Russia 2018

[rowan]

Draw takes place tomorrow in the Kremlin

Underway now. They're just announcing the seeds, which is already known, but I haven't found a live stream. Anybody got one?

Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco
France, Peru, Denmark, Australia
Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria
Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia
Germany, Mexico, Sweden, Korea
Belgium, England, Tunisia, Panama
Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan

Who do all the groups look fairly easy? Of course, Italy & Holland aren't there, for one thing . . .

[rowan]

Spain v Portugal is a big match but those teams should win their remaining two encounters without too much difficult. I would say the three toughest groups, relatively speaking, involve the Big 3 - Brazil, Germany & Argentina. Brazil will need to be back to their best to see off the dangerous Swiss and Costa Ricans, while even Germany won't have it all their own way against Mexico & Sweden, and Argentina also face a couple of potential banana skins there, notably in the form of high-flying Super Eagles, who destroyed Cameroon in qualifying, and England's Euros nemesis Iceland. As for England, I think they got off fairly lightly, as did Poland & France, although the latter may have their work cut out against the Danes, who pummeled the Irish in Dublin. The hosts look to have got the easiest group. The only time I can recall a host nation getting a difficult group was SA 2010. Obviously somebody forgot to pay a bribe there or something . . .

[rowan]

Ridiculously premature predictions:

Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia - anybody but Saudi could win this group
Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco - Iberians all the way
France, Peru, Denmark, Australia - Europeans should progress, possibly Peru
Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria - Argentina and probably Nigeria
Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia - Brazil & anybody
Germany, Mexico, Sweden, Korea - Germans top, Mexico or Sweden 2nd
Belgium, England, Tunisia, Panama - Europeans all the way
Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan - a real lottery

2nd round
Russia v Portugal
Spain v Uruguay
France v Nigeria
Argentina v Denmark
Brazil v Mexico
Costa Rica v Germany
England v Poland
Colombia v Belgium

[rowan]

But let's just say it would be more surprising if there were no surprises at the group stages than it would be if there several, so I won't even attempt to try and predict the quarters...

[rowan]

Interesting result. I thought these two countries didn't play each other...

12.12 Chofu (Japan) South Korea 1-0 North Korea East Asian Cup

[cashead]

They play each other very regularly.

[rowan]

Yes, come to think of it, they've been in the same World Cup qualifying pool plenty of times. Wonder how good a united Korean team would be.

[cashead]

Yes, come to think of it, they've been in the same World Cup qualifying pool plenty of times. Wonder how good a united Korean team would be.

Probably about as good as a South Korean team with a handful of North Korean ring-ins.

North Korea's shit at football, bro.

[Mellsblue]

Yes, come to think of it, they've been in the same World Cup qualifying pool plenty of times. Wonder how good a united Korean team would be.

Probably about as good as a South Korean team with a handful of North Korean ring-ins.

North Korea's shit at football, bro.

Are you sure? I was watching NK news last night and NK won their last match by 9 goals, 127 runs and 3 touchdowns.

[rowan]

Yes, come to think of it, they've been in the same World Cup qualifying pool plenty of times. Wonder how good a united Korean team would be.

Probably about as good as a South Korean team with a handful of North Korean ring-ins.

North Korea's shit at football, bro.

Are you sure? I was watching NK news last night and NK won their last match by 9 goals, 127 runs and 3 touchdowns.

Yes, otherwise they would have been brutally tortured and executed to death by the dastardly dictator Kim Jong-un in person

[rowan]

Meanwhile, the 2022 hosts shaping up really well, having predictability failed to even get close to qualifying for the next tournament, as per always

14.12 Doha Qatar 1-2 Liechtenstein Friendly

[rowan]

Wow

Spain’s involvement at the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia could be under threat after Fifa warned the Spanish football federation (RFEF) against political interference.

Fifa has warned the RFEF that continued involvement from the centre-right Spanish government in the upcoming election for the football federation’s new president could result in them losing their place at next summer’s World Cup.

https://www.lebanonews.net/En/2017/12/1 ... erference/

No wait they'll ban them though. Nigeria were apparently cautioned over fielding an ineligible player during qualifiers too, but escaped with a fine.

[rowan]

100 days to go . . .

[rowan]

Doesn't get much lower than losing to Canada at soccer

https://www.wakingthered.com/2018/3/24/ ... annel-cmnt

[rowan]

& Bafana win the 4 Nations tourny with a 2-0 victory over hosts Zambia.

[rowan]

Qatar & Syria in a 2-2 draw. Shame the Qasioun Eagles didn't quite make it through to the World Cup. What a story that would've been!

[rowan]

& Bafana win the 4 Nations tourny with a 2-0 victory over hosts Zambia.

Angola upset Zimbabwe on penalties for third. There was a time when both Zambia and Zimbabwe were really strong in football. The former don't seem to have ever quite recovered from that awful plane crash which wiped out their dream team in 93, just as they appeared set to qualify for the World Cup...

[rowan]

& Bafana win the 4 Nations tourny with a 2-0 victory over hosts Zambia.

Angola upset Zimbabwe on penalties for third. There was a time when both Zambia and Zimbabwe were really strong in football. The former don't seem to have ever quite recovered from that awful plane crash which wiped out their dream team in 93, just as they appeared set to qualify for the World Cup...

& Zimbabwe had Grobbelar

[rowan]

Mexico/USA/Canada up against Morocco for 2026. Well, that would be a 3rd time for Mexico and second for the US, while the entire African continent has only had one and SA is about as far from Morocco as you can get without getting wet. Heart says Morocco, head says NAmerica.

[rowan]

Good advice:

Russia World Cup tourist guide – drink vodka and avoid hangovers like a local

Host country Russia is putting on the World Cup in June and July – here’s our guide to what you’ll need to know if you’re heading over in the summer

https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/5149046 ... ers-local/

[rowan]

Dios mio

Argentinian FA gives out a 'How to get lucky with a Russian girl' handbook to staff travelling to Moscow for the World Cup


'The first impression is important to them, so pay attention to your image.'

Another paragraph read: 'Russian girls do not like to be regarded as objects, and hate annoying men. Don't be negative. Don't ask the same old questions, be original.'

It continued: 'They like men with initiative. If you don't have it, practise with other women beforehand.'

'Many men, because Russian woman are beautiful, just want to get them into bed.

'Maybe they want that too, but they also want to feel important and special, so you should treat the woman in front of you are someone who has value, with their own ideas and desires.'

Another part of the chapter tells the men travelling to Russia: 'Do not ask stupid questions about sex. For Russians, sex is something very private and not discussed in public.'

The document also assures the Argentine Football Association delegates that they will find plenty of beautiful Russian women to seduce so they can afford to be 'selective'.

It says: 'Normally Russians girls pay attention to the important things. But of course you will find girls who are concerned about material things, how much money you have, if you are handsome.

'But don't worry, there are many beautiful women in Russia and not all of them are right for you. Be selective.'.

[rowan]

Meanwhile, I see Turkey is basically in a head-to-head race with Germany for the 2024 European Cup. I think the latter have staged enough major football tournaments, haven't they? Turkey is actually the third most populous nation in Europe, behind Russia and Germany (marginally) itself, while a huge amount of work has gone into developing both stadia and transportation systems in Istanbul over the past decades. When I came here 13 years ago they had a 5-stop metro. Now it covered the entire city, including 1.5km tunnel under the Bosphorus! Turkey has also finished 3rd at a World Cup this century and won a little silverware in European club competition. Yes, there are human rights issues, but that doesn't seem to have stopped other nations with human rights issues from being awarded major football tournaments, does it? The main concern with Turkey is surely its fans, after a major Istanbul derby had to be called off recently due to hooliganism. Not only that, the Turkish football federation didn't even act against the club concerned and simply demanded the match be completed in an empty stadium a short time later. But the victim club rightly refused. Nonetheless, I have to go with Turkey on this. They've bid for a lot of major events since I've been here, including the Olympics (twice?), and never seem to get anything.

[Tre]

Meanwhile, I see Turkey is basically in a head-to-head race with Germany for the 2024 European Cup. I think the latter have staged enough major football tournaments, haven't they? Turkey is actually the third most populous nation in Europe, behind Russia and Germany (marginally) itself, while a huge amount of work has gone into developing both stadia and transportation systems in Istanbul over the past decades. When I came here 13 years ago they had a 5-stop metro. Now it covered the entire city, including 1.5km tunnel under the Bosphorus! Turkey has also finished 3rd at a World Cup this century and won a little silverware in European club competition. Yes, there are human rights issues, but that doesn't seem to have stopped other nations with human rights issues from being awarded major football tournaments, does it? The main concern with Turkey is surely its fans, after a major Istanbul derby had to be called off recently due to hooliganism. Not only that, the Turkish football federation didn't even act against the club concerned and simply demanded the match be completed in an empty stadium a short time later. But the victim club rightly refused. Nonetheless, I have to go with Turkey on this. They've bid for a lot of major events since I've been here, including the Olympics (twice?), and never seem to get anything.

If Russia got it, then the indiginous fans can't be too much of a concern....that was old, corrupt FIFA though.

I'd like to see it in Turkey over Germany to be honest.

[rowan]

Meanwhile, I see Turkey is basically in a head-to-head race with Germany for the 2024 European Cup. I think the latter have staged enough major football tournaments, haven't they? Turkey is actually the third most populous nation in Europe, behind Russia and Germany (marginally) itself, while a huge amount of work has gone into developing both stadia and transportation systems in Istanbul over the past decades. When I came here 13 years ago they had a 5-stop metro. Now it covered the entire city, including 1.5km tunnel under the Bosphorus! Turkey has also finished 3rd at a World Cup this century and won a little silverware in European club competition. Yes, there are human rights issues, but that doesn't seem to have stopped other nations with human rights issues from being awarded major football tournaments, does it? The main concern with Turkey is surely its fans, after a major Istanbul derby had to be called off recently due to hooliganism. Not only that, the Turkish football federation didn't even act against the club concerned and simply demanded the match be completed in an empty stadium a short time later. But the victim club rightly refused. Nonetheless, I have to go with Turkey on this. They've bid for a lot of major events since I've been here, including the Olympics (twice?), and never seem to get anything.

If Russia got it, then the indigenous fans can't be too much of a concern....that was old, corrupt FIFA though.

I'd like to see it in Turkey over Germany to be honest.

Yes, but we're talking about Europe, where practically every country has a whole bunch of skeletons in its closet...

[Galfon]

Russia 5 - 0 Saudi Arabia
Good start for the hosts...
not sorry to miss Wobbie's warm up, though he knows how to work a crowd.
For the Stato's..
Cheryshev is the first sub to score twice in a World Cup game since Andre Schurrle against Brazil (7-1) in 2014.
....mind you,that was only three games ago.
(beeblift)