Posted on 06/25/2018 4:09:50 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
The group stage of the 2018 World Cup has entered its final phase. With each team having played two matches, the outline of the knockout stage is coming into focus.
As teams prepare to play their third matches of the group stage, we analyzed the advancement scenarios for every group.
(Excerpt) Read more at si.com ...
Last round of the Group Stage for The World Cup starts today, PING!
After which, half of the 32 teams will be going home.
I have yet to watch a full game but what I have seen has been entertaining. The play has been fun to watch and the acting has been academy award level. I have never seen so many almost fatal injuries resulting from a incidental trip or a brush of a hand across the face. Sheesh, what a dangerous game!
(/sarc)
That will be one hell of a game.
🏴🏆⚽️ ...
Spain vs Morocco could be interesting from a geo political stand point. They could play for illegal, or is it repressed immigrants?. Each point equals so many allowed to enter or kicked out.
Too early and no coffee yet.
Thanks Berlin_Freeper- I’ll forward this to my wife. Fun hearing her get all worked up over these games. Had a lot of fun over the weekend home and at the bars taking in the action.
Very hard to watch the Mexico v Korea game. The announcers acted like Mexican school girls with a big crush. Completely over the top with their homer commentary.
24 teams go through to the knockout stage. Group winners get a bye. Second place teams play against the eight remaining highest point getters, but not against a team that was in their group.
Teams with no points going into the third round could still qualify with a win. Finishing at the top of a group would be a significant advantage, unlike now where some might rather finish second because of who they would play in the round of 16.
ML/NJ
I’m hoping it comes down to Mexico vs Russia. Guess who the Democrats will root for ???
I’m not really sure how I feel about the format at this point. The current format doesn’t necessarily select for the best teams moving forward, but it does allow for ‘fairy tale’ stories.
It’s been entertaining. I was rooting against both Germany and Argentina, not out of any animus towards either, but just to confound expectations and shake up the usual entrenched hierarchy. Germany won me over with the way they dominated play and came back after going a man down. Have to respect that. I wish the Swedes were Japanese so they could just commit seppuku and get it over with. What an embarrassing way to lose an important game: roll over and play passively despite a man advantage, and commit a silly foul at the end to give Germany a set piece. Come to think about it, seppuku wouldn’t be enough to restore honor, but I still have to credit Germany.
I don’t see the United States mentioned in any of the scenarios...
... oh yeah, they are at home sitting on the couch in their gay pride jerseys.
As long as they get to the finals legally.
The format will change in 2026 when the tournament expands from 32 teams to 48.
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