World Cup 2018 FIFA World Cup Quarter Final 2-BRAZIL V BELGIUM

[apollo_creed]

The only thing about the Jesus one is the touch was poor and he wasnt getting it. But thats not grounds for not giving it.
Secondly it was a thoughtless (and imo all too typical) Kompany challenge but Jesus saw the leg in front of him and probably initiated contact more than copping it.
That would be the grounds for not giving it.

In any case I would’ve given it.

 

[GremioPower]

haha. I'm not going to lie I'm glad you lost and was rooting for Belgium. But I will say you guys played well, deserved at least extra time and apart from the goals I think it was your best exhibition of attacking football all tournament. You could have easily gone in front early and those are the fine margins. Should have been a penalty on Jesus.

On the fourth straight exit, that's football. It happens to the best of them. World cups are so hard to win that even a great nation like Brazil, the best of all time find it hard to triumph. You had a 24 year drought from 70-94 which is something that other greats like Germany and Italy have had to endure before triumphing in recent history. Argentina's last was in 86, France in 98 and already 20 years in between drinks but I fancy they will end that in Russia. I'm glad you have to wait a little longer. Maybe in Qatar you might get your 6th star

Don't get me wrong. The point is that, for Brazil, Top-8 is par for the course. The last four WC were: quarters; quarters; semis (but worst humiliation in country's History); quarters.

All three quarters losses came out self-inflicted wounds: a bad set-piece defense; a second-half meltdown; an own goal followed by a defensive shutdown.

Yesterday, we nullified Belgium's counterattack in the second half and had TWO unmissable opportunities to tie the game — kicking both wide. When the game was over, my wife asked: "Are you OK?"

— No.

I put back my shirt that I had taken off after Coutinho's miss and went to kiss my older son, who was playing in his bedroom. Kids help us put things back into perspective.

"Play on!" It has been a great World Cup, and there are more games left. The good news is that Brazil has put the 1-7 behind us. We are back to "meh!" Now, it is time to go beyond it. 2022 has already began for us, and the 2019 Copa America can't start soon enough!

 

[Macpotata]

Don't get me wrong. The point is that, for Brazil, Top-8 is par for the course. The last four WC were: quarters; quarters; semis (but worst humiliation in country's History); quarters.

All three quarters losses came out self-inflicted wounds: a bad set-piece defense; a second-half meltdown; an own goal followed by a defensive shutdown.

Yesterday, we nullified Belgium's counterattack in the second half and had TWO unmissable opportunities to tie the game — kicking both wide. When the game was over, my wife asked: "Are you OK?"

— No.

I put back my shirt that I had taken off after Coutinho's miss and went to kiss my older son, who was playing in his bedroom. Kids help us put things back into perspective.

"Play on!" It has been a great World Cup, and there are more games left. The good news is that Brazil has put the 1-7 behind us. We are back to "meh!" Now, it is time to go beyond it. 2022 has already began for us, and the 2019 Copa America can't start soon enough!

Good post Gremio.

Yep I understand about putting things into perspective. I used to take footy so seriously and lose a game it was life or death. As years went by I realise there are a lot more important things than winning or losing a sports game. We lose loved one's, have other life experiences, that at the end of the day what's the big deal about who wins or loses a match. We move on. It may hurt for a while considering the circumstances or if it's at top level, but we get over it.

Look at it this way and put it into perspective. Brazil is the greatest and the most successful footballing country of all time.


No other country can say that.

 

[GremioPower]

Good post Gremio.

Yep I understand about putting things into perspective. I used to take footy so seriously and lose a game it was life or death. As years went by I realise there are a lot more important things than winning or losing a sports game. We lose loved one's, have other life experiences, that at the end of the day what's the big deal about who wins or loses a match. We move on. It may hurt for a while considering the circumstances or if it's at top level, but we get over it.

Look at it this way and put it into perspective. Brazil is the greatest and the most successful footballing country of all time.


No other country can say that.

I also barrack for Uruguay. Yesterday was tough...

 

[Gosha]

Hazard is better than Neymar. Needs to be said.

 

[glenferry23]

This is our time. Amazing scenes here in Belgium. Heroic performances by so many but let's face it, we were lucky to get away with the win. I guess that's payback for the disallowed Wilmots goal against them in '02.

France are favourites against us but we have a chance. This is a derby and a special game for the French speaking players. Tactical mastermind Martinez will come up with another plan for sure.

Last night I was so nervous I couldn't even watch parts of the game. At least they're no longer that golden generation that never did anything. This one game made such a difference.

I recall that Wilmots “goal” very well. Hardly anything in it. Was a poor decision to call a foul and if only VAR was available then, the would have stood.

 

[apollo_creed]

The 2002 World Cup one could very easily, allegedly, perhaps, suggestively put forward a case for the whole tournament being defined by the pursuits and interests of other sources instead of the normal luck/execution and convergence of fortune.

Considering the stuff that has come out of FIFA recently that was also semi-known and considering the scandalous decision making that marred that tournament (South Korea being the prime example) it's very easy to put an asterisks next to absolutely everything that happened in that tournament.

 

[SleazySimon]

The 2002 World Cup one could very easily, allegedly, perhaps, suggestively put forward a case for the whole tournament being defined by the pursuits and interests of other sources instead of the normal luck/execution and convergence of fortune.

Considering the stuff that has come out of FIFA recently that was also semi-known and considering the scandalous decision making that marred that tournament (South Korea being the prime example) it's very easy to put an asterisks next to absolutely everything that happened in that tournament.

Brazil won most games in that WC too convincingly for any poor decisions to have effected the results imo.

 

[apollo_creed]

Brazil won most games in that WC too convincingly for any poor decisions to have effected the results imo.

They were a brilliant side and for the most part didn't need assistance. But I do vaguely remember that Belguim game and them for a point in time being under threat and arguably outplayed. They also had what was a pretty easy draw to win it.

Wasn't it Belguim, England (a pretty good side them), Turkey, Germany?

That German side probably wasn't that good either. The German sides of future World Cups were certainly better.

Italy and France were probably their biggest threats in that tournament. France coming off France 98 and Euro 2000 just imploded for whatever reason. Italy coming off the heartbreaking loss in 2000 were controversially eliminated. Proving their quality and the quality of that side 2006. Italy's 2002 side was probably better than their 2006 one.

That was probably the one thing from that tournament was that Brazil had things easy - the convergence of results, implosions and whatever else paved a very easy path for them that they gladly took.

 

[Macpotata]

Brazil won most games in that WC too convincingly for any poor decisions to have effected the results imo.

That's bullshit but. And we will never know either way. They should have went a goal down vs Belgium and from there, anything could have happened. They also got a bogus call in their opening game against the Turks late on., The foul was outside the box, not in, yet a penalty call was given. In a tournament where France lost in their opener, the Irish pegged back both Germany and Spain late on, Argentina were eliminated by Sweden and the Koreans knocked out the Portuguese, anything could have happened. Italy were denied a total of 5 goals in their matches vs Croatia, Mexico and Korea. Totti also got a second yellow for a dive when it looked more of a penalty. Korea benefited from rubbish calls vs Italy and Spain. The USA also upset the Portuguese in the 1st game although to me it wasn't an upset. Donovan was a good young player back then. The point is some of the less fancied teams upset the bigger ones. Denmark also beat the French in the last game with Zi Zou back which could have been deemed an upset of some sorts. Granted the French were s**t in 2002, but if they won their last game still would have reached the knockout phase. Mexico and Ecuador also played their part in upsetting some teams.

 

[glenferry23]

Belgium sure did go toe to toe with Brazil that night, and received some very unfavourable decisions. I wouldn’t say Brazil won that one convincingly at all.

 

[Macpotata]

They were a brilliant side and for the most part didn't need assistance. But I do vaguely remember that Belguim game and them for a point in time being under threat and arguably outplayed. They also had what was a pretty easy draw to win it.

Wasn't it Belguim, England (a pretty good side them), Turkey, Germany?

That German side probably wasn't that good either. The German sides of future World Cups were certainly better.

Italy and France were probably their biggest threats in that tournament. France coming off France 98 and Euro 2000 just imploded for whatever reason. Italy coming off the heartbreaking loss in 2000 were controversially eliminated. Proving their quality and the quality of that side 2006. Italy's 2002 side was probably better than their 2006 one.

That was probably the one thing from that tournament was that Brazil had things easy - the convergence of results, implosions and whatever else paved a very easy path for them that they gladly took.

Yep the knockout games were exactly as you said. In their group it was Turkey who they beat courtesy of a late bogus penalty, Costa Rica 5-2 and China 4-0. That German side weren't anything special. You'd think Italy or Spain would have taken care of them if not for some shenanigans vs the Koreans. Who knows though. Germany's final run

Saudi Arabia 8-0
Ireland 1-1
Cameroon 2-0
Paraguay 1-0 { Neuville late winner }
USA 1-0 { lucky call I think went their way }
South Korea 1-0
Brazil 0-2


Paraguay, USA, South Korea to get to the final lmao. The USA were good that cup but that was the hardest opp they faced on their path to the final. Their group was laughable.

 

[Moonwatcher]

Didn't think to check the schedule before 11:30pm tonight. Missed Belgium beating Brazil

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Every time De Bruyne and Willian are up against each other ,it takes me back to when both were at Chelsea. I remember saying it was a mistake to turf out De Bruyne after giving him a couple of games out of position. But some forum experts insisted that Willian was better and that Mourinho knows best. lol

I really don't remember any of that happening TBH.

I can remember the Oscar v Mata debates but there was never any Kev v Willian stuff.

Yeah, KDB vs Willian seems to be brought up yet no one thought Willian was better. I always thought the general consensus here was that it was going to come back to bite Mou and, low and behold, it did.

 

[Kompany]

Brazil won most games in that WC too convincingly for any poor decisions to have effected the results imo.

Brazil wasn't creating clear chances we went up 1-0 in the 35th minute or something. At the time, Belgium was a limited but tactically very disciplined team that had won in France and had knocked out a great Czech Republic in the knockout qualifiers. Impossible to say what would've happened but being 1-0 down at HT would've been worrying for Brazil.

Anyway, for Belgium, the most scandalous refereeing was in '86 when Spain and Argentina had to beat us. 3 wrong offside calls involving players appearing all alone in front of the goalie. World cups have had the dodgiest refereeing ever. This one's been very good overall.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

Oh yeah, I forgot about that 02 game. Despite how well Turkey played both times against Brazil, I remember thinking Belgium was Brazil's hardest game. Aside from the time zone, that was a s**t World Cup.

 

[Cruyff14]

Belgium sure did go toe to toe with Brazil that night, and received some very unfavourable decisions. I wouldn’t say Brazil won that one convincingly at all.

Rivaldo's goal was a thing of beauty.