2018 World Cup running thread

I didn't realize Germany was in trouble. When I heard the Korea score, I figured they were resting the starters for the knockout round.

 

Deutschland had no business whatsoever getting punked by South Korea in the game of soccer. Time to show Jogi the way out of Jellystone Park.

 

How did they determine that Japan advanced over Senegal?

 

Just to get out in front of this:

A) Yes, using Fair Play Points as a tiebreaker is stupid. Find me one that isn't and still works when the tied teams are at different sites.
2) Those are the rules. Everyone knew that going in. You don't like 'em, change 'em.
III) Before condemning Japan and throwing your undying loyalty behind Belgium and/or England (assuming you haven't already), ask yourself if you'd be similarly outraged if the US advanced to a World Cup knockout round in similar fashion. There is no shame in soccer, certainly not at this level.

 

Japan picked up two fewer yellow cards than Senegal in the group stage, so they advanced via Fair Play points -- the seventh of eight tiebreakers.

 

LOL. Enough mocking of soccer.

How did they really determine it?

 

Fair Play is better than drawing lots. At least it has an element of team control in it. Total chance is the worst way to decide it.

 

I have zero problem with deciding the fourth tiebreak by yellows.

People want to bitch just to bitch.

 

The only other thing that might work is shots, or shots on target—to reward the team that created more chances. But Fair Play is an idea I can respect, too.

Incidentally, Fair Play is all that separates Belgium and England going into today's match, so that could be interesting. Especially since there's a good argument to be made that finishing second in that group is the advantage.

 

So, because the refs handed out more yellow cards to the black guys, than they did to the Asian guys, Japan moves on?

Yeah. There’s nothing subjective about that.

 

Why?

 

Group H refs were from Slovenia, Bahrain, Italy, Mexico, Zambia, and Serbia. If there's a conspiracy behind this, it's a truly global one.