World Cup Soccer - 2014! (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

I would have been more happy with yesterday's game if the U.S. had mounted at least a little offensive pressure. They had exactly one legitimate scoring chance through 90 minutes of play, then two chances in injury time -- after they were pretty much assured of advancing. The rest of the game they appeared to be just sitting back trying to keep Germany from scoring too much and hoping that Ghana did not win the other game.

This was a great example of backing into advancing.

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,Before the game began, I was hearing that the USA and Germany would not be pressing too much as each team was pretty much assured of advancing regardless of the outcome. I was hoping for at least a draw with Germany. It really didn't matter though given that the Portugal - Ghana goal differential would have had to have been substantial for the USA not to advance.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott,

The goal differential was only substantial if Portugal won the other match. Had Ghana won, it would have been an entirely different picture. The US was +1 and Ghana was 0 in GD entering yesterday's matches (Portugal was -4). So, Ghana only needed to win the match and the US lose by one goal to force a lot draw to decide who advanced, while a 2nd Germany goal would have clinched Ghana advancing with a win. Germany, with a +4 differential entering the final match, was in the best shape to advance with a loss.

The Portugal - Ghana match was tied until the 80th minute, so a US advancement was not certain until very late in the matches.

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,You proceed from a false premise. There was no way Ghana was going to win the match against Portugal.

On a more serious note, this is in my opinion laughable. Suarez receives only a nine-game (and four-month) ban and this is called excessive? This is the third time he has bitten an opponent. There is no room for that type of behavior in any sport. I think he should have been banned for life.

http://www.espnfc.us/#fifa-world-cup/story/1916665/luis-suarez-ban-is-excessivesays-giorgio-chiellini

 

[FoxyMulder]

Scott,You proceed from a false premise. There was no way Ghana was going to win the match against Portugal.

On a more serious note, this is in my opinion laughable. Suarez receives only a nine-game (and four-month) ban and this is called excessive? This is the third time he has bitten an opponent. There is no room for that type of behavior in any sport. I think he should have been banned for life.

http://www.espnfc.us/#fifa-world-cup/story/1916665/luis-suarez-ban-is-excessivesays-giorgio-chiellini

The three strikes and you are out rule, i agree, wait let me try again, the three bites and you are out rule.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott,You proceed from a false premise. There was no way Ghana was going to win the match against Portugal.

Yes, silly me to think Ghana had a chance to win a match that was tied with 10 minutes left. The media told us that couldn't happen.

Seriously, though, I thought the only game that the USA played really well was against Portugal, even though the outcome ended up being disappointing. They struggled to possess and advance the ball against Ghana, and generated almost no offense against Germany.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Awful decision to award Holland a penalty, i think Robben is a diver, Mexico should have won that game.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

It was certainly a close call, Malcolm. However, the Netherlands was really pushing play late in the game, so assuming Mexico would have won without the penalty kick is quite a leap. Anyway, it was a really exciting finish to the match.

 

[FoxyMulder]

It was certainly a close call, Malcolm. However, the Netherlands was really pushing play late in the game, so assuming Mexico would have won without the penalty kick is quite a leap. Anyway, it was a really exciting finish to the match.

True that but i think Robben was diving a lot and should have been sent off, that would have changed the entire game.

 

[Patrick_S]

It was a penalty so I have no problem with it being called.I certainly cannot understand all the outrage over the call and comments like "so late in the game that shouldn't be called" are absurd. A penalty in the first five minutes should still be a penalty eighty minutes later.

 

[Jacinto]

At any time in a game, I feel bad for any team that has a penalty called against them for very minor contact, which was definitely the case at the end of the Mexico/Netherlands game. However, in the first half, in the box, Robben was kicked hard enough that the defender broke his own leg in the process. That one deserved a penalty shot and none was awarded. Sometimes the refs just get it wrong, and sometimes refs give make-up calls (consciously or unconsciously, I don't know) when they realize they've blown a big one – a phenomenon I think I've witnessed at one time or another in just about every sport. Even though I've liked the Dutch since I was a little kid (I guess I thought bright orange was cool), I'm sorry to see Ochoa go home. That guy had one hell of a World Cup.

 

[Walter C]

Yeah, I thought it was a make-up call for the one not called in the 1st half. While I wanted Mexico to win, a part of me was glad that the call was made, because had Mexico come away with the win, we would still not hear the end of it with the Dutch getting screwed by the refs.

And if any team plays most of a half and all of extra time with one more man than the other team, and still can't come away with a win during that time, does not deserve to win. I'm glad to see Costa Rica moving on, who are on a remarkable run, along with Colombia in this World Cup.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

True that but i think Robben was diving a lot and should have been sent off, that would have changed the entire game.

As opposed to all the other players in this Cup who are diving all over the place? The diving and faking injury is by far the worst thing about this sport. It's a shame, when a player is really injured no one believes it, because 90% of the time the player is acting.

 

[FoxyMulder]

As opposed to all the other players in this Cup who are diving all over the place? The diving and faking injury is by far the worst thing about this sport. It's a shame, when a player is really injured no one believes it, because 90% of the time the player is acting.

It's a tough job being a referee but some players earn a reputation for play acting and the referees know this and it's why they never get most of the big calls going their way, i think Ronaldo used to be a big time diver, Gareth Bale too, it takes a lot of good football for that sort of reputation to go.

 

[Ockeghem]

The Germany - Algeria match is really a lot of fun to watch. They're currently in the first period of extra time. The Algerians just missed the equalizer.

 

[DavidJ]

The Germany-Algeria match was a fantastic match. The Algerian goalie Raïs M'Bolhi was awesome.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Yes, the Germany - Algeria game was quite entertaining, although the Germans were the ones applying the majority of the pressure.

I do not understand, though, why FIFA went back to the full 30 minute extra time session and abandoned the "golden goal" (i.e. sudden death overtime). In a sport where it is so difficult to score, it seems like sudden death is more appropriate, as it is in hockey. After Germany got that first goal in extra time, things got pretty boring for the next 20 minutes or so. The tension would be higher knowing that everything ends with the next goal, IMO.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Yes, the Germany - Algeria game was quite entertaining, although the Germans were the ones applying the majority of the pressure.

I do not understand, though, why FIFA went back to the full 30 minute extra time session and abandoned the "golden goal" (i.e. sudden death overtime). In a sport where it is so difficult to score, it seems like sudden death is more appropriate, as it is in hockey. After Germany got that first goal in extra time, things got pretty boring for the next 20 minutes or so. The tension would be higher knowing that everything ends with the next goal, IMO.

I prefer penalties and you only have a chance of that with extra time, i think the golden goal can ruin a game, one lucky strike and the match is over, at least with extra time you give both sides a chance and then the skill of taking a penalty takes over.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I prefer penalties and you only have a chance of that with extra time, i think the golden goal can ruin a game, one lucky strike and the match is over, at least with extra time you give both sides a chance and then the skill of taking a penalty takes over.

You could still have penalties after the 30 minutes if neither team scores. However, like the shootout in hockey (which I hate), penalty kicks seems like a gimmicky way to determine a winner. I would rather see the match decided by actually playing soccer (or football, for our non-American members).

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,I agree (gimmicky way to determine the winner). And I also think that sudden-death is preferable. When reading the last couple of posts, I couldn't help but think of the NFL rules for overtime to some extent. I realize they aren't identical to the rules for the World Cup, of course.