FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

[JohnnyB]

Sad to see Brazil out. They're the most fun team going. On the other hand, lots of celebrations going on outside here in Vancouver for the Croatia win so it will be fun if they can make it through another round, and I have a Croatia jersey to jump that bandwagon with.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

If you make extra time longer, players will die from exhaustion, and teams will not even try to attack anymore.

Also watching penalties is fun. If you want to learn sports psychology, watch the players close up. You can pretty much know if they will score or f up the shot.

Allow more subs. 26 man rosters now.

Would have loved another 30 minutes here.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by kobasew19

After the treatment of Borjan and some of their fans chants, I really wanted Croatia to go home. Too bad Brazil chokes once again.

Me too. Although I had drink today with a Serbian-Canadian friend from Calgary who didn't seemed too bothered by all of that and was actually putting his support behind Croatia, so what do I know. Still, couldn't bring myself to cheer for Croatia (nothing against the team, but those few fans really left a sour taste). Anyway, congratulations Croatia!

[Locke]

If you watch it in slow motion you can actually pinpoint the moment Marquinhos' heart breaks....

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by kobasew19

After the treatment of Borjan and some of their fans chants, I really wanted Croatia to go home. Too bad Brazil chokes once again.

It seems like this year, more teams than usual have had incidents. Unfortunately, this is an issue with the sport in general. I won't defend idiot fans for their behaviour, they definitely have to be better.

IMO, the actions of Moroccan fans in Belgium and The Netherlands has been one of the worst things in this World Cup. After they beat Belgium, hooligans of Moroccan descent living in Belgium and The Netherlands rioted and destroyed property even after they won, and attacked police. Over 500 were arrested. I guess because it didn't happen in Qatar, FIFA won't sanction them, but if you want to see fans behaving badly, that is a good place to start. Fans from Croatia and Serbia will always be under the microscope because of their history, but they aren't the worst. They do need to be better though.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by icarus

Me too. Although I had drink today with a Serbian-Canadian friend from Calgary who didn't seemed too bothered by all of that and was actually putting his support behind Croatia, so what do I know. Still, couldn't bring myself to cheer for Croatia (nothing against the team, but those few fans really left a sour taste). Anyway, congratulations Croatia!

It's funny how this happens in Canada. As much as Croats and Serbs don't get along, there is sometimes a strange bond over the feeling that both are treated unfairly by third parties. My wife works for a company owned by a Serbian guy and half of the employees are Serbs, but they were apparently cheering for Croatia today.

A few years back when Bosnia made their run, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Canada was promoting support. They each also cross promote music and folklore events. But then you put them on a pitch against each other, and they are at each other's throats.

[CroFlames]

Happy with the result obviously. Guaranteed two more matches, but of course hoping for glory this time.

I don’t understand the criticism of Croatia (or really any team) that plays that way vs Brazil. Brazil are the best in the world.

Having said that, I thought Croatia took a page from Canadas playbook and played brave in the first 45. Even the remainder of the match, it was not a bus parking. They were just being shelled by an insanely talented team - they wanted to go forward, Brazil simply didn’t allow it.

What brilliance from Neymar on the goal.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Not a great comparable, you couldn't sit back for a whole hockey game like you can in football. Just dropping all five guys behind the blue line to get peppered would never work.

How did Croatia come back from a 1-0 deficit if they sat back the whole game?

And even if they had, this isn't a salary cap league where teams are constructed fairly. You can't blame a smaller country, with far less talent for playing a certain way to be competitive.

People act like they should just open up, run & gun; lose 9-1 in the name of "positive football".

[JohnnyB]

Croatia did really well to conquer the giant. Brazil are a phenomenally talented team. However it's done, finding a way to get past them is impressive.

[CroFlames]

What does Dybala have to do to get a chance? Yikes.

[Matty81]

Croatia did what they had to do. It is still way more fun to watch teams that attack and play a high skill offensive style and so its totally understandable that neutrals aren't psyched for them unless they have an axe to grind with Brazil. Everybody is gonna hope for the 4-3 game instead of the 0-0 game unless it's a team you like or don't playing.


I think that Croatia executed on their gameplan and got by, and results speak for themselves but I also think they showed when they opened it up after going a goal down that they could have had success playing that style too and been a bit braver in the first 105 mins.

[CroFlames]

Luka’s penalty must have sent the Harfoots into a frenzy. Imagine seeing one of your own bury one vs Brazil.

[FlamesAddiction]

Croatia in this year's WC is kind of like Czechia most years in IIHF tournaments. A highly competitive team that needs to focus on structure and hard work when facing the giants.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

So here's the weird thing about England. I actually like the team and the players. It's their fans that are hot trash and make me want them to lose. So mixed bag from me.

Agree 100%. Can be a really great team to watch.
And who actually gives a #### about their fans. Probably in lots of ways English fans are more or less similar to Canadian hockey fans - assuming they are better going in, just because, and should always win every tournament, just because.

[GirlySports]

you guys are actually cheering for the french tomorrow?

[Locke]

Now the Dutch have to do the environment a favour and dump Argentina so they can carpool home with Brazil.

[lazypucker]

Nothing happend for half an hour

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

you guys are actually cheering for the french tomorrow?

Screw the French

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Agree 100%. Can be a really great team to watch.
And who actually gives a #### about their fans. Probably in lots of ways English fans are more or less similar to Canadian hockey fans - assuming they are better going in, just because, and should always win every tournament, just because.

Only one team in soccer should have the swagger Canada has in hockey.

And it’s not England.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Nothing happend for half an hour

Hey! The Argentinean coach just got yellow carded! Thats something!