2022 FIFA World Cup Discussion Thread

They play as well together as any country can expect. They have good talent but not any superstars in prime. They are just clinical.

Canada will get another goal though. They do not hustle back. Definitely committed to attack but not covering if possession changes.

Dangerous leaving 39 year old defender Hutchinson in as he has lost a lot of speed. Nice to have his experience on the field but Canada may need to do some substitutions at the half.

I guess the Iranian authorities aren’t tolerant of peaceful protest after all.

Canada going home. Short, disappointing World Cup

Announcers are actually talking about how a quick goal is bad. That is so ridiculous. There isn’t a team in the world that wouldn’t take a 1-0 lead in 70 seconds.

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Croatia was definitely the better team today, deserved the three points. Belgium should have its hands full against them but this has been a weird WC.

Belgium needs a win to advance and they have 1 goal in 2 games. That could be a tall order for them the way they are playing.

It looks like Canada was in a tough Group given that their weakest opponent was the #2 Belgian team.

Sorry about the football but you did just win your first Davis cup in tennis. Congrats!

Interesting article on the Iranian coach in today’s WSJ. I expect Iran will try to smother the USA team on defence as Iran only need a tie to advance.

Yes, the bus will be parked.

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If Wales beat England 1-0 and Iran ties, Wales advances, don’t they? They would have a better GD (-1 to -2). An early Wales goal would be helpful.

Also OK about parking the bus and we just pummel them The good thing about bus parking is the much higher potential for penalties. Lots of hands to hit the ball and feet to trip over.

On Belgium, before the WC KDB said they were too old. They should not be #2…and I have been on the Belgium train since 2014 (picked them to win). Time has passed. Hazard declined quickly and Lukaku is a great player when on a lesser team. Spain has re-loaded better than anyone with 2 teenage MF studs. Portugal still has a ton of talent. They will be a tough out.

I think that is correct.

If Iran wins Wales needs to beat England by at least 3 goals to advance I think but if Iran ties I think Wales advances with any win. I think for Iran to catch England on GD would take a miracle if they all end on (1-1-1) 4 points.

You are correct: I was operating on the assumption that England would at least tie with Wales but you can’t take anything for granted in this WC.

Agreed. I would enjoy a Portugal-Brazil match in a future round.

So after everyone has played 2 matches: France, Brazil and Portugal are through, Qatar & Canada are eliminated and everyone else is in some phase of “you’re saying there is a chance”

Don’t be Dumb.

And/Or Dumber.

Made this for myself and thought I’d share - situation going into the last set of games (basically: here’s how each team can advance). Misses some scenarios where they tie on points and tie on goal differential and it goes to goals scored, but this was already getting long as it was. I also called out the game I felt was most pivotal in each group.

Group A
Netherlands - through with win or draw vs Qatar
Ecuador - through with draw or win vs Senegal or if they lose by less than Netherlands loses to Qatar.
Senegal - through with win or draw if Qatar beats Netherlands by >2.
Qatar - out

Game to watch: Ecuador vs Senegal

Group B
England - through unless they lose by >3 and US/Iran decisive or lose by >6 and US/Iran draw
Iran - through with win or draw and Wales draw/loss
USA - through with win
Wales - through with win and Iran/US draw

Game to watch: Iran vs USA

Group C
Poland - through with win or draw or loss by < 3 and Saudi Arabia/Mexico draw or loss and Mexico win with winning margins being less than 5 between both games combined
Argentina - through with win vs Poland or draw vs Poland and Saudi Arabia loss by less than 4
Saudi Arabia - through with win vs Mexico or draw vs Mexico and Argentina loss to Poland
Mexico - through with win vs Saudi Arabia and either - Poland beats Argentina or Mexico wins by >3 and Poland/Argentina draw or Argentina’s win + Mexico’s win come by 5 combined total goal

Game to watch: Poland vs Argentina

Group D
France - through
Australia - through with win or draw vs Denmark and Tunisia draw/loss
Denmark - through with win vs Australia and Tunisia draw/loss/win by less than Denmark
Tunisia - through with win vs France and Australia/Denmark draw or win vs France and Denmark wins by less than Tunisia

Game to watch: Australia vs Denmark

Group E
Spain - through with win or draw or loss and Costa Rica/Germany draw
Japan - through with win or draw and Germany draw/loss or draw and Germany win by 1 but Japan scores more goals than Germany
Costa Rica - through with win or draw and Japan loss
Germany - through with win and Japan loss or win and Japan draw where Germany wins by 1+ or scores more goals than Japan

Game to watch: Japan vs Spain

Group F
Croatia - through with win or draw or loss and Morocco loses by more than Croatia
Morocco - through with win or draw or loss and Belgium loss or loss and Croatia loses by 2 more than Morocco or loss by < 3 and Belgium/Croatia draw
Belgium - through with win or draw and Morocco loses by >3
Canada - out

Game to watch: Croatia vs Belgium

Group G
Brazil - through
Switzerland - through with win or draw and Cameroon draw/loss
Cameroon - through with win and Switzerland draw/loss
Serbia - through with win and Cameroon draw/loss/win by 2 fewer goals than Serbia

Game to watch: Serbia vs Switzerland

Group H
Portugal - through
Ghana - through with win or draw and South Korea draw/loss/win by 1
South Korea - through with win and Ghana loss or win by more than 1 and Ghana draws
Uruguay - through with win and South Korea draw/loss/win by 2 fewer goals than Uruguay

Game to watch: Ghana vs Uruguay

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Iran will be motivated: