Вперёд! 2018 World Cup Qualifiers

SoxFanInCali

has the rich, deep voice of a god
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jun 3, 2005
15,557
California. Duh.
Andorra drew 0-0 with Faroe Islands, breaking their 58 game competitive match losing streak. Their last point in a World Cup or Euro qualifier was a scoreless draw with Finland in 2005.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
They should call this Chile-Venezuela match on the mercy rule. 3-0 at 52', it's felt more like 5-0, and they just missed two point-blank shots 1:1 with the keeper.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
T&T holding their own vs Mexico, albeit parking the bus a bit. Just had two bad offsides calls go against T&T, the latter being finished for a score before getting flagged. Should be some controversy there.

edit: also, Mexico are a bunch of floppers. First Chicharito hugely embellishes what was, at best, an incidental grazing, and now #23 doesn't appreciate being jumped over for a header attempt and so just nuzzles the T&T defender and then falls to the ground as if he's been shot in the gut. Just shameful.
 
Last edited:

Bosoxen

Bounced back
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 29, 2005
10,186
T&T holding their own vs Mexico, albeit parking the bus a bit. Just had two bad offsides calls go against T&T, the latter being finished for a score before getting flagged. Should be some controversy there.
I've only managed to watch the first half but I still haven't seen a conclusive replay of the offside call that negated the T&T goal (maybe they covered that during the halftime review). The whistle was a bit late but the beIN announcers seemed split on the call, which would suggest the controversy would be mild, at best.

Also:
edit: also, Mexico are a bunch of floppers. First Chicharito hugely embellishes what was, at best, an incidental grazing, and now #23 doesn't appreciate being jumped over for a header attempt and so just nuzzles the T&T defender and then falls to the ground as if he's been shot in the gut. Just shameful.
Sounds like someone needs a wahmbulance.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
I've only managed to watch the first half but I still haven't seen a conclusive replay of the offside call that negated the T&T goal (maybe they covered that during the halftime review). The whistle was a bit late but the beIN announcers seemed split on the call, which would suggest the controversy would be mild, at best.
Neutral football websites are calling it "robbery on the road", saying that Jones was "at worst level" with the defense.

Sounds like someone needs a wahmbulance.
And that person is Arjen Robben Jesus Molina.

I love football, but the two worst parts of it from a viewing perspective are (a) disrespectfully yelling at and crowding the ref, which Americans do just as much as anyone, and (b) flopping to try and draw or exaggerate calls, which thankfully Americans do a little less than other countries.

Unreviewable bad calls are a close third, but if you stop play to conduct replay reviews, you'd end up with commercial breaks, so I see the argument both ways.
 

Bosoxen

Bounced back
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 29, 2005
10,186
Neutral football websites are calling it "robbery on the road", saying that Jones was "at worst level" with the defense.
Curious that they would go with such a hot take and seemingly go out of their way to provide no visual proof. I wonder why that is? It couldn't possibly be because there was no definitive evidence, could it?

And that person is Arjen Robben Jesus Molina.

I love football, but the two worst parts of it from a viewing perspective are (a) disrespectfully yelling at and crowding the ref, which Americans do just as much as anyone, and (b) flopping to try and draw or exaggerate calls, which thankfully Americans do a little less than other countries.

Unreviewable bad calls are a close third, but if you stop play to conduct replay reviews, you'd end up with commercial breaks, so I see the argument both ways.
Then why are you calling out one individual team? If it's a systemic issue that needs addressing, why the need to score cheap internet points by twisting the knife on the 2014 World Cup fiasco? I don't necessarily disagree that it's a problem within the game (which would be easily remedied by issuing yellow cards for simulation) but you really should suck less. Maybe then you wouldn't have to keep changing your screen name.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
Curious that they would go with such a hot take and seemingly go out of their way to provide no visual proof. I wonder why that is? It couldn't possibly be because there was no definitive evidence, could it?
There was a replay on the live broadcast, which looked definitive to me at the time, and prompted my post. Were you watching the game live?

That site was far from the only one to have that take. SB Nation offered a screenshot. I wouldn't exactly call it sizzling-hot, it appears to be the consensus. Feel free to bring your own "definitive evidence".

Then why are you calling out one individual team? If it's a systemic issue that needs addressing, why the need to score cheap internet points by twisting the knife on the 2014 World Cup fiasco? I don't necessarily disagree that it's a problem within the game (which would be easily remedied by issuing yellow cards for simulation) but you really should suck less. Maybe then you wouldn't have to keep changing your screen name.
2014 world cup fiasco? What the hell are you talking about? I was talking about last night. I saw two flops. I'm not "twisting the knife" on anything, I'm game threading.

I don't know where you get your ideas.
 

Bosoxen

Bounced back
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 29, 2005
10,186
There was a replay on the live broadcast, which looked definitive to me at the time, and prompted my post. Were you watching the game live?

That site was far from the only one to have that take. SB Nation offered a screenshot. I wouldn't exactly call it sizzling-hot, it appears to be the consensus. Feel free to bring your own "definitive evidence".
I watched my recording of the game after dinner. It looked to me like it could have been a bad call but I would have liked a better angle to make a more definitive call. The screen shot in your link provides no such evidence, since that angle is even worse than that on the telecast.

I have to provide no evidence, since I've made no declaration. The burden of proof is on you, champ.

2014 world cup fiasco? What the hell are you talking about? I was talking about last night. I saw two flops. I'm not "twisting the knife" on anything, I'm game threading.

I don't know where you get your ideas.
So it was an accident that you invoked the name of Arjen Robben while discussing questionable calls in Mexico games (or what TB said)? Get out of here with that shit. I'm serious, suck less.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
So it was an accident that you invoked the name of Arjen Robben while discussing questionable calls in Mexico games (or what TB said)? Get out of here with that shit. I'm serious, suck less.
It actually was. I was picking a name of someone widely known for shameless flopping and whining, and who needed the whambulance. That incident had escaped my memory - though I can certainly understand why it would never escape yours.

Be less of a gratuitous dick to people. We're not all out to get you.
 

Bosoxen

Bounced back
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 29, 2005
10,186
It actually was. I was picking a name of someone widely known for shameless flopping and whining, and who needed the whambulance. That incident had escaped my memory - though I can certainly understand why it would never escape yours.

Be less of a gratuitous dick to people. We're not all out to get you.
I apologize for the Arjen Robben misunderstanding but not for pushing back on your hot takes. If you thought this was a safe space for you to do your Skip Bayless impersonation, you were mistaken.

With that said, I would still like to see a smoking gun on the offside call if you can find one. Fair is fair and my main priority outside of my team winning is that the game is called correctly - even if that turns the outcome in favor of the other guys.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
I apologize for the Arjen Robben misunderstanding but not for pushing back on your hot takes. If you thought this was a safe space for you to do your Skip Bayless impersonation, you were mistaken.

With that said, I would still like to see a smoking gun on the offside call if you can find one. Fair is fair and my main priority outside of my team winning is that the game is called correctly - even if that turns the outcome in favor of the other guys.
I'm happy to engage on the offsides call. Facts matter to me. It's not a "hot take", though, much less a Skip Bayless impersonation - it was the immediate reaction of the announcers, who of course do this for a living.

The closest thing to an aligned sideline view I can find is this video, about 1/3 through the clip. On replay they pause it, with a better camera than the midfield one: you can see where people are running and their relative distance from the box. I've screenshotted it as best I can:



Note that the sideline official is ahead of the defense, so he's not in line to judge it perfectly, and from his angle Jones is certainly ahead of the straight line between him and the last defender. He's just not in the right position.

Now, Mexico is going to make the Finals by way more than 2 points, and T&T is going to miss them by more than 1 point, so it'll all end up being moot. But if the FIFA guidance is, "If an AR is not totally sure about an offside offence, the flag should not be raised", well, I just don't know how anyone could say they should be sure about that.
 
Last edited:

Bosoxen

Bounced back
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 29, 2005
10,186
That particular screen shot - if indeed it is right at the instant that the pass is made - shows that Jones was, at worst, even with the defense and not offside.

Now, allow me to play devil's advocate: the player who receives the ball is not the only one who can be called offside. The other T&T forward looks to me to be in an offside position. Are we sure that's not on whom the infraction was called? He could have been deemed to have affected the play by sucking both defenders towards him, thus making him the guilty party.

Also, the hot take to which I was referring was this (not the issue of the offside):
edit: also, Mexico are a bunch of floppers. First Chicharito hugely embellishes what was, at best, an incidental grazing, and now #23 doesn't appreciate being jumped over for a header attempt and so just nuzzles the T&T defender and then falls to the ground as if he's been shot in the gut. Just shameful.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
Now, allow me to play devil's advocate: the player who receives the ball is not the only one who can be called offside. The other T&T forward looks to me to be in an offside position. Are we sure that's not on whom the infraction was called? He could have been deemed to have affected the play by sucking both defenders towards him, thus making him the guilty party.
It's certainly possible that's who it was called on, but the announcers never clarified to that effective as they'll often do when it's not the ball-handler who was offsides, and more importantly, that player was much closer to the defenders and even-more-obviously onsides (see the live cut for the best angle, but the replay shows the AR putting up the flag the moment Jones touches the ball, rather than when the other player drew a defender as they went into the box). I feel pretty comfortable saying that the call was on Jones.

It was a close call either way, though. And mistakes are always a lot more common in situations like this where the player is level with the defense at the moment the ball is played, but then accelerates and is a step ahead of them by the time he receives the ball. Luis Suarez gets probably 2 offside calls a game, maybe one out of 10 erroneously because of that issue. Griezmann's had his share.
 

trekfan55

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 29, 2004
11,567
Panama
One interesting thing is that Panama's coach said in his press conference that the new HC of the T&T team is doing an excellent job and has really turned this team around. After the first two games they were considered the bottom dwellers of the Hex. At this point no one knows.
 

Bosoxen

Bounced back
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 29, 2005
10,186
the announcers never clarified to that effective as they'll often do when it's not the ball-handler who was offsides
On which network did you watch the game (not being snarky, honestly curious if there was another team of announcers)? The beIN announcers didn't clarify that point but one of the guys was too busy ranting and raving about what a bad call it was to have been capable of making that distinction. The other guy remained quiet but seemed to be trolling his booth mate but curtly insisting the call was legit. Unfortunately, as I recently ditched cable, I no longer have access to the far better announcing teams on Univision.

Your point about the flag going up once Jones received the ball would seem to suggest the call was on him. Either that or that line judge is a dunce and the late flag is what caused the late whistle - though it may not have been that late as the referee got on Jones' case for not stopping play when he heard the whistle.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
It might have been BeIN, to be honest I'm not sure - it was an internet stream so I take what I get, I was just watching until the US game started.

"the line judge is a dunce" is not a poor bet here for a number of reasons.

Oh, and welcome to the cord-cutting club. We can afford better drinks, but most of us still have our parents' cable logins in order to stream stuff.
 

Zososoxfan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 30, 2009
9,201
South of North
Sampaoli to Argentina official. He's paying the 1.5M Euros release clause himself. I cannot begin to explain how excited I am about this. IMO, they have not had a manager of this quality since Pekerman in 2006. Not only is Sampaoli is phenomenal manager, I think his ideas are simple enough that he can get NTs to adapt quickly and effectively. With most teams playing Argentina very defensively, the high aggressive press will be a godsend. It will be interesting to see more of his system and how he avoids it devolving into a 5-0-5 formation since he's obviously aware of the susceptibility of a high press to counters. Sampaoli also has enough authority already that he has called up Icardi, who apparently is hated by the rest of his mates. He has not called Aguero or Lavezzi for his first squad too. The man is passionate for this job and has the acumen to do it well. Hopefully, AFA can stay out of their own way and let the man and his squad work. Vamos carajo!
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
Anyone watching the other CONCACAF games tonight? Pretty late start for them. I guess Mexico is at home tonight and sunday because they were on the road the first two Hex games. CRC-Panama is probably more meaningful for the US.

Honduras hasn't had the better opening half hour, but they've created a few opportunities and just been one good play short.

edit: goal by Alanis for Mexico on a nice header at the 6. I might switch games at halftime.
 
Last edited:

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,716
Watching Mexico/Honduras. Mexico looking much more dangerous, but Honduras just had a ball slide across the Mexican goal mouth and no one at back post.

Announcer is hilarious.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
Costa Rican defender just got a straight red for a (retaliatory) elbow to the face on a corner. Only 53' gone, game is still scoreless. Panama's got a real chance of at least a point here.

edit: game finishes 0-0, panama takes an away point in costa rica. Things got pretty CONCACAF-y at times.
 
Last edited:

trekfan55

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 29, 2004
11,567
Panama
Costa Rican defender just got a straight red for a (retaliatory) elbow to the face on a corner. Only 53' gone, game is still scoreless. Panama's got a real chance of at least a point here.

edit: game finishes 0-0, panama takes an away point in costa rica. Things got pretty CONCACAF-y at times.
Totally a homer but I think we were robbed of a penalty near the end.

And Costa Rica had a few chances at the end but some very good saves by Penedo and Roman Torres had an amazing game. Getting 1 point in Costa Rica is amazing.
 

Zososoxfan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 30, 2009
9,201
South of North
Costa Rican defender just got a straight red for a (retaliatory) elbow to the face on a corner. Only 53' gone, game is still scoreless. Panama's got a real chance of at least a point here.

edit: game finishes 0-0, panama takes an away point in costa rica. Things got pretty CONCACAF-y at times.
Yeah, that game was quintessential CONCACAF in my mind. Draw was probably the best result for the US, with CR and Panama immediately ahead and behind us in the Hex.

Looking at the table, it's pretty ridiculous that CONCACAF gets 3.5 spots. It really should be 2.5, although FIFA understands that getting the US is very important.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,421
I agree that CONCACAF's allotment is generous, but I think the AFC's 4.5 is worse.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
If you were going by team rankings, you'd give UEFA half the bids, CONMEBOL one third, and the rest of the world could split the last few. You'd have the best teams all there, but it would be a much poorer event as a showcase for world unity and shared joys of sport (which, whatever you might say about FIFA, it really is). You have to unbalance the bids in favor of more-populous countries and more-countried regions in order to get the event looking right.

I won't say 4.5 for the AFC is absolutely the perfect number, but it's probably not too far off. And in practice - let's be real - it's just 4 bids. Their #5 team has gotten its ass kicked every cycle*, going backwards in time they've faced and lost to Uruguay, New f'ing Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, Ireland... and this year Uzbekistan or whoever is going to get roasted by Panama or Honduras if they're lucky, or the USA if they're not.

* OK, fine, Iran beat Australia in 1998 on away goals, and actually won a match at the WCF as some might recall, but the point stands
 

Schnerres

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 28, 2009
1,554
Germany
Bosnias assistant coach knocked out greek players´tooth after the game ended. Lot of drama (bosnian fans booed greek anthem, AS Roma club mates Dzeko and Manolas grabbed each others neck, fans fighting with police, etc.), while the match ended in a draw.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,716
Look at their 2014 WC results--in their first game they had a 0-0 draw with Nigeria, who advanced, and in their second game they lost to Argentina 1-0.

Not sure how B&H put 3 past them in their finale--they actually had a chance to advance when the day started.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,421
Another abject failure of a qualifying campaign for China. At least they made it to the AFC final round this time, something they did not achieve in the 2014, 2010, or 2006 cycles. They benefited from the final round's expansion from 10 to 12 countries, as they were the worst 2nd place team to make the cut.

Qatar has been officially eliminated, too. There's always 2022, right guys?

Group B has an interesting three-way competition at the top between Japan (17 pts), Saudi Arabia (16), and Australia (16). With two games left, Japan still has to play both of the other contenders:

UAE vs. SA
JPN vs. AUS

AUS vs. THA
SA vs. JPN

The third place team will likely face Uzbekistan, although it's possible that SK will blow it and drop to third in Group A; they have to host Iran and travel to Uzbekistan.

The winner of the third place playoff earns the right to experience some CONCACAFing.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
The travel in Asia is insane. That JPN and KSA are on (in?) the same continent is nuts.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,421
Honduras up 2-1 now. A Honduras win or a draw is good news for the US.
 

trekfan55

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 29, 2004
11,567
Panama
Honduras up 2-1 now. A Honduras win or a draw is good news for the US.
Beautiful goal by Torres to equalize.

2-2 final after a very CONCACAFy 7 minutes extra time (and the referee gave them 2 more because Honduras was wasting too much time).
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,591
Pittsburgh, PA
The whole 2nd half was super CONCACAF-y. My favorite part was the fans throwing rocks at the Honduran player trying to take a corner, and when he complained as to how exactly he was supposed to take a corner when there are rocks flying at him, he was shown a yellow.
 

trekfan55

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 29, 2004
11,567
Panama
The whole 2nd half was super CONCACAF-y. My favorite part was the fans throwing rocks at the Honduran player trying to take a corner, and when he complained as to how exactly he was supposed to take a corner when there are rocks flying at him, he was shown a yellow.
Oh it was. I'm a full homer here but the referee let the game get out of hand until he had to do stuff like show a yellow to the guy taking a corner when ice (It looked like ice to me) was thriwn at him.

At ine point the Honduran goalie pretended to be hurt, took off his gloves, tied his shoelaces and everything and the referee did nothing. Panama players were helping the Honduras people take stuff off the field (like medical kits) and then took the gatorade thermos from a guy (this is part of what drove the referee to warn the Honduras bench that he would add two minutes).

All in all a very dirty game. And Honduras excels at those.

Still in 4th place, with road games vs USA and Mexico yet to play.
 

SoxFanInCali

has the rich, deep voice of a god
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jun 3, 2005
15,557
California. Duh.
Despite playing over half the game with 10 men, Belgium is up 9-0 on Gibraltar. Meunier and Lukaku will have to fight over the match ball, as they both have hat tricks.

Lemar hasn't been distracted by the transfer talk, he's scored twice for France as they are up 4-0 on the Netherlands. The Dutch are on the brink of missing out on Russia.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,421
Japan became the fourth country to qualify for 2018 today, following Russia, Brazil, and Iran. AFC results have set up a bit of final-day drama:

In Group A, South Korea (14 pts), Syria, and Uzbekistan (both 12 pts) are in contention for the second automatic qualification place. Uzbekistan will host South Korea and could vault ahead of them with a win. Syria has to travel to Iran, who have won the group and have yet to concede a goal in nine matches(!) They'd finish no worse than third with a win, though getting such a result would be unlikely. They've been playing their home matches in Malaysia, so it's impressive that they've gotten this far.

Uzbekistan in WCQ has been one of those always the bridesmaid, never the bride countries.

In Group B, Japan has clinched first place. Second place is down to Australia and Saudi Arabia, who are tied on points, but the Saudis have a two-goal GD edge. Australia will host Thailand, who are in last place with a -17 GD. Saudi Arabia will host Japan. Assuming Australia doesn't throw up all over themselves, Saudi Arabia will need to win and make sure they aren't overtaken on GD.


Third place countries face each other for the right to play CONCACAF #4.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,163
Cambridge, MA
Malta are making challenges that would be yellows in the Premier League seemingly every minute or two in this qualifier v. England. Henderson, Bertrand, and especially Sterling have been victims of raised studs.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,421
In a certain sense, CAF qualifying can be the most brutal. The quality in other confederations is higher, but the travel makes things tricky and the format is harsh. The final round is five groups of four, groups winners advance. There's no playoff for second place finishers, so if you get a tough draw or you slip up in a six-game round robin, you're screwed.

Group A
It looks like it's down to Tunisia and DR Congo. The former hosts the latter today. DRC made it to the WC once, as Zaire, in 74. Tunisia qualified in 78, 98, 02, and 06, but has missed out on the last two.

Group B
Nigeria is running away with this. Since first qualifying for the WC in 1994, they've only missed out once, in 2006. Cameroon (every WC since 1990 except 2006) and Algeria (82, 86, 10, 14) look dead in the water.

Group C
Côte d'Ivoire (06, 10, 14) has an early lead after two games, but three of four matches have been draws thus far so nobody is completely done yet. Morocco (70, 86, 94, 98) hasn't qualified in some time. Gabon is probably screwed because PEA didn't accept the most recent call up. Mali has never qualified despite some AFCON successes.

Group D
Cape Verde has fallen behind the back but currently Burkina Faso (never) has the lead on GD over South Africa (98, 02, 10) and a one point lead over Senegal (02).

Group E
Uganda (never) narrowly leads the group over Egypt (90), who have won the AFCON more than anyone else but usually flop in WCQ for whatever reason. Ghana (06, 10, 14) will very likely not play the US in a fourth consecutive WC - with only two points from three games and one home game remaining, they look done.
 

fletcherpost

sosh's feckin' poet laureate
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,128
Glasgow, Scotland
Scotland are two up against Lithuania. Armstrong got the first, then Robertson got the second, and is the first time a Liverpool player has scored for Scotland since Kenny Dalglish in 1984.

They're playing some decent stuff at times. Got to say Kieran Tierney is a really good player. Not great opposition but a win would still be nice.