The Soccer Thread (Version 8)

Place your bets now. Wales will not qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

 

What an odd assertion, but you can probably get great odds in Cardiff right now, so make a few inquiries.

 

Heck of a ride for Iceland.

 

Their group doesn't look that strong. You think Ireland and/or Serbia is better than Wales?

 

Nobody wants to see Portugal in the final who isn't from there.

 

Germany still needs to get through France. Wales has the easier bracket but it isn't a given that they'll get through. I think just about everyone prefers them to Portugal.

Klinsmann should have done the same after getting knocked out of the Gold Cup last year...

 

I really like the kid Sanches, but Portugal has a lot of unlikable players. Given the ages their current roster, their window may be really close to being shut even by the time of WC 2018. Part of me think that this will be the game where Ronaldo finally shows up. He's certainly been laboring since the latter part of La Liga/UCL.

On the other side, France looked good going forward, but they gave up a decent number of chances against a pretty crap Iceland team.

 

Wales did nothing all game and couldn't stop Ronaldo when it mattered.

 

Well, crap.

 

Actually, Wales played a fine first half, getting the ball in position to make plays, but couldn't convert. But in the second half, as you say, they couldn't stop Ronaldo when it counted, then conceded another goal two minutes later and that was the game. Whatever else you can say about Portugal, they know what to do with a 2-0 lead.

 

I thought that they really didn't do anything threatening -- Portugal were there for the taking in the first half and they barely made them sweat.