World Cup 2022 thread

[TheBig3]

He doesn't even live here anymore

[The Batlord]

Maybe he lurks.

[TheBig3]

If he lurked, he'd be up are asses about those two wins. Croatia is a giant slayer this year.

[Trollheart]

Day 22


Morocco v Portugal (Result: 1-0; Portugal go out )

Not too many would have predicted that Morocco would make it through this far (I certainly didn’t expect it) but here they were, against the footballing superpower that is Portugal. Could they pull off another stunning shock and knock Portugal out? You’d say no, but then, we saw Brazil exit unceremoniously last night after a disappointing performance and quite frankly some awful penalty misses, so as ever, take nothing for granted. No Ronaldo for Portugal, but this was all but expected, Ramos emerging as the new darling of the fans. Early pressure, as expected, from the Portuguese, with a close shot on 4 minutes, but no breakthrough by the half-hour mark, Felix going close again and then Morocco having a go but blasting over. Another good shot from the underdogs but easily gathered by the keeper, and in the last minutes they remained the team on the attack and got their reward on 41 as they scored.

Dreamland for the Africans, but could they keep it up in the second half? Now that they had fallen behind and really had not shown too much in the way of being able to score, would that man step into the fray? In fact, Morocco kept up the early pressure, coming close in the first few minutes of the second half, again on 55 minutes and Ronaldo was on. Would he make the difference, or just end up participating in a team bound for home? Fernandes came close on 62 but another shot blasted high, he and Ronaldo nearly combining in the 67th and then a completely wasted free in the 70th and the score remained 1-0 to Morocco. All the play now down the Moroccan half as you would expect, as Portugal pushed for the equaliser, another corner went nowhere and followed by another, this one having to be retaken for encroachment I guess - never said - but again a miss anyway.

Third time lucky and this time a real scrap as Morocco tried to work it free and headed down the Portuguese half, almost scoring a second in the 74th minute, time slipping away now for Portugal. Great save from a really powerful shot from, again, Felix, in the 81st, Morocco hanging on now as we entered the final minutes of normal time. They still managed a shot of their own as we hit extra time - eight minutes of it. It would seem like eighty to the Moroccan players. And eight seconds to the Portuguese. Red card for a second yellow and Morocco were down to ten. Could this be the break Portugal had been waiting for? Once again Morocco squandered the chance to take the game with a second goal, ball bouncing all over the place as time ticked away. Two minutes left. Could they do it?

Portugal kept at it, another miss with a minute to go but it was not to be their day. Morocco held on to kick the mighty Portugal out, and advance to their first ever semi final. And you would have to say, on the evidence here, very thoroughly deserved.

England v France (Result: 2-1; England go out)

For many people, this was the big one. Forget Brazil. Forget Argentina. Forget Portugal. Could England make it through to the semi-finals, and maybe, just maybe, have enough to go on to win their second ever World Cup? With Spain, Brazil, Germany and now Portugal all sent out, they must have fancied their chances if they could get a result here. Standing in their way, the current world champions, who can really turn it on when they need to. England haven’t exactly sparkled this tournament, but neither have they fizzled out, and it promised to be a real contest between the two old enemies. France took the first attack in the 10th minute but Pickford saved, England having their own attack five minutes later, and one minute after that France were ahead with a thunderbolt of a shot, for once not Mbappe or Giroud.

England got a free in the 18th when Saka was taken down, but straight at the keeper, Kane down in the 24th in the box, but the check confirmed no penalty, in fact no foul, so not even a free kick for England. Good strike from Kane on 28 but again Lloris equal to it. So into the second half we went with France in the ascendancy, another good shot from England but saved and then they thought the ball had gone over the line but again Lloris had managed to save. 51st minute saw England get a penalty that didn’t even need VAR confirmation; Saka again and this time Kane scored, levelling the match and giving England renewed hope.

Almost immediately France were on the attack again though, Pickford this time having to claw it away, then a touch of a scramble in the England goal before a somewhat weak shot from Saka in 68 gave the French keeper no trouble. They came close on 72 but the ball went to the side of the French post then Pickford had to stop a shot in the 76th from Giroud. A corner then for France allowed them to keep the ball in the English half and this time Giroud did not miss, netting the second for France on 77 minutes. Could that be the goal that sent England home? Then Mason Mount fell in the penalty box and it really was a stonewall penalty, no way it could not be awarded. Kane took responsibility, and blasted right over the top, must have brought horrible memories back to the manager. Last-ditch attempt as again eight minutes of extra time wound down and England got a free kick. Stupid foul, and it could have been the undoing of France, Rashford doing his best but just missing by inches, and England were out. You have to say they gave it their best, but their best just wasn’t good enough. Again.

So the two semi-finals are:

Argentina v Croatia

Which will be on Tuesday followed by

France v Morocco

On Wednesday. See you then!

[thevlade]

Messi is the name.

[Trollheart]

D'oh! Got my days mixed up! Thought this was being played today...

Day 25

Today (yes, yes! Yesterday, all right!) saw the first of the two semi-finals, as the last four teams in the World Cup came head to head over two days to try to reach the all-important final, and a chance at hoisting that famous trophy. Both Modric and Messi would be up for it, both hunting their first World Cup medal, Modric’s Croatia having come closest in 2018, when they were just beaten by France. At age 37, this would more than likely be Modric’s last chance to be on the winning team, and time is marching on for Argentina’s star too. A lot to play for, apart from national pride, history and in the case of one of the teams anyway, a little revenge perhaps, especially if they should beat Argentina and France got past Morocco, to set up a rematch of the 2018 final.

Argentina v Croatia (Score: 3-0; Argentina into the final)

You probably couldn’t use the term “fading glory” to describe Argentina, but their last win had been in 1986, almost forty years ago now, which means that the last time they hoisted the cup neither one of the star players had not been born and the other was in his crib. By that yardstick, Croatia were closer to glory, having just missed out four years ago on the title, but you could be sure both teams would be eager to prove their worth, and go through to face either European powerhouse France or newcomers but dark horse Africans Morocco, and both must have fancied their chances in the final.

Argentina had the first attack in the first minute but it went nowhere, the game turning a little cagey as we reached the 12th, then Messi went down on the edge of the penalty area, but the ref was not interested. Corner for Croatia in the 15th minute but sailed out of play, another attack by Argentina on 24 but still nothing doing. The South Americans kept up the pressure, a long shot saved by the keeper, then a fine attack by the Croatians resulted in a lovely chip that unfortunately not only went over the goalie but also the goal. Back came Argentina and almost scored but it looked like a penalty had been awarded anyway, and so it had, as the game hit the half-hour mark. Messi was never likely to miss was he? Nor did he, and Argentina took the lead.

Undaunted, Croatia took the game to Argentina, but lost it after a terrible wasted corner and Argentina hared up the pitch and took the game by the throat, doubling their lead as Alvarez possibly put the result beyond doubt. Croatia looked broken now as Argentina bossed the match, Croatia hardly able to get a kick as we moved into the last five minutes of the first half. A corner for Argentina in the 41st almost went in, but the keeper pawed it away. It definitely would have been all over had that hit the back of the net. Croatia on the attack in the last minute and had a good shot but missed, Argentina in charge as the half ended.

Second half opened with Croatia on the attack - well, they had to, didn’t they, if they expected or hoped to get anything out of the game - and a free in the second minute went begging as the keeper plucked it out of the air. Down went Argentina, piling on the pressure again, another shot right at the keeper though. Messi had a chance to get their third in the 57th but the keeper had it covered. Another free for Croatia on 62 but again the keeper got it, this time with some difficulty, but like they say, a save is a save. Argentinians dancing through the Croatian defence, keeping possession as time ticked away. On 69 that was it as Alvarez scored a peach of a goal to put Argentina through at 3-0. Beautiful work from Messi made the goal, Alvarez finished it, but it was Messi’s goal in every other way. Stunning.

Another good long shot from the Croatians in the 71st minute but once again saved easily; you definitely got the idea that Croatia realised, or feared, that the game had slipped away from them, and at 3-0 with Argentina comfortable on top, you’d have to say it had already done so. They kept trying, but there was no inventiveness in the team, more hopeful shots than anything else. Even so, it wasn’t so much a big ask as a virtual impossibility that a team who had not scored once in 77 minutes could net three times in the remaining 13 and change left. Argentina just concentrated on keeping their defence tight and pushing Croatia back. Modric getting the ball in his face for his troubles.

Frustration definitely creeping in now as Croatia gave away a free kick, Argentina narrowly missing out adding a fourth to their impressive score, then some last-ditch defending kept out their first goal as Croatia got a corner in the 84th, from which they almost scored, but a swing and a miss, as they say. Croatia surely only playing for pride now as we entered the last two minutes and another long shot was stopped. Five minutes of extra time would not have mattered had it been fifty really, and the day was Argentina’s, through to the final for the first time since 2014.

Tomorrow (okay, okay! Today!) sees the second semi-final, which will determine who faces Argentina for the World Cup.

France v Morocco

[Trollheart]

Day 26

And so into the second semi-final we went, wondering who was going to face the might of Messi and Argentina on Sunday? Would it be the current holders of the title, or the new kids on the block, trying to - and mostly succeeding in - making a name for themselves? You’d have bet your money on France, but then, you would have done that too when they sent mighty Portugal home last week, so who knew how this could go? I think everyone, apart from the French, was rooting for the underdog. Could they shock the world right at the death?

France v Morocco (Result: 2-0; France go to the final)

France took the lead on 4 minutes after Mbappe had missed, and Morocco had a game on their hands. In the 10th they came close themselves but the keeper was equal to it, and another shot on 16 but this one went wide. Plenty of time of course for Morocco to equalise, though again France came close just after Morocco had, right at the keeper, and another Morocco attack in 30 minutes but offside and wide. France trying to push their advantage as the time hit 39 minutes and they got a corner, but past the post harmlessly. Morocco were certainly proving hard to break down and after their early goal France really did not look likely to add to it, the final third letting them down each time. Heading into the end of the half then and it was Morocco’s turn for a corner, almost shot it in but the acrobatic kick hit the post and the follow up was well wide.

Morocco providing all the pressure as they forced another corner in extra time, this one caught by the keeper on the second attempt. Back down the French half and the Moroccans were relentless; France definitely knew they were in a match here. No walkover for them. A free in the very last minute of extra time was punched away but resulted in another, surely the final kick of the half, and so it was. Good attack by the French in the first few minutes of the second half, Mbappe almost in but the keeper took the ball before he could pull the trigger. The speed of the man is phenomenal. Nobody can keep pace with him. Great chance for Morocco in the 65th but again too close to the keeper, while down the Moroccan half a free was given against them for a pretty blatant and silly push on one of the French players, frustration perhaps beginning to show?

Still only a goal in it, so Morocco must have retained hope. One equaliser could change everything and put them back in contention. Of course, by the same logic, one more for France would surely see a place in the final slip away from the first African team to make it this far. Balanced on a knife edge, and it didn’t help Morocco’s cause that they kept giving away silly free kicks. Another one on 70 minutes came close, but the game remained at 1-0 and Morocco were in no way giving up. Back down the French half they went, and again gave away possession as they had another free kick given against them. A lack of discipline? Possibly. A lack of experience? You would imagine so. The occasion too big? You would say no, but they were certainly getting jumpy.

Then the substitute scored in the 79th minute, looked like his first touch, Morocco guilty of losing possession cheaply, and now surely the end was in sight for them. 2-0 to France, hardly likely to be any way back for Morocco now with only ten minutes plus extra time to go. A free for Morocco in the 84th minute could have helped but was headed away and as they tried desperately to get it back up the French half the defence stood firm, shutting the door. Shot on target in the last minute of normal time, but the keeper saved it and offside anyway. Seconds ticking away now, the outcome was in no doubt. Morocco had fought hard, but the experience of France told, and these debutantes on the World Cup semi-finals stage just couldn’t cut it, but there must be a huge amount of praise given to them for having got this far and been the first Africans to do so.

Argentina v France

while before that we have the third place play-off on Saturday between

Croatia v Morocco

[TheBig3]

I'm glad you're doing this because I can't keep up with the rules. Croatia and Morocco are still in? Alright then.

[Trollheart]

They're only in to secure third place. First and second will be decided in the final, then third place will be awarded to the team that wins the play-off, ie the losers of both the semi-finals.

Hey, I'm sure the rules of American football are just as obscure and confusing.

[rubber soul]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

They're only in to secure third place. First and second will be decided in the final, then third place will be awarded to the team that wins the play-off, ie the losers of both the semi-finals.

Hey, I'm sure the rules of American football are just as obscure and confusing.

More obscure and confusing actually since they change the rules every year. They haven't come up with consolation games though.