World Cup 2018

[Remiel]

The Brazilian fans looked how I felt.   :'(

Seriously, I think this was the first match this tournament I've seen where I felt like the clearly superior team lost.

[Nico]

They just started to play way too late. :-(

[Deamonbane]

They missed too many good chances. I stand by a penalty on Neymar and Gabriel Jesus, but Belgium were more efficient with their chances.

Although after today, nobody can complain about flopping Brazilians.

[gaggedLouise]

They just started to play way too late. :-(

Also, Courtois is a brilliant goalkeeper. With a slighly less great man in the goal Belgium would clearly have lost. Brazil had several fabulous shots at the goal in the last twenty minutes: some were caught by Courtois, some went marginally over the top or off to the side. Poor Brazil.

[Remiel]

Also, Courtois is a brilliant goalkeeper. With a slighly less great man in the goal Belgium would clearly have lost. Brazil had several fabulous shots at the goal in the last twenty minutes: some were caught by Courtois, some went marginally over the top or off to the side. Poor Brazil.

This.  The man had some amazing saves.

[Formless]

I will have to disagree with you all.

Belgium were amazing even when Brazil intensified their attacks.

[Deamonbane]

Belgium stopped playing in the second half.

[Formless]

I’d say they stopped attacking, but their defense held out quite well.

[The Green One]

I'm so glad France made it!

[Remiel]

Belgium stopped playing in the second half.

I'm going to have to agree with Bane here.  Belgium looked worn-out and exhausted (with the possible exception of Hazard).  Brazil kept the pressure on, but they just couldn't seem to find the back of the net aside from that amazing header.

But in Belgium's defense, that de Bruyne goal was well-deserved.

[mia h]

They missed too many good chances. I stand by a penalty on Neymar and Gabriel Jesus, but Belgium were more efficient with their chances.

Oh please, Neymar was lucky not to get booked for simulation. However they got the Jesus one wrong, maybe if Neymar hadn't taken a dive 5 minutes before...

Brazil had 3 times as many shots on goal (27 v 9) and 3 times as many on target (9 v 3), any team that blows that many chances can't be all that.

[Deamonbane]

Dude almost took his eye out but that's... legal, I guess?

[Nico]

GO THREE LIONS!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go-jJlGd1so

[Nico]

YES! YES! YES!

Seminfinal - here we come!

Jordan Pickford, you're the man!

[gaggedLouise]

And Sweden is out. Not all unexpected, the game did go England's way and at least the first half was kinda slow. I would have loved to see a semi-final between Sweden and Russia, but anyway the Swedish team has done some great things in this tournament already.

[mia h]

If the semi ends up as England v Russia and Harry Kane goes down with food poisoning...…..

[Polymorph]

And Sweden is out. Not all unexpected, the game did go England's way and at least the first half was kinda slow. I would have loved to see a semi-final between Sweden and Russia, but anyway the Swedish team has done some great things in this tournament already.

Yes agreed. like England and Russia, Sweden came in with with little expectations and have done their country proud.

[Nico]

If the semi ends up as England v Russia and Harry Kane goes down with food poisoning...…..

Why wish something like this on a person?

[mia h]

Why wish something like this on a person?

It's absolutely the last thing I'd want to happen. Just a wry observation about the current political situation.

[Remiel]

I think she meant that she wouldn't put it past Putin to arrange an "accident" so Russia could win.

[gaggedLouise]

The Croatian goalkeeper got hurt somehow, not sure how it happened, and they had run out of allowed exchanges so they had to keep him for a while, towards the end of the match. This gave Russia a golden chance - but despite this it's Croatia that just won.

Both teams look dog tired.

[gaggedLouise]

Or Croatia have *almost* won - I thought a 15-minute extension period was broken off at once as soon as somebody scored a goal.

[Nico]

Congratulations to Croatia.

That was a really intense and really great game!

See you in the Semifinal. ;D

[Remiel]

Or Croatia have *almost* won - I thought a 15-minute extension period was broken off at once as soon as somebody scored a goal.

It used to be that way, but I think they changed it in...2002? 2006? to play the full 30 minutes of extended time.

[Formless]

Well, I missed both matches ... a shame as they seemed to be quite interesting.

But its nice to see 3/4 of my predictions come to fruition. ;D