2022 World Cup

[MFS62]

Will you be watching any of the World Cup soccer tournament?
Are there any teams or players you will be following or rooting for?

Later

[Edgy MD]

Boycotting. The whole thing has been a moral shitshow from start to finish.

[Ceetar]

soccer? god no.

plus they banned beer for the poor people.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

I got to cover one of the World Cup matches in 1994, between the United States and Switzerland. It was a lot more fun to watch than I expected. A lot more fun.

I can't say I follow it super closely, but I check in on how Team USA is doing.

[kcmets]

I'm mildly interested in how my country does.

DVR'ng tomorrow's matinee game on FOX5 (in the tri-state area) vs. Wales.

[MFS62]

No great interest.
But if some highlights come on the news while I'm waiting for reports on sports I care about, I won't turn them off.

But I did watch the Grey Cup (Canadian Football League championship) game last night and it was very entertaining- a one point win for the Toronto Argonauts over the defending champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers . Love those team nicknames.
The Quarterback for Toronto was Chad Kelly. He is the nephew of ex-NFL QB Jim Kelly, who never won a Super Bowl in four games while with the Buffalo Bills.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Between the location's time difference and the whole sleeziness of the location selection process in the first place, it's not going to be a must watch.
But I'll likely check in here and there and will do the DVR thing to catch today's U.S. opener.

[A Boy Named Seo]

We are huge futbol people and pretty much so is our whole social circle, but this World Cup is a real fucking challenge. Glad there are a lot of brave people fighting the bigotry (sometimes on air, looking at you, Alex Scott) as it happens.

[Lefty Specialist]

No. Exactly zero interest.

[Edgy MD]

What's this about the United States playing soccer against whales?

[MFS62]

What's this about the United States playing soccer against whales?

No spoiler here for those taping it, but there will be a whale of a tale to tell 'ya, lads about this game.

Later

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I watched. It was a pretty entertaining game. I was kinda rooting for Wales if I'm honest

[A Boy Named Seo]

The USMNT is weird to root for. I like (most of) the players a lot. And we have good young stars at massive clubs - Sergino Dest was a starter at Barcelona and is now at AC Milan. Wes McKinnie with Juventus. Pulisic (gag) at Chelsea ,and more young talent sprinkled throughout Europe (not to mention Kellyn Acosta from LAFC THE BIGGEST CLUB IN THE WORLD!!!). But the culture around the USMNT can get pretty MAGA. "Build the wall" chants against Mexico and everyone dressed like they're about to storm the capital. I just never want to see any of our fans on TV ever.

On the other side, an Ecuadorian friend invited us over for a watch party for the first match against Qatar. It was a room full of Ecuador flags, people dressed in yellow singing and chanting. The WC means so much more to so many other places than it does here. THAT was fucking awesome.

[Frayed Knot]

Pretty disappointing tie draw considering how much territorial advantage the U.S. had over the first 45 minutes. The game-tying PK was totally
deserved and I'm not sure the announcers said enough about what an overly aggressive and bone-headed move that was by the U.S. defender.
I mean, they did say it was unnecessary but did so quite gently as if trying not to ruffle feathers.

The immediate outcome is to think that this puts the US & Wales into a tie-breaker situation to decide England and Who? move on from the
group (England thumped Iran in the other group game). Not sure what the tie-breaker scenario is but if it's whose Prince most recently
graduated to King then we're in fuckin' trouble.

[Edgy MD]

On the other side, an Ecuadorian friend invited us over for a watch party for the first match against Qatar. It was a room full of Ecuador flags, people dressed in yellow singing and chanting. The WC means so much more to so many other places than it does here. THAT was fucking awesome.

Plus ... Ecuadoran victory!

The whole CONCACAF thing is weird. They get 3 1/2 (is that right?) qualifying slots fro the finals. The US and Canada have resources to train a top squad that their other-sports-loving countries are modestly curious about. Most everybody else in the region lacks the resources but is crazy for the game.

Mexico is a little of both. So for most Cups, CONCACAF is represented by the US, Mexico, and 41 nations and statelets fighting for the right to knock out Canada (which almost always happens).

But that's typically 41 teams vying for 1 1/2 slots, about 35 or 36 of them coming from nations where fútbol is #1. So much passion and work for a mostly predetermined outcome.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Pretty disappointing tie draw considering how much territorial advantage the U.S. had over the first 45 minutes. The game-tying PK was totally
deserved and I'm not sure the announcers said enough about what an overly aggressive and bone-headed move that was by the U.S. defender.
I mean, they did say it was unnecessary but did so quite gently as if trying not to ruffle feathers.

The immediate outcome is to think that this puts the US & Wales into a tie-breaker situation to decide England and Who? move on from the
group (England thumped Iran in the other group game). Not sure what the tie-breaker scenario is but if it's whose Prince most recently
graduated to King then we're in fuckin' trouble.

Goal differential. Get a point against England, trounce Iran and root like hell for England against Wales.

[A Boy Named Seo]

On the other side, an Ecuadorian friend invited us over for a watch party for the first match against Qatar. It was a room full of Ecuador flags, people dressed in yellow singing and chanting. The WC means so much more to so many other places than it does here. THAT was fucking awesome.

Plus ... Ecuadoran victory!

The whole CONCACAF thing is weird. They get 3 1/2 (is that right?) qualifying slots fro the finals. The US and Canada have resources to train a top squad that their other-sports-loving countries are modestly curious about. Most everybody else in the region lacks the resources but is crazy for the game.

Mexico is a little of both. So for most Cups, CONCACAF is represented by the US, Mexico, and 41 nations and statelets fighting for the right to knock out Canada (which almost always happens).

But that's typically 41 teams vying for 1 1/2 slots, about 35 or 36 of them coming from nations where fútbol is #1. So much passion and work for a mostly predetermined outcome.

The Ecuador goals made for a fantastic little room eruption.

[Frayed Knot]

Saudi Arabia currently up 2 - 1 on WC favorite Argentina in stoppage time ... and a major injury to a Saudi player is going to mean substantial stoppage time but I have no idea how much.

[Frayed Knot]

And it's over!!

[Fman99]

But the culture around the USMNT can get pretty MAGA. "Build the wall" chants against Mexico and everyone dressed like they're about to storm the capital. I just never want to see any of our fans on TV ever.

Pass on all of this. Might as well watch an Auburn football game.

[MFS62]

Underdog Japan beat Germany 2-1.
After the match, the players went into the stands and cleaned up the garbage the fans had left.
I think I just found a team to root for.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Switzerland 1 - Cameroon 0 is your early Thursday morning match result.

[Frayed Knot]

Iran scores in the 98th minute -- and then again in the 99th -- to beat Wales 1 - 0 2 - 0

[MFS62]

Iran scores in the 98th minute -- and then again in the 99th -- to beat Wales 1 - 0 2 - 0

Our house guests wanted to see the Brazil game, so we did.
Watched the entire game, well almost.
My wife called me away to help her in the kitchen and I missed both goals.

As for the Iran/ Wales game, 99 minutes?
It takes a lot of fake falls and acting to add up to that amount of stoppage time.
Later

[MFS62]

The USA/ England match ends in a 0-0 tie, or as Sportswriter Dick Young called it, "the score that made soccer famous".
Later