Nah, NZL is more than happy with their upcoming automatic ticket to every WC. Senior NZL players already get experience from working abroad (Europe + US). Joining another confederation would be detrimental to their international progress.
I agree 100% I noted this at the last WC that many soft PK's were being given with VAR. We thought the opposite might happen but it seems every time a hand touches a ball its a PK, whether intentional , whether hand is by the side of the body. Honestly it is getting ridiculous. Even the Champions League final was ruined in the first minute because of such a call. FIFA is going to ruin this sport if they dont change the rules and make it clear. Personally I dont think any PK should be awarded unless a CLEAR chance on goal is stopped. I think they should give indirect free kicks in the box for some of these other handballs instead of giving a PK. I want to watch the game to see who the better team is, not to watch some team get handed victory because of some soft call. I'm honestly getting sick of this. Rant over.
Are the new handball rules in place for this tournament? I think the date was going to be 1st June, but I'm not sure. I guess we will see at the Women's World Cup.
So far, the boys in yellow/blue are impressive in the attack. Kinda thought Ukraine's strongest suit is defense. Or is Panama this bad?
Ecuador makes them pay. Looking like South American Champions for the first time this tournament. 3-1.
Congratulations to Ukraine and Ecuador, it is good to see battling sides make it far. Classic Uruguay: trying to get rivals expelled, after realizing it is going out the back door. Despicable sportsmanship from the Uruguayan bench at the end of the match.
The problem with Ukraine is that we just can't put a great game together. I do not know what kind of a team Ukraine will be in the quarters.
My Colombia is still waiting to put together a great game too. Tahiti does not count. Should be a good one.
How happy are Ukraine to be playing Panama & not Portugal. I still can’t understand how they bottled it so bad
It's possible. The formula of who plays who in the second round is complicated. Let's assume you're right. What makes you think that Portugal would have done much better against Ukraine than Panama? Was Portugal's opposition tougher than Panama's?
True, although in this particular case Portugal would have replaced Panama as Ukraine's opponent if they had finished as one of the best third-place teams.
I think its for competitions starting after June 1. So Champions League would be under the old rules and the U20 WC. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48382254 That's the BBC's summary of the new Handball rules, the actual wording is probably a little different from FIFA. Handballs The law remains that deliberate handball is an offence. But accidental handball will also be a free-kick if... the ball goes into the goal off an attacker a player gets the ball using his arm or hand and then scores, or creates a goalscoring opportunity a player's hand or arm has made their body "unnaturally bigger" the player's arm or hand is above their shoulder (unless the player has controlled the ball onto his own arm or hand) But a handball will not be a free-kick if... the ball is knocked on to a hand by the player in question or a nearby player the arm or hand is close to their body and "has not made their body unnaturally bigger" if a player is falling and the ball touches their hand or arm when it is between their body and the ground to support the body - but not extended to make the body bigger Another change to the handball rule relates to the goalkeeper. If the goalkeeper attempts to clear ("release into play") a throw-in or backpass and their clearance fails, then they can handle the ball. Ifab says this is because "when the goalkeeper clearly kicks or tries to kick the ball into play, this shows no intention to handle the ball".
So I the Portugal v South Africa game there would’ve been no South African penalty as the ball cane of the defenders head first. I prefer this I think too many times the punishment doesn’t fit the crime with handballs
5-0 after 30 minutes at home, would’ve been a cricket score of the coach didn’t tell them to take it easy