World Cup Day 9 Open Thread
Happy Friday to everyone. After two incredible matches (and Greece/Japan) yesterday, we get more good group action including CONCACAF in two matches and a good European battle between the French and Swiss.
Group D
Italy - Costa Rica 12pm EDT (ESPN / Univision / Watch ESPN)
Group E
Switzerland - France 3pm EDT (ESPN / Univision / Watch ESPN)
Honduras - Ecuador 6pm EDT (ESPN / Univision / Watch ESPN)
As an aside, someone mentioned yesterday that the afternoon games have been better than the 6pm games. That's because FIFA schedules the European powerhouses (Eng/Italy/Germany/Netherlands/etc) during the day to ensure prime time viewing in Europe.
The only 6pm games you'll see with European nations: Croatia, Greece, Russia, BIH. Otherwise you'll get Western Hemisphere teams (like today), Africa or Asia-Pacific nations.
I'm not saying that diminishes the quality of the matches but it might have something to do why all the big first round matchups (Dutch/Spanish, Eng/Italy, Germany/Por) were earlier in the day.
Next week the matches split between 12pm EDT and 4pm EDT for the final round of the Group Stage.
though they'll get a good one Sunday night hopefully.
Shouldn't that be "Rich Coast"? I mean, come on now! You, with your hoity-toity affectations.
(Great explanation for why the Euro games are in the middle of the day, BTW. Seems obvious in retrospect, but it had not occurred to me because of my myopic view of how the sports world should work.)
Right, and it should also be Italia. Ignorant hillbilly...
Can we at least just admit that this argument exists for the sole purpose of occupying us idiots with strong convictions over trivial matters?
I thought that "hoity-toity" ought to have been a clear tell that I was joking.
My bad. I'll try to go a bit more obvious next time.
No, I got that. I sarcasmed your sarcasm. The Ivory Coast/Cote d Ivoire argument from the last thread was sticking with me. I think it's a dumb topic to have an opinion on, either way.
Is that like a double negative? If so, we're both being super serious on the topic.
In any event, I think we're on the same page - the whole Côte d'Ivoire sub-thread yesterday put the antics in pedantics.* The OP is doing a nice job unofficially hosting these threads, so I thought a little towel snap on his/her behalf might be appropriate.
*This, of course, being an invitation for someone to say that the proper word here would be "pedantry" not "pedantics".
Allez les bleus!
Group D
Costa Rica is through with a win.
England is eliminated if Italy don't win.
Group E
France is through with a win and a Honduras win or draw.
Switzerland is through with a win and an Ecuador win or draw.
Ecuador is eliminated with a loss and a France win or draw.
Honduras is eliminated with a loss and a Swiss win or draw.
Italy:
Buffon (c), Chiellini, Darmian, Motta, Candreva, Abate, Marchisio, Balotelli, Barzagli, De Rossi, Pirlo
Costa Rica:
Navas, Gonzalez, Umana, Borges, Duarte, Bolanos, Campbell, Ruiz (c), Diaz, Gamboa, Tejeda
Edit: GIF was too large and didn't want it to lag the page for others
Justice served for Costa Rica.
Costa Rica: Wrecking Ball.
The Ticos are running this to perfection. You would have thought they would have talked about it during HT.
Switzerland:
Benaglio, Lichtsteiner, Von Bergen, Inler (c), Seferovic, Xhaka, Behrami, Rodriguez, Mehmedi, Djourou, Shaqiri
France:
Lloris (c), Debuchy, Evra, Varane, Sakho, Cabaye, Valbuena, Giroud, Benzema, Matuidi, Sissoko
Outstanding win for Costa Rica...completely deserved.
Sorry Engerland.
Goodbye England
#Italy, you've been #CONCACAFFED. #ITAvsCRC #WorldCup2014 #CostaRica pic.twitter.com/YsNkd4HDYj
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) June 20, 2014
van Nistelrooy is mystified with the 11 Offiside calls against Costa Rica. He's even explaining how a striker should make a run. Maybe that's something Ballotelli and Prandelli should hear from someone who scored 35 goals in 70 games for his country.
I really think the heat and intensity of the England game had Italy fatigued MENTALLY. They were good the first 20 minutes and then lost interest. Of course Mario is the poster boy for mental break downs. Italy better be ready for Uruguay to try and run them out of the arena.
How many of those 35 were "poached"?
They all count the same
likely with a tie vs Portugal. Group H looks to be the weakest from what I have seen so far. Russia and Belgium not exactly world beaters. Fatigue seems to be a factor in some of the games due to heat / humidity. If we get a draw or better Sunday, I'd rest many players vs Germany. Germany will probably do the same.
Anyone but Belgium the U.S. should be favoured. Unfortunately, if the U.S. does advance then Belgium will likely be the opponent and that's a very tough out.
...would be really intense with all the geopolitics currently in play.
England has been elimated from the Group Stages for the first time since 1958.
I'm still going to watch on WatchESPN (determined to watch every minute of every match...have seen most of them live)...
...is it worth watching now and catching up with the final two matches or should I just wait until tonight? I saw the highlights.
For the match where they had no sound and the anthems weren't played...
Why didn't they just have fans sing the anthem?
I know some anthems don't have words, so that would make sense, but if both did...they should've let them sing.
EDIT as I'm typing. WOW that was weird. The announcers just mentioned that it was France vs. Hondurus. And I believe both have lyrics...the French obviously do, because, well, obviously...and they just sung it, so, obviously.
Gets the start today...interested to see how he does with Benzema and Valbuena up front. Benzema on the left today.
Giroud scores off the corner kick. 1-0 France
Senderos comes on for von Bergen, who is going to have one hell of a black eye (once it stops bleeding). Looked painful
Let's Go Bleus!
Swiss goal waived off for offside and then Benzema draws a penalty (Djourou has some words for Benzema before he took his penalty).
It's saved, France hit the post and it's finally cleared. Wow. What a sequence.
There we go!! 3-0
France is weird, in '94 dnq , '98 champs, '02 lost in the first round, '06 runner up, '10 lost in first round and now ....
...didn't just lose in 2010, the players basically went on strike. It was a total debacle and national embarrassment.