3am here 
I agree with your analysis.
Save Spain and CR7 the finishing in this WC has been shocking. (I didn’t include Russia because SA defense was horrible. We’ll see how the Russians do against the Egyptians Tuesday.)
Man, the announcers on FS1 for Pure-Denmark game the are terrible. I’ve switched to Telemundo. Sure, I don’t understand it, but it’s a lot more fun and I don’t have to try to translate Spanglish.
The ambient crowd feed is way louder for this match. Or the crowd is really into this.
Is this the NFL or the World Cup?
Another replay caused PK.
Oh, that should be a card all right. But on Peru for diving. No way that was a penalty. And the taker does his best Rooney impression on the PK.
Ohh boy. A bad day for South American PKers.
What an exciting match. Peru deserved at least a draw.
Just saw a Spanish-language ad from the local Hooters for Mexico-Germany tomorrow morning claiming food specials and an 8 AM opening. Considering the game starts at 9 AM, and you can’t get a drink on Sunday until 11 (so the game will be over), I wonder how many people they’re actually going to get.
I’d go. The atmosphere will be amazing. And sneak some rum to go with that coke
Mexico coach believes they can go toe to toe with the Germans.
Mexico can go ‘toe-to-toe’ with Germany - Juan Carlos Osorio Mexico can go 'toe-to-toe' with Germany - Juan Carlos Osorio
via @ESPN App http://es.pn/app
FIFA and the IFAB have determined (last summer or the summer before, IIRC) that the “double” penalization of penalty kick and red card is too much in such situations. Therefore, they have officially decreed that, when a penalty kick is the required restart, a caution and not a sending off is the preferred result.
First of all, the technical term is not “hand ball.” That’s part of why people get so confused about the foul. It’s “handling” the ball, and it has to be “deliberately” done. And, no, the vast majority of cases where the player is called for handling are not “unintentional”.
Handling, whatever. 5 internet points for you for needless pedantry. Another 5 points for “deliberate” vs “intentional.” :rolleyes:
So, in the majority of handling calls, you think the offender intended to use an arm to control the ball? I just don’t see it.
The USSF gives advice on handling that states:
“‘Deliberate contact’ means that the player could have avoided the touch but chose not to, that the player’s arms were not in a normal playing position at the time, or that the player deliberately continued an initially accidental contact for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage.”
Which is how all the refs call the game and is fine. However, having your arm in a not natural playing position in no way makes touching the ball deliberate and that’s where most of the fouls come in. The natural position of an arm when defending a cross is not behind the back, but that’s what defenders do because penalties are called all the time for unintentional deflections of crosses. The first and third part are relatively rare.
Germany vs Mexico, 35 minutes of the first half, after a terrible defensive failure on the part of Germany, Mexico scores!
1-0
Germany almost equalized 3 minutes later; Germany increasing its pressure on Mexico by an order of magnitude. This has become serious!
Germany seems to be playing with the mentality that they are the best and they only need to show up to win. They need to really bare down. And I wish they had Jose now.
Waiting for the second half to begin. Germany will have to, as we say in Spain, “put fresh batteries on”.
Let’s see how it goes, but Mexico is playing well. I would be surprised if this game ends up in a big upset, but I would feel very happy on behalf of Mexico (even though it would make me lose a bet).
I hate El Tri (they are our rivals) and am a Germany fan but Mexico deserve the lead. I agree with everything else you wrote JoseB.
The Germans are getting screwed on the counter attack. They need to cut out the “beautiful” play and try and break through hard.
I don’t understand what Germany is doing on their corners. They have a clear size and strength advantage. Cross the freaking ball.
I couldn’t agree more.