One thing just rubs me. There is the German nemesis - Italy - not in the tournament, and what do the Germans make of this chance...? Dud in the starting block. :D
:O:

I did not watch England's first two games as it was clear they were going to win. Tonight's game was bloody awful. they made zero effort to win the game and everyone I spoke to days before and today before the match said they will take the soft option to go though...AND THEY DID!

BOO...POOR SHOW. :down:

@Threadfin: :up: Very good depiction!

I'm game, if she's willing to relocate.








For all the hubbub going on about Japan tanking the last ten minutes of the game, I don't get it. Playing to not lose isn't always the best strategy, but when you know you'll win if you don't lose (or lose by more in this case), I don't fault them at all. There is no prize for advancing with a better score, it's just as long as you advance.

Rgr that :yep:

By the names, it sounds like a great match today:

France - Messi.

:)

In the other match today, its

Uruguay - Ronaldo.

:D

I would be struggling to pick a winner from either of these matches :hmmm:

Easy, Uruguay!:D


Since we our out, I can post here!

From the first page:
Yes, indeed, but then again, France did that and we win the eurocup, but that was another story. :03::O:


Jim has possibly 100% certain, we are Ronaldo dependent, and our team is a old one. Full of older players and also players that didn't play much in their respective championships.

Our coach is a conservative one and only wants the player A or B for that position, do not experiment with a younger player, this can be a double edge sword.
And then we have the football style, that worked in one cup, but working in all the cups, we need a good team,players, miracle to do so.



Our first match, could had put some dust in the eyes of the team. When I saw Mexico-Germany, I thought, if it would be with us, we had taken 3 or 6-0. A fast team, against our old, slow team, taking time to get out, pass and attack, no way we would win.

The game with Morocco was a warning and a rehearsal of what I said, but we won. We had and should had won against Iran, but no, complacency, failed penalty (yes, I know, but even if one player as Ronaldo scores in X, y and fail 1, it could not did that one).

It was a game to win and to even if the referee did wrong with that supposed penalty, we should had been wining by 3 or 4. I always thought that we didn't had team for Uruguay. Russia, it would had been so much accessible, and with in mind, we should have done for it.

And in today, we should had done even more to win.

My father has always the "it is a game, so good luck/bad luck interfere", but for me, that is one excuse. It is true, to some extent, but I always thought our team, can do better.

The game style worked one time, it can not work another, but several factors worked to see if so, and we lost.

As a small people we can say, at least we did pass the group part, Germany (world champion) didn't, but this again is the small mind talking, again and forever.

Portugal - a small people? Uruguays population equals that of Berlin, three times smaller than Portugal's. But the Urus are totally fanatic about football. Its a part of state reason.



:)


Portugal constantly raised the pressure in second half. Its not as if they were "bad". Its just that the light-blue stonewall was better.


And in the end the little luck that also is needed, was missing.


Messi's gang out - in the same stadium where the Germans were kicked out. The two finalists of four years ago. And after the one one-man team left, the other one-man team - Ronaldo's - left, too. Who said football has no symbolism? :D

I'm thinking Spain and Croatia will triumph today.

Spain just lost to Putin's reality warping powers.

Croatia wins, with 11 meter ..
Very good, fair game, exciting.
I was on the danish side, a pity :)

And Russia goes on, too. Some doping experts say they examined the strange peak in performance of the russian team, in the last months.. only one conclusion. I guess reluctance is not the russian forte, when it comes to winning at all cost for the glorious dear leader.
On the other hand, they also only scored with a 11m :hmmm:

Yep, when it comes down to a penalty shootout it's really just a lottery but they won that, got through and that's all that matters.

The last of my two fancies Brazil beat Mexico and surprisingly Japan are currently leading Belgium.

Belgium wins against Japan 3:2, in the last minute :)

Japan was surprisingly good, i really expected extra time.
It is great fun to see Belgium playing, though they were not so much better than Japan this time.
But to win after a 2:0 is worth an applause :up:

Well played, both teams!

Japan must feel totally gutted but play isn't over until you hear the final whistle.

Physically at a disadvantage, the Japanese neveretheless played absolutely on same eye level with Belgium, in parts even superior. I was with them, sad that their fighting spirit was not rewarded.

One Japanese after the match kneeled on the gras, face on the green, both fists slamming on the ground repeatedly. They really had their hearts in this. Their goalie was their doom, however, not en par with the rest of his team. Several flawed by him, uncertainties, one of the three goals at least he should have prevented. - Every chain is only as strong as the weakest link.


Belgium totally underestimated them. They had a truckload of luck today, and then some.

Question:


There is a very good russian rap song that - officially or not - is accompanying the Football WM in German TV.

Unfortunately I don't know the title, I have googled in Youtube but didn't find it.
Can someone give me a download link of that one?



Thanks,


[EDIT]
I found it!! It's



Kasta - Vokrug Shum



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGgy0yl7Juo


This should be the official FIFA song for the cup 2018 not this nonsense english/spanish song that comes from nowhere...huh, I'm polite here...

Tonight is Englands turn. Time to find out if we are worthy contenders or simply making the numbers up.

Hope the Brits win, however right now i feel sorry for both teams.
What a !"§$%!! referee