# Brasil 2014 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 6, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840 "2014-05-06T21:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![Parenchyma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Parenchyma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parenchyma)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/581 "2014-06-16T17:10:05Z")
This [twitter pic](https://twitter.com/benny_berger/status/478581970298212352/photo/1) is hilarious (I must have been looking at my laptop when that happened). ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/582 "2014-06-16T17:10:25Z")
The best bet for the US is probably to beat Ghana convincingly, draw with Portugal and lose to Germany by less than Portugal. Easier said than done but this game makes it a little more likely. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/583 "2014-06-16T17:11:01Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > This has to be the ideal result for the USA… our best bet of advancing is to come in second behind Germany, meaning we want Germany to beat Portugal and Ghana as badly as possible. And the more red cards and frustrations Portugal has coming into their game vs. us, the better. > > Obviously we MUST beat Ghana later on today… Well I don’t think that the U.S. can beat or draw against Germany or Portugal. So can 3 points get one out of this group? If they lose or draw today they’re done. Do I have this right? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/584 "2014-06-16T17:17:05Z")
I am quite enjoying this ref. Gives a pen - Portugal gets in his face, starts physically pushing them away (as well as backing up). Sends off Pepe, pushes him in the chest to get him to walk away too. He’s got some sack at least (though he’s a Serbian and all the people from that country I have met brook no arguments, so I wasn’t expecting differently) - I can’t imagine the shit a ref would get in the Premier League for daring to touch one of the players. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/585 "2014-06-16T17:17:15Z")
Wow. Trying real hard not to get my hopes up for U.S.-Portugal game. Not only is Germany making Portugal look like shit, but they even seem like they hate _each other_. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/586 "2014-06-16T17:20:52Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Well I don’t think that the U.S. can beat or draw against Germany or Portugal. So can 3 points get one out of this group? If they lose or draw today they’re done. > > Do I have this right? 😕 _Two_ points could get somebody out of the group, if Portugal/USA/Ghana all draw, and all lose to Germany. But probably the most likely route through for the US is to beat Ghana and draw Portugal. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/587 "2014-06-16T17:21:17Z")
Portugal and Ronaldo have lost the crowd. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/588 "2014-06-16T17:21:42Z")
Pretty sure one of the commentators just said his mother could play better than Portugal. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/589 "2014-06-16T17:24:00Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > _Two_ points could get somebody out of the group, if Portugal/USA/Ghana all draw, and all lose to Germany. But probably the most likely route through for the US is to beat Ghana and draw Portugal. Thanks. I have trouble with the permutations of group play. :rolleyes:😕 ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/590 "2014-06-16T17:26:29Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Well I don’t think that the U.S. can beat or draw against Germany or Portugal. So can 3 points get one out of this group? If they lose or draw today they’re done. > > Do I have this right? 😕 If you think the best the US can do is three points (and only by beating GHA, not three draws), then they are in bad shape. AFAICT, that means the only workable scenario is for Ghana to beat Portugal and lose to Germany (after losing to US of course), which would leave the table at: GER 9, US 3, POR 3, GHA 3. Then it goes to goal differential. Only one 3-point team has ever made it out of a WC group. And 4-point teams are only a bit over 50/50 historically. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/591 "2014-06-16T17:28:48Z")
I think USA can get 4 pts. We shall see. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/592 "2014-06-16T17:36:58Z")
That should have been a Portugal penalty. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/593 "2014-06-16T17:37:27Z")
I don’t think a US draw with Portugal is out of the question or even unlikely. 'Course, I would have said otherwise this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/594 "2014-06-16T17:38:47Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I don’t think a US draw with Portugal is out of the question or even unlikely. 'Course, I would have said otherwise this morning. Portugal are often a bit fragile. They are talented but can come apart at the seams. 4-0 now. Hat trick for Müller! ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/595 "2014-06-16T17:40:01Z")
I don’t think a US _win against Portugal – this Portugal – is out of the question. Doesn’t mean it will happen, but I don’t think anyone could watch this game and say that it can’t_. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/596 "2014-06-16T17:42:21Z")
I don’t expect Portugal (or Spain) to repeat their first dismal performance. If Port does play this horribly then yes, the U.S. can draw. IMO ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/597 "2014-06-16T17:42:38Z")
Come on, Mannschaft, keep raining 'em in! ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/598 "2014-06-16T17:44:12Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > I don’t expect Portugal (or Spain) to repeat their first dismal performance. If Port does play this horribly then yes, the U.S. can draw. IMO This. We won’t, unfortunately, be playing _this_ team. They’ll be a completely different side in six days. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/599 "2014-06-16T17:46:26Z")
If I recall correctly, the US was roughly a 9:2 underdog to beat Portugal as of _yesterday_, while Portugal was something like a 2:3 favorite to get a win themselves. If the US was considered to have about a 40% chance to draw or win against Portugal \*before \*this game was played, they have to be considered a credible opponent. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/600 "2014-06-16T17:51:22Z")
A bit of topic, but I have to say that the CBC streaming is pretty nice. Good quality video, and instant access to rewind anywhere, with goals, cards, etc. all marked on the timeline. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=31)