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World Cup 2026 Thread

jeffbear

jeffbear

Mod Squad
Staff member
Look, we can’t just keep posting in the qualifying thread, even if FIFA did stretch qualifying out until mere weeks ahead of the tournament. So, here …


Also, don’t expect a lot of engagement from me. There apparently is a point where crass commercialism ruins my enjoyment of sport, and it’s FIFA and their handling of this World Cup. Go Scotland. They’re the only team I have any affinity for that I can support with a straight face.
 
About 60-70% capacity for So Korea and Czechia last night in Gualalajara … with FIFA reporting 90%

We’re off to the start that Infantino deserves.
 
Behind a Balogun brace and a Reyna worldie the US notches its biggest ever World Cup win, beating Paraguay 4-1. I only saw the 2nd half and it looked a little chaotic, with Paraguay scoring their goal in the 73rd minute. One downside was Christian Pulisic being subbed off at halftime with an apparent injury. He felt some tightness in his calf. Pochettino says he’s “hopeful“ that it’s not serious.

There was also a first in the game. For the first time, a yellow card was rescinded after VAR determined the referee penalized the wrong player. Tim Ream was given a yellow for “fouling” noted diver Miguel Almiron. After play resumed, VAR advised the ref to look at the replay. Ream had never made contact so the yellow to him was rescinded and Almiron booked for simulation.
 
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First time I’m applauded VAR for a while. That original call on Ream was pure comedy. And that was peak USMNT last night. Even on a night when everything went right and they got a historic victory, they got a yellow card to the only legit DMF on the whole roster (doubly self inflicted stupidity) and both of their offensive drivers (Pulsic and Balogun) were subbed out while limping.
 
Meanwhile, Canada collected their first WC point last night, drawing Bosnia and Hertzegovina 1-1 but I can’t help but feel like that was kind of a bad result. Home game, WC opener, crowd at fever pitch and you draw to a team 30 spots below you in the (flawed) world rankings? That’s a solid, professional Bosnian side but there’s no real engine there and nobody at all in the class of the best 3-4 Canadian players. Maybe it was nerves, maybe just history, but that was set up for a W for the Canadians.
 
Andy, the second half was a little weird especially the start due to the Pulisic sub. A big part of the first half gameplan that was so effective was built around finding Pulisic in space. He also did some great individual things like splitting two defenders, but Robinson's athleticism and versatility opened up opportunities for Pulisic to either get one on ones or find space to run into. The whole team looked great, but the unlocking of the defense kept happening on the left side.
 
Interest call at 14' penalty given no yellow/red to keeper and I thought it was offside
Qatar- Switzerland
Qatar gets a late goal to level and the game ends shortly after. Switzerland should have gotten more from the match and the Qatari goalkeeper is probably the man of the match. But Switzerland didn't make it too hard on him
 
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Tryamw said:
Interest call at 14' penalty given no yellow/red to keeper and I thought it was offside
Qatar- Switzerland
Qatar gets a late goal to level and the game ends shortly after. Switzerland should have gotten more from the match and the Qatari goalkeeper is probably the man of the match. But Switzerland didn't make it too hard on him
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It's not a red card, because of the double jeopardy clause. As long as a player is attempting to make a play on the ball, a foul that results in a penalty that would otherwise be a dogso will be downgraded to a yellow. You could argue that it should have been a yellow for that fact, but I actually think there's some leeway since I don't actually think the foul prevented a goal scoring opportunity since the attacker had flubbed his kick and wouldn't have been able to get to his errant shot without the foul. As for the offside, it's automated so we kind of have to just trust it's working as intended. I will say the broadcast angle makes it very hard to actually judge. Look at how the grass lines are angled and you can see how much your eyes are lying to you. I have no doubt it was extremely close, but I think we just have to trust it. They haven't been showing the 3D rendering of the offside, which if I had to guess is because that still caused issues in the Euros with people complaining because they didn't feel like a toe being barely offside should negate a goal. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but if we are going to automate offside and make it black and white by the letter of the law, that's the level of minutia that will be called and I can understand not wanting to deal with complaints about really close calls.
 
That Scotland match vs Haiti was surprisingly entertaining. Didn't think Haiti had the players to play with Scotland nor take the match to them the way they did, but I was wrong on both counts.
Still, John McGinn (really, who else?) scraped his way to the only goal of the match. Top of the group at day's end. 😳
 
As for the nightcap, the "inferior talent" (at least, according to the Turkish captain) of the Aussies defeated Turkiye 2-0. Stubborn defending and stalwart keeping by a young keeper earning just his third cap is why the Aussies won. Turkiye seemed determined to pass the ball all the way into the net against a low block. Didn't work
 
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Ed H in Pasadena said:
That Scotland match vs Haiti was surprisingly entertaining. Didn't think Haiti had the players to play with Scotland nor take the match to them the way they did, but I was wrong on both counts.
Still, John McGinn (really, who else?) scraped his way to the only goal of the match. Top of the group at day's end. 😳
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I got VERY emotional when the Tartan Army was overpowering the loudspeakers belting out Flower of Scotland before the game. From there, it’s Scotland under Steve Clarke, the ultimate pragmatist. Haiti has the legs to bother a lot of squads, even if they don’t have the finishing to do anything about it. A 1-0 back and forth is about the expectation for a Scotland win, followed closely by a 3-2 win where they storm from behind in the most unlikely fashion imaginable.

I really need the Stanley Cup to wrap up because it’s got me all wound up and I can’t watch these World Cup games with my normal level of detachment. I’m a mess.
 
The thing that drove me insane about my club team is causing real issues with my International team. Maatsen would be so much better at LB than VDV. I know hes incredibly fast, but he's a CB ans he plays like a CB. Gakpo would benefit so much by having a fullback who knows how to play the position and be a threat.
 
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