# 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:** 31
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/601 "2018-06-23T19:57:35Z")
Deserved win for Germany you have to say. Was Hummels not in the lineup today due to injury? If so, that Boateng red hurts. Watch Germany win next week, Sweden beat Mexico, and Germany finish 3rd on “goals for.” ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/602 "2018-06-23T19:59:33Z")
I hate to say this but Germany really deserved to win. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/603 "2018-06-23T20:03:11Z")
It’s looking like the winner of Group B has one of the easiest possible paths to the final with France, Brazil, Germany, Belgium, and second place in B all likely on the other side of the bracket. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/604 "2018-06-23T20:04:30Z")
It’s unbelievable. This time I really thought we messed it up, but then this…Never count us out, never… ---
**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, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/605 "2018-06-23T20:08:34Z")
Is it just me or does England have an unusually long rest break in between its 1st and 2nd games? ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/606 "2018-06-23T20:13:18Z")
My goodness. Did anybody explain to Sweden that the point of parking the bus is to deny your opponent easy access to the goalscoring areas of the pitch? Germany made an absolute mockery of their defence in the second half. They sliced through Sweden again and again with precision passing. ETA: Pity the poor Koreans, who are going to face a German side who have every incentive to try and run up the score for the potential tiebreaker. ---
**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, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/607 "2018-06-23T20:33:12Z")
inch-perfect shot by Kros…wow. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/608 "2018-06-23T20:34:46Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Is it just me or does England have an unusually long rest break in between its 1st and 2nd games? It’ll probably all even out in the end seeing as both final group games happen at the same time. As for Germany? bloody hell. Talk about disjointed. That’s a massive let-off. Belgium look good but they certainly have vulnerabilities, they gave far more opportunities to Tunisia than England did and England will not be so profligate. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/609 "2018-06-23T20:44:20Z")
My heart rate will slow down eventually. But what a finish! Of course, I had just cursed Kroos for a sloppy back-pass… 🇩🇪🇩🇪⚽🇸🇪 ---
**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, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/610 "2018-06-23T20:56:15Z")
Mexico can still fail to qualify with a 2 goal loss to Sweden and a 2 goal win by Germany. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/611 "2018-06-23T21:03:54Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Glad to see S. Korea get one back against Mexico (even though the latter is my sweepstake team). > > They worked hard and had some good chances. And Mexico’s two goals were both a little suspect. > Mexico deserved to win but 2-0 would have been a bit cruel. that was a bad call on the penalty shot. You can’t play soccer with your arms in your pocket. You need them for balance. The logic that he was trying to block the ball with his body and therefore it’s a handball is complete nonsense. It’s basic math. You are within X distance of a player and he has Y amount of time to react and move his arm away. There’s no way the player could have avoided being hit in the arm with the ball. I missed the second half so I don’t know who “deserved” to win but that penalty shot was a poor call IMO. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/612 "2018-06-23T21:16:15Z")
Korea’s goal was amazing. I think the handball was a very close call — could be justified either way. What do you (Mijin) mean by the other Mexico goal being suspect? Possibly offsides? ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/613 "2018-06-23T23:08:21Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Mexico can still fail to qualify with a 2 goal loss to Sweden and a 2 goal win by Germany. It wouldn’t even take that much. If Sweden and Germany each win by one, then they and Mexico will all be on +1 goal differential. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/614 "2018-06-23T23:12:05Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Korea’s goal was amazing. > I think the handball was a very close call — could be justified either way. > What do you (Mijin) mean by the other Mexico goal being suspect? Possibly offsides? If I recall correctly, there was an arguably foul in midfield preceding Mexico’s second goal. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/615 "2018-06-23T23:13:12Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > If I recall correctly, there was an arguably foul in midfield preceding Mexico’s second goal. Gracias/Danke ---
**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, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/616 "2018-06-23T23:54:48Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > It wouldn’t even take that much. If Sweden and Germany each win by one, then they and Mexico will all be on +1 goal differential. There are a variety of possibilities but you are mostly correct. Scenarios: Who can qualify for the Round of 16? [Soccer on ESPN - Scores, Stats and Highlights](http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/3535353/world-cup-group-permutations-who-can-qualify-for-the-round-of-16) via @ESPN App [http://es.pn/app](http://es.pn/app) ---
**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 24, 2018, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/617 "2018-06-24T00:56:58Z")
I suppose it’s pretty much guaranteed that Germany will beat SK. Looking more and more like a Brazil-Germany RO16 battle. While Brazil is far more talented, the Germans have the psychological advantage after 7-1 the last World Cup. But luckily no David Luiz this time. That said, Neymar is perfectly capable of getting a yellow next match to get banned for the RO16 match. Hopefully Silva doesn’t pull a similar stunt like last time. I still think Brazil would have beaten Germany last time, and won the World Cup, had it not been for the Neymar being injured and Silva getting that 2nd yellow for GK interference. But perhaps that will be the motivation this time. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/618 "2018-06-24T01:03:38Z")
Maybe. But don’t count out Spain or Belgium quite yet. Anything could happen! Croatia is strong, too. I agree that Brazil will likely be one of the last two standing, but I give Germany only about a 25% chance of being their opponent for that final match. ETA: Portugal, too, is sure fun to watch, but I have the feeling they’re in for a letdown in the round of 16. I’m also pulling for Mexico and Iran, but doubt they’ll get very far (Iran will be very lucky just to get out of group play). ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/619 "2018-06-24T01:05:32Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Maybe. But don’t count out Spain or Belgium quite yet. Anything could happen! Croatia is strong, too. I agree that Brazil will likely be one of the last two standing, but I give Germany only about a 25% chance of being their opponent for that final match. I think Jackknifed Juggernaut is predicting that Brazil and Germany will meet in the round of 16, not in the finals ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/620 "2018-06-24T01:10:45Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > I think Jackknifed Juggernaut is predicting that Brazil and Germany will meet in the round of 16, not in the finals Ah, got it…thanks. Yes, that is looking likely! Should be a great match. ETA: I haven’t been following how the elimination round brackets work…perhaps they can’t meet in the final match, no matter what? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615.md?page=32)