2018 World Cup

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Matra2

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SWITZERLAND:

10 Whites: 7 blacks; 1 mestizo; 4 Albanians; 1 Bosnian Muslim

We wuz robbed!!! Northern Ireland should be there instead of this disgrace of a Swiss team.



Anyway, Russia leads Saudi Arabia 2-0 at half-time. The Russians are actually the lowest ranked team in the tournament, according to FIFA's not very accurate ranking system.
 
ENDSIEG

ENDSIEG

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Matra2 said:
SWITZERLAND:

10 Whites: 7 blacks; 1 mestizo; 4 Albanians; 1 Bosnian Muslim

We wuz robbed!!! Northern Ireland should be there instead of this disgrace of a Swiss team.



Anyway, Russia leads Saudi Arabia 2-0 at half-time. The Russians are actually the lowest ranked team in the tournament, according to FIFA's not very accurate ranking system.
Click to expand...

Would've been good if Norn Iron had qualified...
 
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Matra2

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ENDSIEG said:
Saudi Arabia are shockingly bad...
Click to expand...

Mo Salah is apparently going to start for Egypt. If he plays Egypt might be OK, so Russia needs to run up the score, if possible, against "shockingly bad" Saudi Arabia just in case goal difference becomes a 2nd round qualification factor. (Uruguay is the other team in this group).
 
ENDSIEG

ENDSIEG

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Matra2 said:
Mo Salah is apparently going to start for Egypt. If he plays Egypt might be OK, so Russia needs to run up the score, if possible, against "shockingly bad" Saudi Arabia just in case goal difference becomes a 2nd round qualification factor. (Uruguay is the other team in this group).
Click to expand...
Don't think I've referred to anything as 'shockingly bad' before, probably not the best adverb...
 
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Matra2

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ENDSIEG said:
Don't think I've referred to anything as 'shockingly bad' before, probably not the best adverb...
Click to expand...

I wasn't being critical of your use of "shockingly bad" as it does indeed describe this Saudi team.

I believe this match flattered the Russians so they need to keep it in perspective. OTOH the decisive win should give them a confidence boost going forward.
 
ENDSIEG

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Matra2 said:
N


I wasn't being critical of your use of "shockingly bad" as it does indeed describe this Saudi team.

I believe this match flattered the Russians so they need to keep it in perspective. OTOH the decisive win should give them a confidence boost going forward.
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No offence taken, lol... It's good to be back on the Caste Football forum. I was going to get back on for the Euro 2016 tournament, but I'm afraid I was distracted by Brexit!
 
Jack Lambert

Jack Lambert

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Good to see you back, Endsieg! Also, good to see Rebajlo back as well; thanks for the breakdown!!

Great match to start the World Cup off with. That 5-0 win was just what Russia needed, since Egypt and especially Uruguay are much better competition. I like how Cheryshev played after coming on for Dzagoev. He added some good things to the Russian team, and had a couple of nice goals to boot. Hopefully the home side can keep it going after a great opening win, even though Saudi Arabia is BAD, in that, I'm shocked they qualified for the World Cup. If Saudi Arabia are this bad, just imagine what's going to happen if Asia and Africa get the majority of the 16 new slots proposed for the 2026 World Cup.

On another topic, I see even Russia has a (white) Brazilian on their side...

Here are Cheryshev's two goals today:


 
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Jack Lambert

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A couple of good matches tomorrow, with Uruguay (hopefully 9 white starters) and Egypt and the Iberian battle of Portugal (hopefully 8 white starters) and Spain (9 white starters). Uruguay should be able should be able to knock off Egypt, but with Salah back, you never know. Spain, being one of the tournament favorites, should beat Portugal, but with Ronaldo, Portugal are always a resilient side. That's unfortunate with Spain having an infatuation with Brazilian strikers all the sudden. I know they have enough Spaniards in their country that can be strikers.

Also, Iran and Morocco will be playing, but that match sounds about as interesting as watching paint dry.
 
Jack Lambert

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Uruguay lining up against Egypt with 10 white starters + Suarez! If they keep this lineup, they'll be one of our best teams to support.
 
ENDSIEG

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Hello, thanks for the welcome, it's good to be back.

The Egypt v Uruguay match is pretty dull so far...
 
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Have Uruguay's food supplies been laced with Mogadon? Suarez looks knackered...
 
Freethinker

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That was one of the best WC matches in memory. Ronaldo showed up like only he can but for me the highlight was Nacho’s volley. Couldn’t strike a ball any better than that.
 
Jack Lambert

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Wow!! The match of the World Cup may have already happened. The Spain/Portugal match was awesome, and great theater. Ronaldo proved once again why he's one of the two best in the world. Spain look like a good team again after a disappointing 2014. Collectively, they're a great team. Spain seem to be more attack minded at this tournament; they still use their trademark tiki-taka style of passing, but use it to attack more. I look forward to watching both sides in their final two group matches.

Both of the two sides should advance from this Group; Morocco and Iran looked dreadful to say the least. The only goal of the game was an own-goal off of a Moroccan defender in stoppage time to win it for the Iranians. I'd be shocked at this point if either Iran or Morocco get a point in their next two matches.

Portugal having 9 white starters was also a highlight for me. Spain having 10 was nice as well. Even though they had a black sub (who did nothing) and Queresma come on, that must've been the whitest side Portugal have put in a major tournament for a few years.

Uruguay also stole their game against Egypt in the waning moments off of a Jimenez header. As I mentioned, Uruguay started with 10 whites; they ended with 9.

All in all, a solid first two days!!

A couple of good matches tomorrow: Iceland vs. Argentina at 9 AM Eastern, and Croatia vs. Nigeria at 3 PM Eastern. Also, "France" play Australia at 6 AM Eastern, and Peru play Denmark at noon.
 
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