# World Cup 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 7, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615 "2018-06-07T18:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 28
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/541 "2018-06-22T16:26:50Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > On a side note, there seems to be no way to abbreviate Niger or Nigeria without the abbreviation sounding like a racial slur. “The N-country” is currently acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/542 "2018-06-22T16:37:26Z")
2-0; now the slightest of window openings cracking a tad wider for Argentina later on. Still need the Croats to draw Iceland in a low-scoring match though. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/543 "2018-06-22T16:42:37Z")
Missed PK for Iceland would have given them hope… hard to see coming back from that. (On the plus side, I absolutely love VAR getting penalty calls right in both directions. Neymar’s diving was ignored, and this one, despite not being heinous, does seem to be the correct call.) ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/544 "2018-06-22T17:03:20Z")
That missed PK could have big tiebreaker implications too, if Iceland manages to win against Croatia. Same with that stupid third goal yesterday where the Argentina defenders decided to stop playing. Argentina actually isn’t in terrible shape now in the group. If they beat Nigeria, then they can only be eliminated if Iceland wins, and even then there’s only a one-goal differential to make up. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/545 "2018-06-22T17:14:13Z")
Yep I’m liking the changes to the refereeing this world cup, we’ve seen: 1. VAR used to make important and correct calls 2. Realistic stoppage time added (not just the standard 3-4 minutes but 6-7 for games that had lots of stoppages) 3. Refs starting to not take any BS (aka the thing I was complaining about upthread). In Brazil game I think there were 2 yellow cards for petulance / arguing with ref. Good. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/546 "2018-06-22T17:17:17Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Iceland again down 1-0. Can they again fight back? Croatia has already advanced. They will likely rest their stars against Iceland on matchday 3. I’m sure Messi will urge his boy Rakitic to play hard. I’m sure Messi, to some degree, has control over Rakitic’s future paycheck.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/547 "2018-06-22T17:40:54Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > Argentina actually isn’t in terrible shape now in the group. If they beat Nigeria, then they can only be eliminated if Iceland wins, and even then there’s only a one-goal differential to make up. Yes, they just need their offense to wake up for once. Goal-scoring is going to factor heavily in the two tiebreakers. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/548 "2018-06-22T18:09:54Z")
Marcelo is waiting for some half decent CF to make him his bitch. The guy seems to think he is a forward. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/549 "2018-06-22T23:20:05Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Marcelo is waiting for some half decent CF to make him his bitch. The guy seems to think he is a forward. This already happened in the Infamous Semifinal. He was constantly pushing forward and couldn’t be arsed to track back. He caused the corner that led to goal #1 like this, and his total disinterest in trying to shut down the right side let Philipp Lahm run amok. He shared a big chunk of blame for goals 1, 3 and 6. Apparently that experience wasn’t instructive. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/550 "2018-06-23T01:10:55Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Yep I’m liking the changes to the refereeing this world cup, we’ve seen: > > 1. VAR used to make important and correct calls… Did you see Serbia v Switzerland? The VAR guy must have been on a toilet break when two Swiss defenders [did this in the box](https://twitter.com/paddypower/status/1010243999268065280/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eurosport.com%2Ffootball%2Fworld-cup%2F2018%2Flive-serbia-switzerland_mtc825882%2Flive.shtml). Was a good game in all other respects. ETA: The Serbians had someone in the [VAR room…](https://twitter.com/draganmincic/status/1010277480941449217) ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/551 "2018-06-23T02:31:51Z")
IMHO, Germany’s players should wear a uniform of a black shirt, red shorts and yellow socks+shoes, so as to visually represent the flag. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/552 "2018-06-23T02:38:22Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Did you see Serbia v Switzerland? The VAR guy must have been on a toilet break when two Swiss defenders [did this in the box](https://twitter.com/paddypower/status/1010243999268065280/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eurosport.com%2Ffootball%2Fworld-cup%2F2018%2Flive-serbia-switzerland_mtc825882%2Flive.shtml). While _I_ consider such shenanigans to be fouls, and when I refereed called penalties for them, at high-level soccer that sort of mugging is quite routinely not considered a foul. No, don’t go look at Law 12, because it’s clearly a foul by the wording of the Law. It’s just that strikers are required to EARN their goals, or some such thing. There was a game in the first round of group games where someone was called for a penalty when he practically grabbed the guy around the neck and threw him to the ground. The fact that he thought he had a chance to get away with that says everything about how much leniency is given to defenders in the penalty area. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/553 "2018-06-23T03:46:22Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Did you see Serbia v Switzerland? The VAR guy must have been on a toilet break when two Swiss defenders [did this in the box](https://twitter.com/paddypower/status/1010243999268065280/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eurosport.com%2Ffootball%2Fworld-cup%2F2018%2Flive-serbia-switzerland_mtc825882%2Flive.shtml). Well my post was before the Swiss Serbia game, so no at that time I hadn’t. But the referee chose not to use the VAR; it’s not that a wrong call was made after reviewing the video. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/554 "2018-06-23T05:05:45Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > This already happened in the Infamous Semifinal. He was constantly pushing forward and couldn’t be arsed to track back. He caused the corner that led to goal #1 like this, and his total disinterest in trying to shut down the right side let Philipp Lahm run amok. He shared a big chunk of blame for goals 1, 3 and 6. Apparently that experience wasn’t instructive. In this year’s CL Final, Salah caught him out of position about 4 times, before Ramos did his thing. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/555 "2018-06-23T05:07:49Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > There was a game in the first round of group games where someone was called for a penalty when he practically grabbed the guy around the neck and threw him to the ground. The fact that he thought he had a chance to get away with that says everything about how much leniency is given to defenders in the penalty area. :dubious: No penalty was given. That was a Tunisian defender on Harry Kane. There is leniancy and there is the CF literally wearing a defender. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/556 "2018-06-23T05:33:27Z")
So, right now, betwixt Argentina and Iceland and the fair-play tiebreaker, who’s got more yellow/red cards at the moment? ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/557 "2018-06-23T05:34:44Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Well my post was before the Swiss Serbia game, so no at that time I hadn’t. > > But the referee chose not to use the VAR; it’s not that a wrong call was made after reviewing the video. But the call can come [from the control room](https://football-technology.fifa.com/en/media-tiles/video-assistant-referee-var/)- > [@](#): > > The referee informs the VAR, or the VAR recommends to the referee that a decision/incident should be reviewed. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/558 "2018-06-23T12:16:37Z")
Belgium is looking damn good. Can’t wait for their match Thursday against England. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/559 "2018-06-23T12:18:24Z")
Tunisia equalize! Man there should be a way for three teams to advance. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/560 "2018-06-23T12:20:42Z")
Did anyone notice how much the Tunisian player moved the ball up on the set piece goal they just scored? I saw that but apparently none of the Belgians nor the referee did. Gave himself at least 2-3 more yards. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615.md?page=27) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615.md?page=29)