World Cup GDT: July 5th - Quarter-finals

[SebC]

Saturday, July 5th

Quarter-finals:

10:00 AM Argentina (Group F winner, 3-0-0, 5) vs. Belgium (Group H winner, 3-0-0, 11)
(match video link)

2:00 PM Netherlands (Group B winner, 3-0-0, 15) vs. Costa Rica (Group D winner, 2-1-0, 28) (match video link)

Numbers in brackets are group stage finish, and W-D-L in the group stage, and FIFA ranking.

Bracket:

Spoiler!

(from CBC)

Edit: I've added the match video link to help you avoid spoilers if you're not watching live!

[KootenayFlamesFan]

[Itse]

Since we can't get a Messi-Neymar final anymore, I'm leaning slightly towards Belgium.

And obviously rooting for Costa Rica. They'll need it

[GirlySports]

That famous photo.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...m-famous-photo

[Senator Clay Davis]

Hopefully we get some better games than yesterday and obviously better officiating.

[Ark2]

You realize that these aren't the semifinals, right?

[browna]

Originally Posted by Ark2

You realize that these aren't the semifinals, right?

Jarmoe, Tom Erikkson, is that you?

As for the Maradona pic, would love to see FIFA bring back the Tango ball for a future WC.

Come on Belgium. Somehow I'd like Argentina to get screwed in Brazil after Brazil got screwed in Argentina in 1978, though the format doesn't allow that like it did 36 years ago. Classic match fixing to the highest degree...ARG delaying the kickoff, then, Peru allowing 4 goals in the second half.

Group B was essentially a battle between Argentina and Brazil, and it was resolved in controversial circumstances. In the first round of group games, Brazil beat Peru 3–0 while Argentina saw Poland off by a score of 2–0. Brazil and Argentina then played out a tense and violent goalless draw, so both teams went into the last round of matches with three points. Argentina delayed the kick-off of its last match to await the result of the Brazil-Poland encounter. Brazil won by a 3-1 score, meaning Argentina had to beat Peru by four clear goals to reach the final but they managed to do it. Trailing 2–0 at half-time, Peru simply collapsed in the second half, and Argentina eventually won 6–0. As previously noted, rumors suggested that Peru might have been bribed or threatened into allowing Argentina to win the match by such a large margin. However, nothing could be proved, and Argentina met the Netherlands in the final. Brazil took third place from an enterprising Italian side with Nelinho scoring a memorable goal, and were dubbed "moral champions" by coach Cláudio Coutinho, because they did not win the tournament, but did not lose a single match.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_FIFA_World_Cup

[GirlySports]

Yes argentina winning 6-0 and Germany winning 1-0 in 1982 created the rule of simultaneous final group matches.

Scott Russell needs to stop with the team nicknames. He sounds an arrogant fraud.

[Acey]

Hopefully this is a closer match than Bouchard-Kvitova. I expect both sides to score.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Great bounce for Argentina on that goal.

[SuperMatt18]

Yeah lucky deflection right to the boot of Higuain.

Should be a nice open match now though.

[GirlySports]

Heh Kompany and Demechelis pushing each other.

[Bagor]

Amazing that aQPR reject and the Toronto keeper and some keeper that played three times for Monaco could be meeting in the WC final.

[Bagor]

That's a big loss for the Argies.

[Bagor]

Comfortable half for Argentina.

Time to lock Fellaini in the washroom.

[rich76]

Just needed a bit of composure for 2-0.

[Itse]

Still, great run by Higuain.

[Bagor]

What a waste from Mertens.

Lump it into the box time.

[browna]

The Argentine keeper looks far from confident, and its park the bus time for everyone but Messi, so I expect Belgium to make a couple late pushes as they have in each WC game to this point....peppering the ball toward the keeper and hoping for a mistake wouldn't be the worse idea.

[Itse]

Belgians still can't finish their chances.