2018 WC Russia: Worldwide Opponents Watch [all R's]

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Dr. Gamera, Jul 25, 2014.

  1. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Time to update the title of this thread to "2018 WC Russia: Worldwide Team Watch."
     
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  2. Burr

    Burr Member+

    Boca Juniors
    Argentina
    Jul 8, 2014
    Tampa, FL
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LOL.. they could still be our opponents in warmup friendlies I guess. When is the last time Italy failed to qualify?
     
  3. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Italy's not missing out - they're due to lose to Brazil in the Final, then throw all the eggs in the basket for 2030. :D
     
  4. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    1958.. their last failure to qualify from a tournament was Euro 1992.
     
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  5. Skandal!!!

    Skandal!!! Member

    Legia Warszawa
    Poland
    Apr 26, 2017
    Yeah, I think they lost away to Norway then, which was a big upset (2:1?), and could only tie vs USSR in Rome 0:0 (and they had Baggio and Schilacci).
     
  6. dna77054

    dna77054 Member+

    Jun 28, 2003
    houston
    USA, Chile, and the Netherlands all outperformed Italy in each of the last two world cups. Will we get a third straight 3 and out if Italy should qualify?
     
  7. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, but go back one more WC and Italy won the whole flippin' thing...
     
  8. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    World Cup Qualifiers back on for the final weekend... 23 down, only 9 places left.

    Africa -
    Nigeria and Egypt are already through, 3 groups still to go. The tie of the round is Ivory Coast vs Morocco on Saturday. The home side needs to win to qualify, where the North Africans go through with a point. Should be tight stuff. Senegal need only 2 points in their final two games ironically both against South Africa. The Bafana Bafana won their earlier game but the match was annulled by FIFA due to a refereeing error. Ironically, a point may be enough should Burkina Faso fail to beat Cape Verde by 3 goals or more. South Africa need to win both games to qualify. Tunisia are virtually there and only need a point at home to neighbors Libya in their final game.

    UEFA - four playoff games:
    Northern Ireland vs Switzerland
    Croatia vs Greece
    Denmark vs Ireland
    Sweden vs Italy

    all pretty tight games, wouldn't even count out an upset vs Italy.

    Intercontinental Playoffs:
    Peru vs New Zealand
    Honduras vs Australia

    So should be an exciting next couple of days. Also just realized Czech Republic, Iceland and Qatar are all playing a series of friendlies here in Doha. Might go an "czech" out a game or two... wouldn't mind seeing Iceland play, although I doubt they'll have many fans here. The Czechs beat Iceland 2-1 in the opening fixture.
     
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  9. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Go ahead and thank @Nico Limmat that he convinced me not to dish out a warning for this ;)
     
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  10. portugamerifinn

    portugamerifinn Member+

    Feb 22, 2005
    Bay Area / London
    I'm not expecting any surprises at this point as the teams with the talent generally find a way to get their stuff together when it's all on the line in a playoff. I wouldn't be thrilled with the draw if I was Italian though.

    Mostly, I just hope the matches are entertaining and competitive, but I prefer the likes of Croatia or Switzerland or Peru advance over squads that are significantly less likely to do anything good next summer.
     
  11. Ironbound

    Ironbound Member+

    Jul 1, 2009
    Scotland - Netherlands is an even sadder game than ours.
     
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  12. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Halftime scores:
    Croatia 3-1 Greece
    N.Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
     
  13. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    oh dear... no luck for the Irish... HORRENDOUS decision from the referee to award a penalty and send off a Northern Ireland defender when a shot on goal ricochets off of a defender's back. Down a goal and a man, that ma have completely ruined this tie...

    Croatia now 4-`1 up vs Greece
     
  14. Ironbound

    Ironbound Member+

    Jul 1, 2009
    I think it was yellow + penalty, not red.
     
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  15. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes you are right! I thought I heard the commentator say it was red... that would have been very harsh. He also said "he will be suspended for the 2nd leg..." .. I guess what he meant was that he's accumulated yellow cards so he'll be suspended, I thought that meant he was sent off. Anyhoo, still think it was a harsh penalty.
     
  16. portugamerifinn

    portugamerifinn Member+

    Feb 22, 2005
    Bay Area / London
    That was a bad decision and one tailor made for VAR if only someone could figure out a way for the VAR process to more efficient.

    Hopefully Switzerland goes ahead and wins 2-0 on Sunday so that penalty doesn't continue to stand out. The Swiss are and were much better, NI did nothing at all.
     
  17. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    In another episode of "you can't change a culture by pouring money into it," South Africa just proved the effects of the 2010 World Cup have dissipated, and their team sucks again.

    PS: Senegal just booked their ticket. Not that there ever was any doubt.
     
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  18. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Watching Sweden vs Italy. Yellow card in the first minute for Sweden.
     
  19. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    When did they stop sucking? :confused:

    Remember that they played in WC2010 qualifying since it counted for the AFCON as well...and crashed out in the first round, failing to get past Sierra Leone. :eek:
     
  20. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Let's say they have reverted back to the level of suckiness they had before the 2010 World Cup, which was a shade deeper of the level they had from 2010-2016.

    After all, they did beat Angola to get to this stage, and made the AfCoN 2015.
     
  21. chad

    chad Member+

    Jun 24, 1999
    Manhattan Beach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good grief, Italy is shameful. It's like watching a team of Altidores.
     
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  22. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    They were pretty decent in the late 90s/early 00s. Made the WC twice and won the Nations Cup once or twice.

    Really given their population, resources, and sports pedigree they should be consistently one of the top teams in Africa.
     
  23. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Rugby & cricket are still big with the communities that have the most money, though.
     
  24. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The US and China kept a seat free for them at the bar :(
     
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  25. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--
    You should try the Honduras vs. Australia match. I cannot believe we are staying home.
     

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