Someone really needs to have a word in the commentator's ear, to let him know that a draw really isn't a disaster here for Argentina. Four points will very likely see them qualify (albeit it might need them to beat Poland by two goals).
To be fair to them though, a draw tonight would (and still could) have left them with their fate in their own hands. Beat Saudi Arabia and they would qualify. So I can understand the negativity. But now, without that draw, it will no longer be in their hands.
Without dredging up old memories (I still have PTSD from the pen shootout in the Euros) I think Southgate’s choice of the first 5 pen takers cost us. That is the only criticism I have if that game.
Didn't he choose them based on their success rate in training? Which is completely wrong way to do it imo. You get everyone to practice them and then see who fancies it at the time.
Germany are 10+ minutes away from getting out of jail in this group (regardless of what they do vs Spain later).
Commentator just said they're still out if they lose but they could beat Costa Rica and qualify on GD right? Assuming Spain beat Japan anyway.
Yeah. Unless Spain really stuff Germany big time, you would expect Germany to finish with a better GD than Japan, if they beat Costa Rica and Japan lose to Spain.
What to say about this? He has basically said that Ronaldo initiated the contact and called him a genius for conning the officials. CRISTIANO RONALDO has bizarrely been branded a “total genius” by FIFA – for the way he won a contentious penalty for Portugal in their World Cup opener. Ronaldo went down under minimal contact from Mohammed Salisu in his country’s Group H win over Ghana and converted from the spot. But FIFA technical study group member Sunday Oliseh said: “Maybe the strikers are getting smarter. “The Ronaldo penalty, people can say what they want about him, but the smartness to wait for that second, to touch the ball, continue his leg and then get the contact, that is total genius.”
Weirdly, when you consider the first round of results, Costa Rica now arguably have a better chance of qualifying than Japan. Unless Germany beat Spain, Costa Rica and Japan will be in joint second with Germany bottom. And I'd suggest that Costa Rica getting a draw vs Germany is marginally more likely than Japan getting a draw vs Spain. (Not that I would expect either to get that draw. Spain and Germany would be massive favourites.)
Yeah I wasn’t initially clear and edited as you replied. I meant it would be a much clearer and more straightforward qualification
