World Cup 2022 thread

[The Batlord]

I will root for whoever goes to the finals against Croatia to spite addidasss.

[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!