2018 World Cup Wednesday Open Thread

Into the next set of games! We have now seen everyone at least once and so conclusions can be drawn:

• Nobody knows anything.
• Sí se pudo.
• No one team looks unbeatable.

This, to me, makes this a very exciting tournament.  Wakezilla compared it to 2002 and that’s a great point.  That tourney had crazy upsets in the group stage. However, logic and tradition took over and we ended up with Brazil as the winner.

I myself am hoping that we get something like 2010 where a nation that had never won before (Spain) emerges as the winner by playing inspired and beautiful football.  We shall see…

5 AM Pacific

Portugal v Morocco

Balls: Today’s games SHOULD be fairly simple to predict.  In each one,  you have an established “big” team playing a team considered a “minnow”

As this tournament has shown us,  however, there are no pushovers and upsets have and will most likely continue to happen. Is this one of those games?

Prédiction: Probablement no.  Le Portugal 2, Maroc 0

Litre_Cola:  I see this actually being tighter than most do because of the rivalry between the two countries which will jack Morocco up and they might be able to catch the Portuguese napping. That being said I always root against Ronaldo. He could be playing on a team of invalids for charity and I would scream at the television calling for his blood. If this game is tied in the second half I fully expect him to do something spectacular to snatch the win. Kill Pepe forever.

Prédiction: Portugal 2-1 and getting one after the 60th minute.

Wakezilla: Last week, I said that Portugal better get a win or at least a draw because Morocco—who was likely going to beat Iran– is talented enough to shock the world and upset them. Portugal got a win and Morocco, despite being clearly better, couldn’t capitalize on their chances and scored an own goal, resulting in a loss.

I still think Morocco plays a style of lesser footy that will cause Portugal trouble. They’re relentless on the attack and one would imagine their strikers are itching to get another chance on some of those opportunities they blew last week. They’re only problem is, they may have to open the game up more than they’re comfortable with because they need a win.

Last game, Ronaldo willed his team to a draw, thanks to his hatrick. Oddly enough, going into that game, he had only scored 3 career World Cup goals. In other words, he was averaging one goal per World Cup, which is pretty bad. Now that he is getting hot and playing a team desperate for a win, CR7 must be having liquid dreams about all the opportunities he should have on the counter-attack tomorrow. He could have a YUUUUUUGE game.

Prédiction: This game is going to be really close and going to make Portugal squirm. In the end, I think Ronaldo is once again going to carry his team to a 2-1 win.

Ron Howard voice over: Portugal won 7-0

8 AM  Pacific

Uruguay v Saudi Arabia

Balls: Ok, do I think this game could possibly result in an upset? Not very likely.  If Uruguay doesn’t put 5 on the Saudis, it will be forced into a must-win situation in the last game against Russia to win the group.

It may not matter as the teams coming out of the group play either Portugal or Spain and the third group B games will be played AFTER the third group A games.

So,  it doesn’t really matter.

Predicción: They won’t put five past them. I’m thinking a relatively boring 2-0 win.

Litre_Cola: This game is going to be a murder. Enough dicking around Uruguay let’s get serious and put away these fools. Their plane caught on fire on their way here. They got their money from Putin for getting manhandled in their first match, time to just shut er down. I cannot foresee this being a contest. DO THINGS SUAREZ!

Predicción: 3-0 Uruguay. A sound beating. They are going to start to roll.

Wakezilla: Saudi Arabia isn’t as bad as the performance they gave last week. Perhaps it was nerves, or maybe they fell victim to the Russian nightlife. Whatever it was, I doubt they will get trucked by Uruguay. Did you see how Mohammad bin Salman looked at the end of the game? Me thinks he’s going to have a visit to the Saudi locker room before the match for a little inspirational fear.

As I said last week, Uruguay was going to get caught off guard and narrowly survive a scare from Egypt. Now that they got a friendly reminder that any team can beat them on any given night, they’re going to get to work and play like a cup contender.

Predicción: Uruguay is going to flex their lesser footy muscle and defeat the Saudis 3-0. The Saudis will put forth a respectable effort, but will ultimately lose because they are simply not good enough.

11 AM

Iran v Spain

Balls: Iran won’t pull the upset here either.  This will be the rare day where the expected results will happen.

Ron Howard voice: They didn’t.

Predicción: España 3, Irán 0.

Litre_Cola:  Spain was better than Portugal in that bananacakes 1st round game. They should come out and overwhelm the Iranians. I for one love Persian food. If you find a good Persian takeout in your city go through their menu, it is fucking superb from top to bottom. They can fall back on that when they get their asses handed to them today.

Predicción: España 4, Irán 0.

Wakezilla: First place Iran is going to face a pissed off Spanish team that should have won last week. Iran won their first World Cup game in 20 years, so everything that happens next is gravy. One would think that Spain would easily defeat Iran, but at this World Cup and with how good Iran is defensively, we’re going to get another close game.

Predicción: Iran will be more than content to park the bus and play for the draw. For the most part, this will likely work and we’ll have a scoreless first half. However, I see a sub for Spain coming on and scoring the one and only goal, giving Spain a 1-0 victory. . . Assuming De Gea doesn’t give up another softy.