OT: World Cup Open Thread (Round of 16 - Day 4)
Last day of the Round of 16. Rooting interests aside, 2 very interesting matchups today and I think both could go either way.
Schedule:
12:00 p.m. ET - Argentina vs. Switzerland (ESPN)
4:00 p.m. ET - Belgium vs. USA (ESPN)
Winners meet in quarterfinals on July 5th.
Don't worry, Switzerland missed the France game too.
I've got a little downtime in the midst of storm duty here, so I was looking at the numbers - Silver is giving Argentina a predicted 77% win probability against Switzerland, and Belgium is getting 59% in our game, so a bit closer. I know that it will definitely be the only thing anyone is allowed to watch in the conference room all day here, because if I am stuck with storm, you're watching soccer.
Let's do this!!! USA! USA! USA!
I never saw this one on Thomas the Tank Engine.
I Believe That We Will Win!
I believe.
Any word on Kompany? Is he playing?
Last I heard he's doubtful but not ruled out. Vermaelen definitely out though.
Argentina: Romero, Garay, Zabaleta, Gago, Di Maria, Higuain, Messi, Mascherano, Rojo, Fernandez, Lavezzi
Switzerland: Benaglio, Lichtsteiner, Inler, Xhaka, Behrami, Rodriguez, Mehmedi, Drmic, Djourou, Schar, Shaqiri
Not out of the realm to think SUI can win this one. Argentina outside of Messi has looked very average IMO. Both upstarts yesterday had great first halves and Algeria really about 75% of the game was very dangerous. I know SUI got routed by France but I think France has been the best team in the tourney to this point. If this tourney was not in South America I'd think France would be the favorite from here after 4 games in fact.
so far so good
have what, four players with Swiss names
Oh man so close SUI!
So those of us who live in Ann Arbor got hit by a crazy storm at about 3am this morning, which resulted in a tree falling onto the power lines in our back yard.
So yeah, I'm working from a loud coffee shop. Even better? My family is coming from GR to visit tonight to watch the USMNT match and then we're all going to the Tiger game. DTE: no estimate on restoring service. It's been 6 hours since I've reported it. DAMMIT ALL TO HELL.
Switzerland a good team but don't have a decent striker anywhere.
When chipping the keeper goes wrong...
He had 10 seconds to go 30 yards and get the ball. Neuer would have gotten dribbled down the field and scored. Howard too : )
Apparently an unconfirmed Belgian line-up is circulating in the Belgian press where Kompany is in the line-up. So, maybe good if he's not 100%? Maybe bad because his brain proabably is still working at 100%?
Anyone have a time of possession stat so far? Sorry, I'm "working", can't track it down...
ESPN says 65% Argentina
What a World Cup so far. Almost every game has been hard-fought. In this round, four of the first six were within a goal, and another (France-Nigeria) was scoreless for 78 minutes. The one "blowout" (Colombia-Uruguay) came when Uruguay was missing its best player. And now here the Swiss are giving Argentina everything they can handle.
The only other stinker that I can think of was Portugal v. Germany, which sounded like a good game on paper, but turned into a laugher pretty quickly (even before the red card).
Apart from the Colombia - Uruguay game you reference, every game I've seen has either been tense or really entertaining. Yet I still dislike FIFA, which gives me some cognitive dissonance.
France Honduras was very bad.
A couple other games were pretty boring as well but when you do whatever it was 40+ matches that is to be expected. By and large the games have been good.
But to the greater point this has been a good world cup - very open. Most years is so defensive it takes away from the proceedings.
I've been watching WCs and Euro's pretty closely since '98 and this one is favorite major tournament, so far.
Last 3 games almost identical in that first half the upstart gives the favorite everything they can handle...and then 2nd half the "giant" wakes up and begins imposing will. Algeria was a bit different as they held up well into the 2nd half only fading late but generally the same pattern.
If that holds US should have a very good 1st half and then we'll see if they wear down to the attacks of Belgium in the 2nd.
A common thread in this round : superb goalkeeping.
Speaking of the Swiss, good news for Roger (if he can get by countryman Wawrinka) as Rafa goes down at Wimbledon.
That's huge. To a guy with career earnings of $200k. Unbelievable. But I'm not sure Roger has enough left in the tank.
Feels like not being Maradona may be a good thing at this point...
Swiss defence been excellent today. Not worthy of their number 6 ranking but that's how they got there.
I wish it was hotter, more humid in Sao Paulo. Really wring out whoever wins.
DAMN SUI! SO CLOSE
Well this game sure picked up in the extra time of extra time.
One last chance....
What happened I got popcorn?
Crushing loss for Switzerland.
That was gut wrenching, I'd rather just lose in regulation.
Oh my god this friggin' World Cup. Incredible game.
I wanted that to go in SO BAD for the Swiss...argh.