Where to begin; where to effing begin. So much has transpired in one of the more fascinating 3rd match-days that I can remember, in what is increasingly becoming one of the better World Cups that I can remember.
Should we start with how on back to back days, Argentina and Mexico advanced to the knockout rounds despite losing one of their three group games 3-0? Or that Mexico advanced despite losing their last game 3-0? Or that Germany, a nation that let alone has never not made it out of the group stage, but has made the quarterfinals every tournament since 1954, would lose to Korea, and get knocked out.
A Zlatan-less Sweden won their group. Croatia is the only 3-0-0 team so far. France easily waltzed to a group win and no one cares. Argentina won because their left back scored a 80th minute banger with his off foot. Germany DIDNT GET OUT OF THE GROUP STAGE.
What hasn't the World Cup given us.
There's been more penalties, more own goals, and more 90+ minute scoring than any World Cup through the group stage. We can rue the amount of penalties, but all have been deserved. We can rue the own goals, but let's remember the sheer number of bangers as well. The fight for goal of the tournament (so far) is an endless list of curlers, screamers, and everything in between.
Every team has scored. South Korea scored three goals, all past the 90th minute. The fact that Spain and Portugal had to fend off challenges from Iran and Morocco to clinch their spot, and that will be largely forgotten when the story of the 2018 World Cup group stage is written, speaks to how insane it has been.
Maybe it was due to the lack of truly great performances through two match days, but it seemed more was up for grabs this time - including multiple instances where we would need to potentially go to fair play points (who has less yellow cards) to decide who wins groups. It all came to a head these last two days.
First was Argentina's escape, with Messi scoring a great goal with his off foot, waking up from his two game malaise in one sudden Messi-esque flash. Of course, we had to see Bad Argentina, with Mascherano, looking way too old for this shit, giving up a terrible penalty that should have knocked Argentina out. The stadium never stopped signing, Argentina fans never stopped believing - despite this team being one that probably just extended their life a week. Marcus Rojo, a fullback, scored a Messi-esque goal, also with his off-foot. Let it be known that for once, Messi's teammates picked him up, even if they, and especially Mascherano, conspired to almost steal it away.
And of course, that drama doesn't come close to what we just witnessed today in Group F. All Mexico needed was to draw Sweden - they lost 3-0. Had Germany won, even 1-0, they would have supplanted Mexico, and we would have our first ever team to not make the knockouts with six points. There was a time where that label could have been given to Germany too - had Germany won 1-0, and Mexico lost 2-1, Mexico was going through on goals scored. Instead, Germany never got their goal.
I switched over to the Germany game after it was 3-0 Sweden, entering blindly not understanding how Germany had yet to score against a poor South Korea team. In the end, Germany embodied the worst elements of 2002 France, 2010 Italy and 2014 Spain, other defending champs that flamed out - relying too much on tired gameplans, tired locker-rooms, and old stars past their prime. There was no creativity, no direction, ultimately Germany was not impervious to the natural cycles of the sport, and South Korea pounced.
That first goal by South Korea was dramatic live, and more dramatic through VAR, a proper utilization of a technology that has done far more good than bad to date. It corrected a true mistake, something almost impossible to notice in real time, and gave South Korea their deserved goal. The second was icing on a cake that will be devoured through the streets of El Cuidad de Mexico for days to come.
We may see some awful play tomorrow - especially with England and Belgium, two teams that arguably are better off losing; the irony being if they draw it will be decided by fair play points, so we may even see a team try to get yellow cards. Anyway, what this tournament has been so far is a breath of fresh air. The crowds have been fantastic. The games have been better. There have been so few blowouts, with basically gall games being somewhat competitive. This is what the World Cup should be. Oh yeah, and GERMANY WAS FUCKING ELIMINATED IN THE GROUP STAGE?!
Should we start with how on back to back days, Argentina and Mexico advanced to the knockout rounds despite losing one of their three group games 3-0? Or that Mexico advanced despite losing their last game 3-0? Or that Germany, a nation that let alone has never not made it out of the group stage, but has made the quarterfinals every tournament since 1954, would lose to Korea, and get knocked out.
A Zlatan-less Sweden won their group. Croatia is the only 3-0-0 team so far. France easily waltzed to a group win and no one cares. Argentina won because their left back scored a 80th minute banger with his off foot. Germany DIDNT GET OUT OF THE GROUP STAGE.
What hasn't the World Cup given us.
There's been more penalties, more own goals, and more 90+ minute scoring than any World Cup through the group stage. We can rue the amount of penalties, but all have been deserved. We can rue the own goals, but let's remember the sheer number of bangers as well. The fight for goal of the tournament (so far) is an endless list of curlers, screamers, and everything in between.
Every team has scored. South Korea scored three goals, all past the 90th minute. The fact that Spain and Portugal had to fend off challenges from Iran and Morocco to clinch their spot, and that will be largely forgotten when the story of the 2018 World Cup group stage is written, speaks to how insane it has been.
Maybe it was due to the lack of truly great performances through two match days, but it seemed more was up for grabs this time - including multiple instances where we would need to potentially go to fair play points (who has less yellow cards) to decide who wins groups. It all came to a head these last two days.
First was Argentina's escape, with Messi scoring a great goal with his off foot, waking up from his two game malaise in one sudden Messi-esque flash. Of course, we had to see Bad Argentina, with Mascherano, looking way too old for this shit, giving up a terrible penalty that should have knocked Argentina out. The stadium never stopped signing, Argentina fans never stopped believing - despite this team being one that probably just extended their life a week. Marcus Rojo, a fullback, scored a Messi-esque goal, also with his off-foot. Let it be known that for once, Messi's teammates picked him up, even if they, and especially Mascherano, conspired to almost steal it away.
And of course, that drama doesn't come close to what we just witnessed today in Group F. All Mexico needed was to draw Sweden - they lost 3-0. Had Germany won, even 1-0, they would have supplanted Mexico, and we would have our first ever team to not make the knockouts with six points. There was a time where that label could have been given to Germany too - had Germany won 1-0, and Mexico lost 2-1, Mexico was going through on goals scored. Instead, Germany never got their goal.
I switched over to the Germany game after it was 3-0 Sweden, entering blindly not understanding how Germany had yet to score against a poor South Korea team. In the end, Germany embodied the worst elements of 2002 France, 2010 Italy and 2014 Spain, other defending champs that flamed out - relying too much on tired gameplans, tired locker-rooms, and old stars past their prime. There was no creativity, no direction, ultimately Germany was not impervious to the natural cycles of the sport, and South Korea pounced.
That first goal by South Korea was dramatic live, and more dramatic through VAR, a proper utilization of a technology that has done far more good than bad to date. It corrected a true mistake, something almost impossible to notice in real time, and gave South Korea their deserved goal. The second was icing on a cake that will be devoured through the streets of El Cuidad de Mexico for days to come.
We may see some awful play tomorrow - especially with England and Belgium, two teams that arguably are better off losing; the irony being if they draw it will be decided by fair play points, so we may even see a team try to get yellow cards. Anyway, what this tournament has been so far is a breath of fresh air. The crowds have been fantastic. The games have been better. There have been so few blowouts, with basically gall games being somewhat competitive. This is what the World Cup should be. Oh yeah, and GERMANY WAS FUCKING ELIMINATED IN THE GROUP STAGE?!
