[benbsb29]

What a mad morning (Australian time) of football in this World Cup!!

Woke up to watch the game between Japan and Spain, and what a treat! Simultaneously we had Germany playing Costa Rica, with all 4 teams with a chance of making it to the next round, in this Group of Death.

Spain scored within the first 11 minutes of the match, and had Japan pretty much cooped up in their half as Spain kept passing the ball around and toying with the Japanese. Meanwhile, Germany had taken the lead in the other game keeping it nail-biting on who would make their way through.

Enter the second half and Japan bring on their super-subs. In just 10 mins from the whistle, Japan had scored 2 goals, and turned the game around on its head! Suddenly it was Spain cowering in their half, peppered with amazing runs from the Japanese.

Meanwhile, Costa Rica too were leading in the other game, and suddenly it was both Spain and Germany out of the group!

Germany scoring 4 goals, and still being knocked out on goal difference has to be a massive shock and calls for a lot of introspection on their side, this being the second consecutive time they have failed to make it past the group stages of the World Cup.

Who would have predicted Japan to top this group?!

Bring it on!

[joslicx]

Wow, heavyweights Belgium and now Germany out of the cup!

France have a good chance now to retain their cup although Spain will pose challenge from Europe and Brazil and Argentina from Americas.

As a neutral I'd love it if we have a new world cup winner. Netherlands maybe ��

[zaks]

This world cup has been very interesting and is seeing upsets from the start and many african and asian teams have displayed tremendous improvement and are now to be reckoned with seriously. It will great to have one of them win the cup, but it will be against heavy odds.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

Belgium has always been an over rated team- at least in the World Cup....Lukaku wasted so many chances today that it was unfathomable for a striker like him !!

Lukaku was injured, which is why he started on the bench. I think the result would have been different had he been at full-strength and gotten more playing time. (Though a lot of those chances looked straightforward for a striker at his level.) Agree with the sentiment about Belgium overall though, they have been rated very high, this generation of Belgian footballers. One thing this particular world cup seems to be showing is that FIFA rankings don't matter one bit!

Why did Eden Hazard start on the bench though? Was he injured as well?

[srini1785]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Who would have predicted Japan to top this group?!

Not without this controversy.



VAR or not such controversies have existed. The most famous saves of all time was the 1966 Gordon banks save of Pele. The ball had actually went past the goal post when it scooped out of air. Present day VAR may have actually awarded the goal to Brazil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNLa...el=GardenGoals

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by srini1785

Not without this controversy.

Attachment 2385851

This has been the talk point at various post-match events, and while it does look controversial from some angles, apparently it wasn't out. Anyway, just like Maradona's Hand of God goal, this will remain a talking point, but no denying Japan did come out guns blazing to claim victory.

[srini1785]

^^

Time for some high tech to invade the field don't you think?

Sensors lined up on the lines would light up the football red when it goes out of the paying area. Tech can predict down to the micrometer. I don't mind sensors in the football itself and on the players shoes which can predict Off side. When stumps can turn red why not a football?, Bring it on.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by srini1785

^^

Time for some high tech to invade the field don't you think?

Sensors lined up on the lines would light up the football red when it goes out of the paying area. Tech can predict down to the micrometer. I don't mind sensors in the football itself and on the players shoes which can predict Off side. When stumps can turn red why not a football?, Bring it on.

It is already there. The current football has sensors and have to be charged before the game they are used for offside measurement.

Press release about connected football from Adidas

https://news.adidas.com/football/adi...d-2b28f1d36fa0

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

It is already there. The current football has sensors and have to be charged before the game they are used for offside measurement.

It's the same sensors in the ball which robbed Ronaldo of the goal he claimed was his. It was found that there was no spike which indicated he had headed the ball on its way into the goal.

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by am1m

Lukaku was injured, which is why he started on the bench. I think the result would have been different had he been at full-strength and gotten more playing time. (Though a lot of those chances looked straightforward for a striker at his level.)

Why did Eden Hazard start on the bench though? Was he injured as well?

Lukaku was carrying the injury from October, so it was anyways a gamble to bring him to the World Cup but the chances he missed yesterday could have been scored with eyes closed for a striker of his stature.

Hazard apparently had a bust up with the coach Roberto Martinez before the match and was subsequently dropped. Some problems with team composition and it apparently flared up. Of course, all this is reported by various media and going by how Belgium played yesterday, something did look amiss. It’s also known that Hazard did not play much for Real Madrid either just before the World Cup.

Hazard’s coming on in the dying minutes of the game looked more of a tribute than actual intent of changing the outcome of the match. Whatever it is, glad that Morocco qualified, they played well and deserve their place in the second round.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

Hazard’s coming on in the dying minutes of the game looked more of a tribute than actual intent of changing the outcome of the match.

Yep, was wondering what was the point of getting him on so late in the match.

On a more philosophical note, is sport at this level the reason for a lot of the 'youth-centrism' thinking we've come to accept? Even in our normal lives. Agreed football at the highest level is a young person's game, no doubt. But a lot of these players, we unconsciously start writing them off - 'golden generation', 'end of an era', 'fallen giant', when they are just in their early thirties! On that note, was great to see Thierry Henry on the sidelines as an assistant coach with the Belgians. (Prediction: That man will someday join the short list of people who have won the World Cup as a player and manager!)

[vamsi.kona]

Originally Posted by am1m

Agreed football at the highest level is a young person's game, no doubt. But a lot of these players, we unconsciously start writing them off - 'golden generation', 'end of an era', 'fallen giant', when they are just in their early thirties!

As you yourself said football requires lot of energy, which by 30's starts to diminish. But then again a playmaker can play well into their 30's. Goal keepers play till late 30's. Defenders, forwards and most importantly wingers would find their reflexes and energy reserves declining after 30's.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by srini1785

Not without this controversy.

Originally Posted by benbsb29

This has been the talk point at various post-match events, and while it does look controversial from some angles, apparently it wasn't out. Anyway, just like Maradona's Hand of God goal, this will remain a talking point, but no denying Japan did come out guns blazing to claim victory.

Originally Posted by srini1785

^^

Time for some high tech to invade the field don't you think?

Sensors lined up on the lines would light up the football red when it goes out of the paying area. Tech can predict down to the micrometer. I don't mind sensors in the football itself and on the players shoes which can predict Off side. When stumps can turn red why not a football?, Bring it on.

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

It is already there. The current football has sensors and have to be charged before the game they are used for offside measurement.

This article explains well why the goal was allowed. I am convinced, though part of it is because I tend to favour underdogs when India is not involved

https://sports.ndtv.com/fifa-world-c...ndtv_topscroll

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by Eddy

This article explains well why the goal was allowed. I am convinced, though part of it is because I tend to favour underdogs when India is not involved

https://sports.ndtv.com/fifa-world-c...ndtv_topscroll

Nicely explained.

I too have been favoring the underdogs in most games I’ve watched in this World Cup, be it Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia and so on. More so, I love it when they put up a good fight even if they were to lose.

[zaks]

I think, except for speed, most players gain more skills and playing acumen as they age if they also keep their fitness and motivation at fairly high levels. This is evident in every world cup, the players who are in their 30s actually are more stronger and have better understanding of the team strengths and formation to use it to advantage. Of course a young and fast player as a striker will always be the case but talented players more than make up for lack of speed/acceleration with their anticipation and knowledge of the game and timing the right moves well.