2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

The Flash said:
The tournament has lost a step with the latest games. Argentina-Bosnia, Iran-Nigeria, Switzerland-Ecuador, second half of Germany-Portugal, first half of Belgium-Algeria and Russia-South Korea were pretty boring.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Although I did quite enjoy some of those games. Iran-Nigeria was absolutely awful though. How I stayed awake during that game, I have no idea!

Sat down now in my Netherlands shirt waiting for the Australia/Holland game to start! If Holland play like they did against Spain, hey should win easily. Their performance in that game was definitely the best in the tournament so far. Hopefully it will be a good game, which is the main thing. :)
 
Holland don't seem to have really started yet. They are so slow, almost inviting Australia to control the game. Wonder if this is a wanted tactic from van Gaal or whether the players are already complacent after the win against Spain.
 
Dr. Eddies Wingman said:
Holland don't seem to have really started yet. They are so slow, almost inviting Australia to control the game. Wonder if this is a wanted tactic from van Gaal or whether the players are already complacent after the win against Spain.
Click to expand...

Holland have been disappointing in the first half. Apart from the goal, they've barely troubled the Australian keeper. Australia have been the better side so far, and if Holland don't buck up their ideas, they could easily be on the receiving end of a great upset. And that goal from Cahill was wonderful!
 
Van Persie suspended for the next game I think. Cahill too.

Multiple reports that C. Ronaldo is injured and out of the World Cup. If it's true, with Coentrao out, and no Pepe in the next game, Portugal is completely fucked.
 
Night Prowler said:
Van Persie suspended for the next game I think. Cahill too.

Multiple reports that C. Ronaldo is injured and out of the World Cup. If it's true, with Coentrao out, and no Pepe in the next game, Portugal is completely fucked.
Click to expand...

Yep, both of them are suspended for the final group game. That's a big blow for Australia as well, as they've shown enough to suggest they could cause Spain some real problems in the last game. It's going to be much tougher for them now without Cahill though. Can't complain though, as that challenge definitely warranted a yellow card.
 
Night Prowler said:
Multiple reports that C. Ronaldo is injured and out of the World Cup. If it's true, with Coentrao out, and no Pepe in the next game, Portugal is completely fucked.
Click to expand...

If that's all true, then the U.S. had better not fuck this up and fail to get the three points on Sunday. A win and they advance. Of course, the best U.S. striker is injured and probably out of the World Cup too.
 
Sara said:
It was! Van Persie again gets them back into it! :) As for the penalty, I think it was more a case of ball to hand, rather than hand to ball, but I don't think the ref can be faulted too much for giving it.
Click to expand...

I think he can. It shouldn't be a penalty. The ball is struck from less than 2m away from the defender and the hand is exactly where you expect it to be for a player who tries to change direction or stop. Since the rule states that only deliberate handball should be punished, it's clearly wrong to give a penalty there. Holland got unlucky there.

On the other hand, they got very lucky shortly after, when Australia missed a great chance just to concede from the next Dutch attack.
 
Another great game in this world cup. Australia played very well and did themselves proud, and Holland had to come off the ropes to secure that victory, but did just enough in the end. And that third goal was a wonder goal! The game kind of fizzled out in the last ten minutes, but still, very entertaining stuff. :)
 
Dr. Eddies Wingman said:
I think he can. It shouldn't be a penalty. The ball is struck from less than 2m away from the defender and the hand is exactly where you expect it to be for a player who tries to change direction or stop. Since the rule states that only deliberate handball should be punished, it's clearly wrong to give a penalty there.
Click to expand...

It definitely wasn't a penalty, but in real time, that might not have been obvious to the referee. But like I said. it was clearly ball to hand rather than the other way around, and it shouldn't have been a penalty. Luckily it didn't matter much in the end though.
 
Night Prowler said:
Multiple reports that C. Ronaldo is injured and out of the World Cup. If it's true, with Coentrao out, and no Pepe in the next game, Portugal is completely fucked.
Click to expand...

Ronaldo was injured before the World Cup. Everybody sees that. However, in my opinion, it's better for the team to have him out. Most of the times Ronaldo plays only for himself and the numbers speaks for him too. Ronaldo hardly is a "good card", the Swedish games were an exception and he was looking forward his "Gold".
Pepe after this sent off should never play again for Portugal. The only big trouble is Coentrao.

Del Bosque keeps Casillas. LOL of the day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top