So if it is a dive, which is against the rule, and a foul at the same time, what would be the punishment?
I was impressed by the sportsmanship of the Mexican team. They never dived or flopped that I saw, unlike many teams in this WC. I will root for them more often in the future.
Some of them did fall. But then, the one who fell the hardest and stayed the longest on the grass also had an excuse. He fractured his leg.
That was a very close offside call on Nigeria there.
I’m at work, so I can only do the play by play from the FIFA website. 
And I may miss part of this game and the next due to work events.
For tomorrow, I offered to work during Argentina’s game so that my coworker, the true Argentina fan, could take off work.
Wow, what got into Nigeria? Nice to see them finally play! They’re making a game of it.
Also, may I hartily reccommend “men in blazers” for some great pre- and post match analysis. One ffine example here: http://www.espnfc.com/video/men-in-blazers/103/video/1922846/men-in-blazers-boot-room-extramatchday-17
“bye. bye, Mexican Hodor”
I guess Nigeria didn’t get the memo that they were supposed to just roll over and let France win.
holy cow - that was close!
Despite that chance France have looked flat so far. They have been called the best team of the tournament so far and they certainly haven’t played like that in this game.
This a) doesn’t make any sense, as advantage is a zero-sum game, so the two amount to the same thing, and b) is incorrect, as the Laws of the Game specifically mention the team being fouled against benefiting from an advantage:
[QUOTE=FIFA]
[The referee] allows play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed will benefit from such an advantage and penalises the original
offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time
[/QUOTE]
That should be the game. To their credit France did raise their game in the last 10 minutes.
Goal for France.
The Nigerian goalkeeper needed to get a better punch on that cross.
After steadily ramping up the pressure, France score off a header from Pogba!
ETA Nigeria have been dangerous, best game of the tournament for them. But France are deservedly in the lead.
+1. Even I know that if you’re going to come that far off your line on a corner, you’ve got to get a better touch on it than a tepid slap. And I haven’t even gone to keeper school.
Well, now it’s definitely over.
To be fair, Enyeama has made quite a few excellent saves.
In other news, Suarez has apologized publicly for biting. He still says that he was off balance, even though on video this is obviously a lie.
And a second goal for France! A sad own goal. Nigeria appeared defeated even before that goal.
Absolutely. That was really his only misstep, and he made some very nice saves.
Here’s why I favor France as the best side so far this tournament:
- They play tactically sound, and for the most part, attractive football. Even when not everything is being well-executed individually, they remain calm, collected, and dangerous at any moment.
- They have a large variety of attacking options. Their 10 goals this tournament have been scored by seven different players, by my count (excluding the Nigeria own goal). When they need to, they can score.
- Their defense has been among the most solid this tournament. All of the other favorites have revealed significant shakiness defending. Not so France.
- They have never seemed in any real danger of being upset. To be fair, Germany has faced more difficult opposition, but Ghana threatened them far more than Nigeria threatened France. Brazil and Argentina both have had scarier moments. Belgium were not especially solid against either Korea or Russia.
The other side I’ve thoroughly enjoyed as a neutral is Colombia.
Mats Hummels is out with the flu. Fullbacks are Mustafi and Howedes. Gaaaackkk.
Oops, screwed up France’s goal count. France’s 8 goals (excluding two own goals) were scored by six different players.