Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic

[Stuntman_Mike]

Alarm set for the next one. 

 

Hope it's a better tempo and with someone who's reffed before.

 

 

[Jattdogg]

Hate to say it but this SA squad is weak sauce.

[Parafox]

I was in denial about corruption in football. This tournament is about to change my mind.

[Jattdogg]

2 minutes ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

Alarm set for the next one. 

 

Hope it's a better tempo and with someone who's reffed before.

 

 

Excited to not have to wake up early or stay up too late to watch a game. 

Edited Thursday at 21:10 by Jattdogg

[FoxesWalk]

1 minute ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

Alarm set for the next one. 

 

Hope it's a better tempo and with someone who's reffed before.

 

 

I hope you’re not in England, but if you are, I respect the dedication 

[Parafox]

10 minutes ago, Cal said:

She literally has no clue 

She's not a real person. 

[ramboacdc]

1 minute ago, StanSP said:

4. 

 

2006. The infamous Portugal vs Netherlands game! 

Boy that was a blast. No one really wanted to play football that night. 

 

 

 

didn't know it was dubbed the battle or nuremberg . As a WW2 buff, I thought that was something else.

[Stuntman_Mike]

Just now, FoxesWalk said:

I hope you’re not in England, but if you are, I respect the dedication 

I am, but I'm off work tomorrow 

[fazzyfox]

I want a red for that last one every time. Although it was given for the goalscoring opportunity denial I just hate those challenges that have nothing to do with the ball. We want shots and goals not thuggery with just a yellow and eleven behind the ball.

Feel more sorry for poor old Deprived Run Down Area or whatever his name was, the first sending off.

[FoxesWalk]

Okay, other angle of the second red card, it does look like a proper slap. It is a red with that evidence. But that evidence was not shown on VAR. 

Edited Thursday at 21:17 by FoxesWalk

[foxile5]

6 minutes ago, Parafox said:

I was in denial about corruption in football. This tournament is about to change my mind.

That's an iron will you've got there, friend. 

 

I thought corruption was not so much an open secret as a component part.

[fazzyfox]

1 minute ago, FoxesWalk said:

Okay, other angle of the second red card, it does look like a proper slap. It is a red with that evidence. 

Reminds me of those Tango man adverts, not very subtle!

[Super_horns]

Kind of set a standard now which isn’t good as everyone will expect all refs to give the same decisions.

[StanSP]

14 minutes ago, ramboacdc said:

Boy that was a blast. No one really wanted to play football that night. 

 

 

 

didn't know it was dubbed the battle or nuremberg . As a WW2 buff, I thought that was something else.

Iconic! 

[FoxesWalk]

For those of you who turned off already… they just cut to the “couch” of the American pundits on ITV and showed some footage and laughed at “Gareth Southgate getting into American culture, look at wearing a cowboy hat!”. Great. Only issue is that it was very clearly Graham Potter. Unbelievable lack of basic knowledge of even recent major personalities in the game 

 

they refer to at least one of those pundits as an American “football expert” 

Edited Thursday at 21:29 by FoxesWalk

[Tuna]

Just now, FoxesWalk said:

For those of you who turned off already… they just cut to the “couch” of the American pundits on ITV and showed some footage and laughed at “Gareth Southgate getting into American culture, wearing a cowboy hat”. Great. Only issue is that it was Graham Potter. Unbelievable lack of basic knowledge of the game 

Yeeha

[Parafox]

I tried to retain  the belief that the beautiful game was still a thing.

Sadly, the vast sums of money involved has created the corruption we see now .

No multinational sport will escape the value of money that can be made. I watch most sports but I am increasingly aware of bias towards wealthy corporate sponsors who demand success in return for results.

That's where corruption creeps in. No success = no money.

Success at all cost

 

Edited Thursday at 21:42 by Parafox

[Kitchandro]

Some of you should have known this in 2002 with Korea, but back then it was only England who had games fixed against them apparently.

[Super_horns]

24 minutes ago, Parafox said:

I tried to retain  the belief that the beautiful game was still a thing.

Sadly, the vast sums of money involved has created the corruption we see now .

No multinational sport will escape the value of money that can be made. I watch most sports but I am increasingly aware of bias towards wealthy corporate sponsors who demand success in return for results.

That's where corruption creeps in. No success = no money.

Success at all cost

 

Although in this game both sides Cohn’s say they had a man harshly sent off so kind of even but yes wouldn’t be a surprise to see bias and favouritism as usual.

[Dan]

I'm anti 48 teams but the last two openers both involved an absolutely rubbish team as well - Qatar were as bad as South Africa, probably worse. Saudi Arabia at Russia absolute garbage.

[Corky]

45 minutes ago, FoxesWalk said:

For those of you who turned off already… they just cut to the “couch” of the American pundits on ITV and showed some footage and laughed at “Gareth Southgate getting into American culture, look at wearing a cowboy hat!”. Great. Only issue is that it was very clearly Graham Potter. Unbelievable lack of basic knowledge of even recent major personalities in the game 

 

they refer to at least one of those pundits as an American “football expert” 

English people react to seeing American pundits for the first time

[when_you're_smiling]

If we keep up this ratio of red cards we’ll be on 312 for the tournament.

[PhillippaT]

1 hour ago, when_you're_smiling said:

If we keep up this ratio of red cards we’ll be on 312 for the tournament.

1/4 of all players get sent off? Do you laugh or cry?  

[Lionator]

Another great venue in Mexico

[MC Prussian]

South Korea deserved winners in the second group game (well, judging by the highlights, anyway).

 

Lots of empty seats in Guadalajara.

And the fans have been turned into consumers in a very sterile stadium environment, didn't see a lot of flags.