Official World Cup 2022 Thread

[lakersken80]

Poland leaving up their fate to the Mexico-Saudi Arabia game.

[lakersken80]

And Mexico is eliminated with the late Saudi Arabia goal unless they can score in the final minute.

[lakersken80]

Mexico wins the game but is eliminated from the tournament.

[ChickenStu]

Wow, Mexico came so close to getting a third goal, and Argentina came so close to getting a third goal. With either, Poland would've been out. They hung on by a thread. That late Saudi goal ended up being irrelevant, as Mexico still would've gone through with a third goal.

[aprevo15]

[LakerLanny]

Brutal for Mexico, like the USA, they just could not convert in the first two games from a scoring perspective and it cost them.

USA in my opinion has a very good chance vs. the Netherlands. I am feeling an OT penalty kick shootout but I hope it is easier.
_________________
Love, Laker Lanny

[lakersken80]

Much like the USMNT needed a reset after they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Mexican soccer will probably need to rebuild their team after failing to advance out of the group stage for the first time in 44 years.

[lakersken80]

Belgium doesn't make it out of the group stage. Guess Canada making a game out of it with them doesn't seem that much of an accomplishment now considering how bad Belgium was in this World Cup. Their coach already resigned so its a huge disappointment for that team.

[lakersken80]

And Japan scores a goal to tie the game. Their 2nd goal was called out that could've changed the entire outlook of the group and game.

[lakersken80]

Wow, the VAR rules the goal is good. Japan leads 2-1 and if the results hold they could win the group. What a turnaround from the half when it looked like they would be eliminated.

[lakersken80]

Disaster for Spain as Costa Rica scores in their game vs Germany to take a 2-1 lead. Spain as of now has gone from potentially winning the group to being eliminated.

[lakersken80]

As of now in Group E Japan and Costa Rica would advance and soccer superpowers Germany and Spain would be eliminated.

[lakersken80]

Wow Germany scores an avalanche of goals to lead Costa Rica 4-2. That will probably save Spain from elimination.

[lakersken80]

Japan needs to win this game to keep from being eliminated. No pressure.

[lakersken80]

Japan wins and advances to the knockout stage. Spain looks like it will advance as well on goal difference. Germany eliminated despite the late onslaught of goals vs Costa Rica. Costa Rica had a brief taste of advancing but couldn't hold onto their lead and is now eliminated as well.

[lakersken80]

Add Germany to the list of national teams that will probably need a rebuild.

[1995Lakers]

Would love to see South Korea meet Japan in the quarterfinals. This is the matchup that absolutely needs to happen and it will require an act of god for Korea to eliminate Brazil and a lot of luck for Japan to beat Croatia not to mention even Korea making it out of the group stage will be hard at this point. But if this matchup happens, no way in hell would Korea accept a loss to Japan. Japan should pray Korea doesnt make it to round of 16 because their chances of winning against whoever comes out of the round of 16 will be equally miniscule because its either Brazil or against a country that owns them in head to head because of the must-win mentality Korea feels towards only Japan

[ChickenStu]

That VAR decision to uphold Japan's second goal was a farce. Shady. Fishy. Any description you want to use. Right after it happened, they showed a close-up replay where the ball was clearly over the end line, the whole ball, unmistakably. There was green between the end line and the ball. No question about it. The longer the review went on, I had a feeling some shenanigans were going on and that they were going to give them the goal, and that's exactly what happened. It's particularly fishy in my mind because they never showed that same replay on TV again. They only showed angles from much further away.

It was a crazy-exciting final 30 minutes in both games, with all 4 teams having a chance, so that was fun to watch. But yes, that Japan second goal should not have counted.

[LakerLanny]

[lakersken80]

[1995Lakers]

Group H decided between Uruguay vs South Korea as expected with the narrowest of margins going to South Korea with a dramatic finish scored by a normally bad finisher in Hwang Hee Chan. 20 years from when Korea beat Portugals last golden generation, they do it again against the new one. Now most likely it will be South Korea vs Brazil with an act of god required to have the opportunity to play Japan in the Quarterfinals.

[aprevo15]

[1995Lakers]

Love being a fan of South Korea.

1994: From qualifying on an Iraqi player scoring in extra time to knock off Japan and Korea making it to the world cup in their stead which is called the Miracle of Doha in Korea. To being down 2-0 to Spain and scoring 2 goals to tie in the last 10 minutes. Then the Hwang Sun Hong disappointment vs Bolivia to end 0-0 and then pushing defending champions Germany to the limit in a very hot day in Dallas to where Germany took a 3-0 lead but the weather wears them down whereas Korea maintains their fighting spirit and scores 2 and continues to run and push for the 3rd goal that would put them through to the round of 16 but ultimately failing to do so.

2002: The Semi-Finals Magical Run. Too many highlights here to start. Funny to see my two teams: USA and South Korea in the group stage together and advance to the round of 16 together while knocking off Portugal and Poland

2010: Holding on to tie Nigeria and make it to round of 16 only to lose to Uruguay. Sweet revenge here now.

2018: Defending champions Germany eliminated by Korea

2022: Another round of 16 performance in the most dramatic of fashion

[ChickenStu]

^
As an Italy fan, I'm still very bitter about 2002. That was beyond egregious.

[1995Lakers]