OT: World Cup Day 5 Open Thread

Submitted by skurnie on

Group G

Germany - Portugal 12pm EDT (ESPN / Univision / Watch ESPN)

Group F

Iran - Nigeria 3pm EDT (ESPN / Univision / Watch ESPN)

Group G

USMNT - Ghana 6pm EDT (ESPN / Univision / Watch ESPN)

I realize there will likely be a separate Open Thread for the USMNT match but I've listed it here as well. 

Everyone Murders

June 16th, 2014 at 11:04 AM ^

Who to pull for, since I want the Nats to move on?  My thinking is that I root for Germany to destroy Portugal (and then Ghana so their advancement is assured), so that they step off the gas when they play the US.

Have I got this right? 

skurnie

June 16th, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^

I think the best chance for the US to advance is this:

1. Germany beats Portugal today

2. US beats Ghana

...

Germany wins all their games and wins group.

US draws with Portugal, loses to Germany and goes through on Goal Differential assuming Portgual beats Ghana.

But--it all starts with the US beating Ghana today. 

drewz05

June 16th, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^

If we are lucky (but not super lucky) and Germany has already secured their place in the next round, they might rest key starters and/or players with yellow cards to save them for the knockout rounds.  

If we are super lucky we'll have already secured our place in the next round with resounding victories over Ghana and Portugal.

skurnie

June 16th, 2014 at 11:16 AM ^

GER

Neuer, Boateng, Hummels, Mertesacker, Howedes, Khedira, Lahm, Kroos, Ozil, Muller, Gotze

POR

Patricio, Pereira, Pepe, Alves, Coentrao, Moutinho, Meireles, Veloso, Nani, Ronaldo, Almeida

Yeoman

June 16th, 2014 at 11:24 AM ^

I know that's where he plays for Bayern but what it means for Germany is that one of the midfielders is left on the bench in favor of Howedes, which doesn't exactly get the best eleven on the field.

I'm still hoping it's only temporary until Schweinsteiger is fit.

wlubd

June 16th, 2014 at 1:02 PM ^

Yeah it's a bit odd. I get that Lahm can do what Schweinsteiger does in the centre but now you have Howedes up against Ronaldo.

Not ideal but have to think leaving Lahm where he is and playing Schurrle/Klose/Podolski a better option.

Halftime Edit: I withdraw my objection, please proceed Germany.

yossarians tree

June 16th, 2014 at 11:39 AM ^

Costa Rica should be an inspiration to the boys that they can play with, and beat, anybody.

As American soccer continues it's slow ascension toward what can and should be a place as a world soccer power, this will have to be a core belief.

If you listen to the context of Klinsmann's "we can't win the World Cup" explanation, you hear that he understands what it takes for the USA to become a real soccer power--developing a style of play that reflects the American culture. It's a much broader picture he's seeing. I don't know enough about the game to understand, but he thinks American soccer should be about speed, a need to be the best, supreme fitness, and a never say die attitude. Sounds about right. We will never get there until this is instilled in every kid from the time they play youth soccer.

I like Klinsmann because he A) He knows what he's talking about and B) He's enough of an arrogant stubborn German bastard to not sugarcoat it for American reporters who want a feel-good story.

turtleboy

June 16th, 2014 at 12:14 PM ^

Muller! Could easily be 2-0 but Khedira obviously wasn't expecting such a golden opportunity.
Thank goodness the 7 nation army chant made its way to the world cup, too. I knew it was missing something...

gwkrlghl

June 16th, 2014 at 1:55 PM ^

My friends and I were watching Italy-England on Saturday and thought it sounded weird to watch the world cup without vuvuzelas droning in the background, so we found a youtube clip of vuvuzelas playing for 10 straight hours and played it with the TV sounds.

After about 30 seconds of that we remembered why vuvuzelas got banned and went back to our regular non-vuvuzela lives

Mr. Yost

June 16th, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^

Why are so many people assuming that Portugal is a lock to beat Ghana? I think that could be a very tough game for them.

WOW what a header. #Hangtime.

BloomingtonBlue

June 16th, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^

I know they did some messed up shit back in the day. But, their pimp hand is strong and street cred is high.

Mr. Yost

June 16th, 2014 at 12:42 PM ^

They didn't pass to Ronaldo ONE time and he went ape shit on the selfish teammate (who really should've passed).

Now every time they touch the ball they're trying to pass it to him. It's BAD, like I've never seen this before. They're completely losing it. They had one TERRIBLE pass that went like 2 feet and then another to him when he was clearly offside.

Mr. Yost

June 16th, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^

In SA they just run everything through him and couldn't win without him. 

This was guys running around in a panic to get him the ball like it was death on sight if they didn't pass.

I haven't seen it as much in the 2nd half, but they're down 3-0 and the game is over, no one is really working on either side unless it's a clear advantage.