WC 2022: Just a number of flukes

Tunisia - Australia 0-1

France - Denmark 2-1

Poland - Saudi Arabia 2-0   

Argentina - Mexico 2-0

Belgium - Morocco 0-2

Croatia - Canada 4-1

Japan - Costa Rica 0-1

Spain - Germany 1-1

Cameroon - Serbia 3-3

Brazil - Switzerland 1-0

South Korea - Ghana 2-3

Portugal - Uruguay 2-0

Ecuador - Senegal 1-2

Netherlands - Qatar 2-0

Iran - USA 0-1

England - Wales 3-0

Australia - Denmark 1-0

Tunisia - France 1-0

Poland - Argentina 0-2

Saudi Arabia - Mexico 1-2

Tough weekend, with the regular gigs, a show opening, and a tech all day Monday. I ended up actually seeing quite a bit of football, writing about it has been a different matter. Let's try and catch up.

In group D, Australia has proved itself worthy of being in the World Cup. Ok, they were naive to lose to France from a winning position, but putting yourself in a winning position against France is an achievement in itself. They beat Tunisia, which Denmark wasn't able to, which put them in a position to qualify with a draw against Denmark. But then they beat Denmark. Not the most spectacular team, but taking full advantage of the strengths they do have: stamina, hard work, wearing opponents down. 

Denmark, on the other side, was disappointing. Ok, it can be forgiven that they couldn't beat Tunisia in the first game, even losing 2-1 to France is acceptable, but not showing up against Australia is pitiful. They are the more experience, the more talented and probably the better team, but that stands for nothing if you don't put your soul into the game. Well done Australia for proving me wrong. The funny thing is, Argentina is not even that scary.

Group C, well... so much for me supporting Mexico. In the end, I didn't see a single game of theirs. Probably for the best I didn't see the Argentina one, it would've annoyed the hell out of me. Unfortunately, the Saudis made their win against Argentina look like a fluke. It probably was a fluke. But seriously Saudi Arabia, you've won the most difficult game, hold off and defend for life for two draws in the other two games and you're through. Heroics are useless if you don't follow up, and they didn't.

I did watch both Belgium - Morocco and Croatia - Canada, and they were both spectacular games. OK, Belgium - Morocco didn't really get going until the end, but I thought Morocco fully deserved the win. They had what I thought was a perfectly valid goal canceled from Hakim Ziyech's free kick, and they were the team pressing to win towards the end, in front of a Belgian team whose FIFA ranking is well above their quality. 

Canada will probably go home with 0 points, but life has been harsh on them. Barely losing to Belgium and scoring after 1 minute against Croatia, all good stuff. I thought ill of Croatia after drawing Morocco, but Morocco seems to be a better team than I thought. Unlike Belgium, Croatia's aging team has come to the World Cup to play some football too. They're playing Belgium in a few hours, and I fancy them strongly. But I do like how open the group is before the last game.

Japan, oh Japan. I was watching the game against Costa Rica and I was thinking 'Don't fuck it up, don't fuck it up'. They fucked it up. I would be even tempted to expect more from Japan than Saudi Arabia. I am sympathetic towards Costa Rica mostly since Luis Conejo was wonderful in goal for them at the first World Cup I've ever seen, but it would've been nice for Japan to win. Again, follow-up is everything. Now it will probably be Spain and Germany to qualify. I fully wish Costa Rica to get something against Germany, but I had the exact same feeling in the opening game of the World Cup 2006. It finished 4-2 for Germany.

Because I spent all day in the theatre on Monday, I only saw Brazil - Switzerland, on the day when United players scored all of the goals for the group-winning teams. Only 1-0, and Casemiro's goal came quite late, but there's no denying in who was the better team. Brazil might've played without a keeper. Only problem is, they've been a bit too wasteful with chances in both games so far, and this might end up costing them against an organized team in the knock-out stages. Though to be fair, the only team I see being this organized and being able to keep up with the relentless pace of Brazil is France.

Both Cameroon - Serbia 3-3 and South Korea - Ghana 2-3 seem to have been really spectacular games, so I am sorry to have missed them. Hopefully, I'll get to see Ghana in the knock-out stages, because Uruguay unfortunately is a far cry from the team that almost made the final in 2010.

And since the last round of group games started, life has been tough for the underdogs. Netherlands ended up winning Group A easily, with two wins and a draw, but Ecuador! Perfectly executed game plan against Qatar, getting a draw against the Netherlands and pushing for a win, only to succumb to a rapid response goal from Senegal? It is a shame, as I think Ecuador has been the better team. They played great, except for the last 20 minutes.

Same goes for Iran. Ok, write off the heavy defeat against England, but great game against Wales, just go on and draw against the US. Nope, not if Pulisic has anything to say about it. Just like with Ecuador, I feel Iran is a better team than the US. I've liked American teams historically, but in this tournament, they seem to be over-reliant on Pulisic, and it's not in their makeup to be a star-man team. I don't see them standing a chance against an intensely practical Netherlands.

I'm not gonna comment much on England - Wales as I didn't see the game, yet I knew the score in real-time, thanks to the punters in the pub above our theatre. Sure, well done England. I've said they have a chance to go all the way, but the media might get in the way.

Tunisia beat France yesterday, which is only a mild surprise. The result looks a lot like a favor to a former colony, who would've qualified if Denmark drew Australia. This is why you can't have nice things, France. Not only did Australia qualify, but I also wouldn't put it past them to trouble Argentina a bit in the last 16.

Of course, I wanted Poland to win and eliminate Argentina, but ok, fine. At 2-0 for Argentina I mostly wanted Mexico to score one more and qualify, or for Argentina to score one more and qualify Mexico. But come on, chicos! You can't concede to Saudi Arabis when you need a high-scoring win. Poland goes through without impressing, as does Argentina.

By the way, that Messi penalty? Just a favor for the FIFA darling. What, keepers are no longer allowed to jump for the ball now? Good thing he missed, because he's incompetent. There is a God, and I hope he'll be Australian in the knock-out round.