The Official Soccer, Football, Futbol, and Footie Thread

[Packer]

hahahah, that's right.

[betao]

Just read this on ESPN. Breakdown on what needs to happen to advance:

Simplest Scenarios

- Germany: Advance with win/draw vs. USA
- United States: Advance with win/draw vs. GER
- Portugal: Advance with win vs. GHA and GER/USA do not tie, IF POR wins tiebreak with loser (see below)
- Ghana: Advance with win vs. POR and GER/USA do not tie, IF GHA wins tiebreak with loser (see below)

U.S. Scenarios

- Win/draw vs. Germany
- Loss and Portugal-Ghana draw
- Loss and win tiebreaker vs. Portugal-Ghana winner

Tiebreakers

If the United States loses, Ghana would qualify instead if either game is decided by a margin of two goals or more. If the U.S. loses by one goal, Ghana would need to win by two goals or be involved in a higher-scoring one-goal win. For instance, a 1-0 scoreline in both games would put the United States through on head-to-head. So, if the U.S. loses 1-0, then Ghana must win 2-1 to qualify on goals scored.

To surpass the U.S., Portugal will need a goal-difference swing of five (head-to-head is level). So for instance, Portugal would need to win 3-0 and U.S. lose 2-0, among other equivalent scorelines. The teams will draw lots if goal difference is identical (this would happen with a 3-0 U.S. defeat and a 2-0 Portugal win, for example).

[Phantasma Del Mar]

The most sobering moment I've experienced in awhile was while watching Portugal score that final goal today, in a bar full of about 200 people dressed in USA garb. Guess we'll see what happens Thursday.

[chbludevil]

Both team that have played previously in Manaus have lost their next game. USA has to play Germany with the Germans having an extra days rest. Ghana plays Portugal with an extra days rest. I think Portugal is as good as done but if Ghana goes through over us, FML.

[Packer]

Whatever happens, I'm happy Klinsmann is teaching our guys to play football.

[geo-god]

the US and the Germans just need to come out, shake hands, and kick the ball back and forth for 90 minutes.

haha!!! this.

[geo-god]

I think i'ma have a heart attack.

[algunz]

Awesome!!!

[ambient sounds]

And thats what happens when you piss off the Mexican team.

They were so nervous and dead until those two clear penalty fouls.

[geo-god]

You hit it right on the nose. They played incredible.

[geo-god]

I knew shit was for real when i saw this...

[Corona89]

Man if USA doesn't advance to the next round my jimmies might never unrustle.

[algunz]

This is the Americas Cup. The US will advance, and then the real surprises will come.

[geo-god]

LIMIT MISTAKES!

[algunz]

Has anybody seen Pele, btw? I figured we'd see The King plenty during this tournament. I was looking forward to it.

[algunz]

LIMIT MISTAKES!

Somebody please tell me, wtf, was Howard doing here? Disregard the defensive mistake upfield, did he even try to block the shot? His hands never left his face.

[geo-god]

I unno...

the element of surprise maybe. That pass was inch perfect. Nothing Howard could do about that.

[algunz]

There was plenty he could have tried. Extend his arms for fucks sake. The ball was only coming at him from half field, yet he seems to be caught off guard.

And the first goal, don't get me started on the first goal. Or that "epic" save he had after the pole saved his ass a second prior.

[guedita]

Incredible work, gunz. Even better than your Ghana-US analysis.

[bobert]

There was plenty he could have tried. Extend his arms for fucks sake. The ball was only coming at him from half field, yet he seems to be caught of guard.

And the first goal, don't get me started on the first goal. Or that "epic" save he had after the pole saved his ass a second prior.

So after a US defender shanks his clear and mistakenly passes the ball to a wide open Nani and he scores from point blank range, this is the fault of our keeper?

[kvnty]

When balls come at my face, my initial knee-jerk reaction is to block them and not let them slip by.

[TickleMeElmo]

Is it just me or does Belgium & Argentina as possible future opponents for us not seem as bleak as it used to now?

[mountmccabe]

There was plenty he could have tried. Extend his arms for fucks sake. The ball was only coming at him from half field, yet he seems to be caught off guard.

If you watch actual video rather than a small gif you can see that he does extend his arms. It is especially clear in the second replay from behind the goal. And, as bobert points out, the ball didn't come at him from "half field", it came from point blank range off of the head of Varela after it was redirected completely from Ronaldo's perfect pass.

Howard was in the right place, he was watching the field but, yeah, his defense really let him down.

The first goal was because even more because his defense - specifically Cameron - let him down with a poor clear. Though to be fair he still could have saved it if he hadn't gone down on his ass.

[mountmccabe]

Is it just me or does Belgium & Argentina as possible future opponents for us not seem as bleak as it used to now?

Algeria, but yes. It could be a lot worse and, really, at this point, they're all going to be tough teams or they wouldn't be there.

[bobert]

The first goal was because even more because his defense - specifically Cameron - let him down with a poor clear. Though to be fair he still could have saved it if he hadn't gone down on his ass.

That's the goal I was referring to. The second goal was just a perfectly placed ball - probably the play of the tourney so far. I feel like most people saw that and knew that they'd just seen the best player in the world do something extraordinary, but apparently there was at least one person that thought that man of the match Tim Howard just cost us the game.

[mountmccabe]

Oh, sorry about that; I should've picked up on it by you taking about Nani.

[guedita]

It should be mentioned that Howard fell on his butt on the first goal because he fell for Nani's fake. It should also be mentioned that it's not possible all of the time for keepers to even have a passing chance at stopping the ball. Particularly when it's redirected from a header at that speed.

[zenidogx]

I'm kind of excited. I think Mexico can actually beat Netherlands.

[nosurprises12]

I thought Howard sold himself a bit for the first goal, but Nani was always going to score in that position. For the second, Howard had to make a split-second decision and chose to go to his right - and he instantly realized he made the wrong choice, hence the standing there looking like he didn't try.

I seriously cannot believe the Netherlands got through that group with 3 wins, so full credit to van Gaal for getting his tactics right so far. I think Robben and RvP are reveling in the responsibility they have been given in the team (both as the main attacking outlets and as the leaders of a very young team) and with the defense looking (mostly) settled they're in good shape for the game against Mexico. And what a game Brazil v Chile will be to start the Round of 16 - long may the free-scoring nature of the tournament continue.

And then there's this gem; I don't think Xabi Alonso quite gets what is going on.

[ialvarado2]

ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......PUTO!