The chances were certainly there for each side to have scored 2 more each and you got the margin correct, blame the incredible pair of GKs?
One day usually doesn’t make a difference, but it’s too bad Croatia doesn’t have the extra day instead of France. Talk about finishing on fumes. It’s been a wild tournament though, so here’s hoping for a close game. I think Croatia needs to score first.
At least Croatia does not have to travel. Their semi final was in Moscow, same stadium as final. The France semi-final was in St. Petersburgh.
All the way back to the fist page of the thread I'm France but Croatia has certainly earned a lot of respect from me, I would love to know the individual stories from childhood on for their players -- steel hardened by fire may be the theme for a lot of them. Also on yesterday's match Stu Holden pretty much single handedly turned me from a neutral at the start (England v. France also would have been a good match) to a shouting out loud Croatia fan at the winning goal. If you're going to be that much of a homer for one team he should know you belong in the stands not the booth. Way too much like listening to a Seattle broadcast of a Seattle match -- and giving props to Croatia in the post match doesn't absolve him. England while deserving a ton of praise also saw a fair amount of luck that also included their 'easy' side of the bracket (fairly or unfairly gained) and in the lead up to their last two knock outs especially stayed in (Europe) a little too long and got "precious."* News flash you did finally win at KFTM at a WC but it still aint "coming home" which also got a little silly, regardless of where it began it is now the world's game so it is always 'home'. As Kane pointed out afterwards we should still expect some great things from that group -- gives some hope to a more blue-collar youth movement here, players don't all have to be at super-clubs (although a few help). This one's for you and the 3 Lions, Stu: "You’re an expatriate. You’ve lost touch with the soil. You get precious. Fake European standards have ruined you." Ernest.Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises * In fairness for two years+ they have been trying to get out of Europe. ;>)
Compared to the France/Belgium side, yes. However, I thought England's side of the bracket was interesting since it seemed that aside from Russia/Spain, all the teams were fairly close in rankings. So it seemed like someone would have to win 3 striaight 50-50 games to get to the final. I guess that's a good reason Croatia when to PK's twice and ET the 3rd time. I hope Croatia can give France a good game.
I expect it to be a lot like Uruguay which was not Sunday park football -- and they were missing a star (Cavani can change games when he is 'on' so France had some luck too) but Croatia won't be missing anyone so far as I know.
I think you answered your own question, the only way to make it worthwhile would be with a rivalry -- Germany/Holland, USA/Mexico, etc. It is a way for a second team to leave the competition on a win and England may care about that a little more than Belgium, but if Belgium does care about that England will likely be leaving after back to back losses. ;>)
Re Fox's coverage: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/13/fox-sports-world-cup-coverage-soccer-criticism I watched little of the Fox coverage, instead found streams of the ITV or BBC broadcasts. Of course, I try to avoid Fox Soccer whenever I can, anyway.
I read that a while ago -- the Guardian writer seemed a bit too butt-hurt over Wahl's Trumpian statement about "the best questions" in reality the coverage has been fine, not great but fine. Every single match was broadcast on channels most people actually get for starters -- if viewer numbers are down in the USA it isn't rocket surgery to figure out that we're not in it, times aren't great for daytime working people, and our own domestic league still doesn't quite put up EPL (or for that matter NFL) caliber numbers etc. etc.
IF there's a sports universal, it's complaining about the announcers. In every sport. They cater to the lowest common denominator. I don't even notice them and tune them out most of the time. When a game goes to half I note the time and go do stuff then come back for the start of the 2nd.
Read that Guardian article. I skip all that pre-game stuff, so I have no idea. As for the in game announcers: is Gus Johnson working the games? No? Well, I'll settle for that.
Has the size of the event led to non-refs posting more in the ref's thread? I find it odd that refs would object to the penalty call on the review itself. I mean, if you're going to allow a review. Though the people objecting don't seem to be given reasons. I thought the part about an arm/hand giving you an advantage being a pen even if you aren't "intentionally" hitting the ball has always been part of the interpretation. Otherwise defenders would play in the box with their arms outstretched like basketball players.
So, the French got all the way to Moscow and are about to be victorious! That's supposed to be some sort of Napoleon reference, but I'm just not inspired at the moment.....