Australia 1 France 2 after the Aussies took the lead after 8 mins. Come on Australia, don't let the Empire down against the old foe.
And that's why this will be a good experience for them. For the vast majority of the players on the USMNT this is their first WC. Personally, I don't consider many of these players well seasoned, and that plays into one of the problems this team has had all year and that's continuity. Berhalter can't seem to settle on a lineup, and I think he made a huge mistake yesterday not starting Reyna and Acosta. The team has been better with Reyna in the lineup and Acosta proved a long time ago that he's our best player on set pieces, but for some inexplicable reason Berhalter insists on sticking with Pulisic, who would be better utilized on the receiving end of those kicks. When you're having trouble scoring you have to make up for that on set pieces, and the coach is not setting up the team for success in that department. As for the midfield, I have no problems with McKennie and he's not at 100%, so that is a problem because he can't go 90 minutes and his backup Aaronson is his backup for a reason. It looked like we might have been able to overcome all that but Zimmerman's boneheaded penalty against Bale was the straw that broke the camel's back. We absolutely had to have that win and barring a miracle against England its unlikely we're going to advance out of the group phase.
I turned on the game just as Mbappé served up that nice assist to Giroud. Perhaps Les Bleus have decided to show up and defend their title?
Iran might do you a favour. Wales were pretty poor for most of the first half and Bale is clearly not fit. Ramsey was the only Welshman to shine.
And the only goal Wales scored was on a PK, so hopefully their offense will continue to be more inept than our own. That being said, we really need to keep our game against your boys close Friday, and if we start Reyna and Acosta, have Acosta handle corners and free kicks and free up Pulisic to operate in and around the box on those kicks we'll be in a better position to do so. We also need to convert on our chances and play stout defense early because our subs are unlikely to score, so the first 60-65 minutes are probably going to be decisive for us.
He's not the GOAT. Both Maradona and Pelé were better than him. He's only considered to be the GOAT by youngsters who have never seen / don't remember the two greats.
I'm thrilled that both AC Milan men were great today, Theo Hernández and Olivier Giroud. The latter has tied Thierry Henry as France's most prolific goalscorer. Theo did make one mistake that almost resulted in a score for Australia but after that was superb, including a great assist. Despite devastating losses of essential players due to injury, France remains a very dangerous team. LOL at Argentina! That was entertaining! What a huge upset! I'm deeply disappointed that we (the USMNT) didn't win yesterday. It seems like it's the coach's fault rather than the players'. Late subs, wrong subs, wrong strategy in second half. We should have won this game, and didn't, and now we're in trouble to advance out of the group.
We have heard that through all the qualifiers and the cups. they are a young team, that one is getting a little old. Now it is, Its their first World Cup. They played a nice 1. half, as so often and then the air is out. The lack of a quality play maker is the biggest problem, manage the mid field, the long passes, possession and fighting spirit. What is the coach to do if there is no consistent form. Yes, this is WC and the players will have to rise to that occasion, that was the US trade mark. I expect that from the German team, too. If Jamal with his 19 years is in the starting line up, he has to perform as he does for Munich, same for the rest of the Flicks Kindergarten, or first timers in the team, or a returnee like Mario Goetze, who scored the winning goal against Argentina, back then. If they cannot rise to the occasion, go back home and play Bundesliga.
It's so different to compare players from different eras. Pele would have been playing with a heavy leather ball when he first went to the WC in '58. Not like today's balls which you can apply spin to and make them swing through the air like a cricket ball. I'm not saying you are wrong just that it's not something you could ever prove. Maybe Pele would have been even better than he was if he played on today's bowling green, perfect pitches with a super light ball or maybe he would have never learnt to curve the ball like a Ronaldo or a Beckham.
Have to admit I got a little carried away with that game today. A little over stimulated verging on xenophobic. I'm never going to forgive Maradona for that handball though. Just like no Irishman is going to forgive Henry for handballing twice leading to the goal that prevented Ireland from qualifying to go to the WC.
Every time the hand of god comes up on TV programs we have to listen to the Argentinian commentator saying ''take that Maggie Thatcher, take that Winston Churchill, take that William Shakespeare''. In my defence I only targeted far right military juntas and a bloody cheat.
Well this is embarrassing. I went to find the commentary and I'd remembered it wrong. It was actually the Norwegian commentator after Norway beat England 2-1 in qualifying. We had the last laugh though as we scraped through to the World Cup and Norway finished bottom of the group. I'm still not apologising to Galtieri or Maradona.
Its good to have you around again, was afraid you enjoyed retirement to much. I might retire on Feb 1. 23. Cross your fingers for me. France was good, but give the Aussies credit they fought hard and kept the result respectable. Argentina, the South American champion, that was horrible and they deserve all the laughter. God's hand was not around.
Pele, by all means, that was sheer joy to watch him. Maradona, ok, but their were players around who were his equals. Pele had no equal, Beckenbauer had no equal Kroive had no equal, they ruled the pitch.
The winning goal is the best goal of the tournament so far as well. Lovely ball control to bring it down then dribbled past three players and a beautifully aimed shot to curl it past the goalie. Followed by a perfect handspring celebration.
This time, it was the hand of Allah, LOL! I really enjoyed Argentina's defeat. However, it is likely that they will still advance.
Thanks. Yes, I'm enjoying retirement. I will cross my fingers for you. Yes, the Aussies fought hard, which makes France's win even more impressive. Allah was around this time, not God. LOL.
