingly, France and Denmark played Peru and Australia last time so no matter the result of yesterdays game, they will each play two of the same opponents.
France and England at the bottom of their groups. Clearly someone is not taking this serially.
This looks to be a tighter field than most World cups. Oddschecker has 9 teams between 5/1 (Brazil) and 16/1 (Belgium). It then drops off to 33/1. Those 9 teams do not include 2018 finalist Croatia or Euro champion Italy.
Should be some excellent quarter finals.
Oof. Just saw the England result from last night (0-4 Hungary). Worst loss since 1928.
Losing 4-0 at home was unbelievable for England. Am assuming their malaise is primarily caused by not being very excited about the European competition.
Wasn’t a particularly strong team
Qatar is banning sex during the world cup unless you are husband and wife.
Qatar Reportedly Bans Single World Cup Fans From Sex, Could Face 7 Years Behind Bars?
FIFA is introducing Semi Automatic Offside Technology (SAOT) for the world cup
Nitpick: the technology determines if a player is in an offside position, one condition of two for offside to be called as an offence (British sic).
The other condition still requires a referee or VAR to determine if the player also was involved in the play.
Also, need to know that the ball was last played by a teammate and not by an opponent (except for goal saves, and deflections also do not count).
Still, should save plenty of time.
Now, need either to shorten restart times (goal kicks, throw-ins, free kicks when 10 yards is marked off, substitutions, VAR, mainly), or referee to stop their watch during long restarts so as to tack on stoppage time. Could have an additional official keep track of inordinately long delays.
While watching recorded matches, I can generally TiVo-skip ahead 30 seconds for goal kicks and corner kicks and substitutions.
Canadian men have friendlies against Uruguay and Qatar in Vienna in the September window. Hopefully they call a truce with Soccer Canada long enough to actually play the games.
EPL managers complaining. Um, should have been louder and clearer 12 years ago, and then 7 years ago when FIFA decided to move it to Nov/Dec, then four years ago when Blatter basically stated that Qatar cheated (bribed voters) to get the bid.
While the EPL schedule was made so that no Big 6 teams played each other before the WC, I’ll have to check to see if there are Big 6 matches during the Holiday break.
OK, back.
CHE play MCI on 1/2/23, the first Big 6 match after WC.
What’s the big deal. MLS plays through the World Cup in the summer all the time and its no big deal at all
I am going with “sarcasm” here. Where is that red font???