OT: World Cup Open Thread (Quarterfinals - Day 1)
Two huge regional battles today in the quarterfinals. Winners face each other in the semifinals. Think all 4 teams playing today could legitimately win the title this year.
12:00 p.m. ET - France vs. Germany (ESPN2)
4:00 p.m. ET - Brazil vs. Colombia (ESPN)
This ref is is a total shitshow.
Wow. Incredible shot.
...with the hacking down of James at every opportunity...had reached the point that the referee had to do something.
Card James.
Where the fuck was that for Chelsea Luiz?! Usually he sends those free kicks into orbit.
When is the next team USA game? I know they're out, but when does their next season or whatever start?
I'm new to anything not college soccer.
basically next 2 summers you have tournaments and then I believe circa late 2016 qualifying for 2018 begins. If you follow the national team starting now you will see a lot of "weird guys" playing as JK tries to find new players and see how they do at the international level. We could see something like 70-80 players in the next cycle to find 23. (cycle=4 years)
Basically for non soccer fans the best way to describe any players you like is they play for their club for 90% of the time and then international 10% of the time so the USMT will be an everchanging being, esp these next 2 years I'd think.
Go team IMMIGRATION LAWYERS
EDIT - rosters for tournaments and schedules and such are here: http://www.ussoccer.com/mens-national-team
blurb from rantsports:
For the men, the next major tournament is the CONCACAF Gold Cup, taking place over July 7-26, 2015. This is often considered an audition for the next World Cup, and the roster should be filled with largely untested players on the international stage. If the U.S. wins, the Americans will automatically qualify for the 2017 Confederations Cup to be held in Russia.
The Gold Cup will be followed in 2016 by the Brazil Olympics and the 2016 Copa America Centenario to be held in the United States. This will be the biggest competition held in the U.S. since the 1994 World Cup, and will include 10 CONMEBOL members and six CONCACAF members.
While the U.S. will have to qualify for the Olympics, the Americans are automatic qualifiers in the 100th anniversary edition of Copa America. The U.S. will host major federations from South America just weeks before the Olympics. Shortly after these events end, the Americans will start their two-stage qualifying process for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Wonder how many of those were against Rodriguez?
Persistent fouling of the other team's star is tactical; referees are supposed to discourage tactical fouls by giving yellows.
And the ironic thing is that with all Carballo allowed to go on today in the interest of making sure nobody got suspended for the semi, Brazil might have lost Neymar precisely because he let things get out of hand.
Amazing that it is possible that real madrid might add Falcoa and Rodriguez to Bale and Ronaldo.
Get the fuck up Neymar everyone knows you're fine.
TrueBlue25 with one of the dumbest comments that has ever been made on this blog.
Chill, tough guy. You think I was the only one thinking that?
issues on the backend of their own. If Neymar plays I expect Brazil to win.
I'm going to wait to see who the match official is before I make a prediction. I'd favor Germany, but not if it's another hackfest.
Brazil-Germany feels like it's for the Cup. I know Argentina and Belgium are solid clubs and Costa Rica has been a good story, but I don't see anyone on that side of the bracket being able to run with either of these teams. People talk about Brazil being unimpressive in their wins, but without Messi Argentina probably doesn't get out of the group. Belgium could be scary, but they also looked beatable against a completely overmatched US team if you could break their possession game.
more than enough firepower to beat any team left.
I've not been as impressed with Netherlands as others have. That Spain win looks far less impressive, and that Mexico game could have turned a bunch of times.
I will say, now knowing Neymar is out, Germany looks to have a clear road to the finals regardless of who wins.
I agree they have not been super impressive but it really depends on who scores first. If we have a German Dutch final and Germany scores first it will be time to put the snooze alarm on as it will be the same game you say today vs France. If Holland scores first, it should be a fun game although we saw in 2010 Dutch can muck it up (a horrid final by them). They do have quality players all over on that team - my heart is normally with them since they play so open every tournament; they are basically Brazil-lite.
I would not count out Belgium - they have yet to be 100% awesome but they do have a ton of talent and this does open up Messi the chance to be Maradona 1986.
If Brazil finds a way to win without Neymar and Thiago Silva I'll really tip my hat - that is a devastating blow. It would be like losing Besler and Altidore in your first game and winning ;) /s
Average per game. I don't know what it means, if anything, but I think it's interesting that the most successful teams are clustered at the very top and at the very bottom, with five quarterfinalists in the top six and two quarterfinalists in the bottom 3.
- Costa Rica 20.3
- Brazil 19.2
- Netherlands 19.0
- Uruguay 18.5
- Colombia 18.2
- Belgium 18.0
- Algeria 17.3
- Switzerland 16.8
- Australia 16.7
- Iran 16.3
- Ivory Coast 16.3
- Ecuador 16.3
- Croatia 16.0
- Japan 15.3
- Honduras 15.3
- Portugal 15.3
- Chile 15.3
- Greece 15.3
- Ghana 14.3
- Nigeria 14.3
- Bosnia 13.7
- Italy 13.7
- Mexico 13.3
- Russia 12.7
- France 12.4
- England 12.3
- Cameroon 12.3
- USA 12.3
- Korea 12.0
- Germany 11.4
- Argentina 10.8
- Spain 9.3
Neymar officially out of the rest of the World Cup. Broken vertebra apparently.
they also dont seem to take head injuries very seriously. The sport is a bit behind in a few areas of healthcare that is for sure.
With that said the way almost every South American or European acts when they get fouled you'd be strapping half of them into a stretcher with a neck brace on, on the field - only to have them rip said brace off once "magic spray" is applied on the sideline.