Yeah but I always go with the who never underestimate your opponent and always play seriously. Watching your team especially at the world cup lose due to an upset is the worst.
Still. Japan is at a very low point right now with no enthusiasm from the fans and a new Manager who has only been there a few months. If they finish first their manager should be signed by some sort of European Giant while the other managers should be on the first freight train to Siberia with no pay or clothes. Yes, upsets occur but for them to finish first will take some sort of miracle considering the circumstances.
Players have already come out and said they will play Japan like the Final of the World Cup. As fans though we have to live in the real world.
Sure it didn't... I didn't say this was Croatia's best chance of the half. You stated they didn't even get a half chance in the first half, I noted that they actually created multiple chances in the first 10 minutes. Your points are prone to a lot of hyperbole.
@zahzah, I know you called Poland's defending shambolic (rightly so, Pazdan was pretty awful), but I think Croatia would have had a PK with VAR on this play, also from the first half.
If that was just wide you need glasses. And yes - that was Croatia's best chance in the half. And actually their only chance.
LOL. No they wouldn't. If that was a penalty than Senegal would have had three or four, if not more. But no - it wasn't, because that was what Croatia did incessantly. Is that the best you can do after watching the entire half?
Sorry, I'm done with this discussion. Its beyond stupid for me. So if you really want to debate this do it without me. Bye.
Wait, I thought you said they didn't have ANY chances? Well pulling down players in the box is going to result in PKs due to VAR. When did Croatia do this "three or four" times? Honestly curious. Sorry if the GIF's cracked the foundations of your posts.
Zahzah, you are a knowledgeable person and I value your opinion on many subjects discussed on this forum, but this is not the first time when your reports are strongly biased or are just plain inaccurate. Sadly, you seem also unable to admit it after being shown wrong. Is it really so difficult for you to stay objective when participating in discussions related to African teams?
The header was well wide. That's a pretty objective opinion. That was their only half-decent opportunity in the first half. And compare those to Senegal's chances from the same half... And again - milicz is the only one voicing the opinion Senegal was defensively poor. That general opinion of non-African fans was that Senegal defended well in the first half, but milicz is forcing an opinion countering every elses opinion of the game. And I'm the one not being objective? Milicz is obviously biased by downgrading Senegal to upgrade Poland's chances. And if anyone is not being objective its Milicz. Did I exaggerate that Croatia had no chances? OK, but the chance Milicz found is at best a half-chance and in no way was that 'just wide'. And if that was Croatia's best chance (and yes, it was) then Croatia barely had a sniff. Watch the extended highlights. Croatia's chances in the first half? That header from the 7th minute. The rest is just Senegalese players winning challenge after challenge in defence and one speculative shot by Modric from outside the area. How about Senegal? 18th minute - decent shot on goal, 38th minute - free header in the penalty area (just compare that chance to Croatia's best chance, where a Senegalese defender was breating down his neck), 44th minute - Senegal break through defence with just the keeper to beat. Those are just the clear cut chances.
LOL. 'Pulled down in the box'. The ref wouldn't even honor that 'pull down' with a VAR check. And if he did he would probably end up showing a yellow to the diver. You really are grasping at straws. It's pretty obvious you went took the extended highlights and to you dismay the best you could find was a half-chance by Perisic and a made up penalty shout.
I saw Croatian wingers get the ball into the box repeatedly in the first half, dominating possession. You're the one who claimed Croatia didn't even have a half chance, which is not what I saw. When did I say Senegal was defensively poor? I never said that. Kalidou Koulibaly is one of my favorite defenders. Senegal did defend well, they also got dominated in possession. They had to defend most of the game. Downgrading Senegal from what exactly? It would not surprise me if they beat Poland in the opener. I remember when they beat France in 2002 while Poland got beat by Korea and got dismantled by Portugal. They're also ranked 27th in the world the way they were in 2002. Senegal advancing would not be a surprise. You act as if Senegal dominated a game they lost, I pointed out that they got dominated in possession, and that Croatia got into the final third repeatedly. Wait, the ball that went nowhere near the goal in the 38th minute is a clear cut chance, and the one that goes just wide by in the 7th is "at best a half chance" and went "well wide"? That's what I don't get in your posts.
What is the LOL for? Why wouldn't the ref honor that with a VAR check? I've seen PKs given for less every week. I watched the whole game. Are you seriously claiming that their was no contact on that play? I'm watching the Japan-Switzerland replay at the moment...
I think the best comment here was given by one of the Polish journalists: "I watched Croatia-Seneglal, and it actually gave me lots of hope before WC game. Unfortunately, after that our game vs Chile has started..." The reason for optimism was worse then expected performance by Senegal's defense, who consists of two very good CBs. Simply, we expected more (not to be said, that they won't be much better during WC - I am sure they will be). Ofcourse, then Pazdan gave a show vs Chile, so all the optimism was gone. To be honest, all teams in this group performed rather disappointingly during their friendlies, but I agree that come WC this won't matter. However, I cannot see right now how Poland vs Senegal could end goalless. I think, both teams will score in this game, it could be a good bet.
Odd... because I actually watched Senegal play before and for me the defence performed better than expected. And most people on this forum (and I'm not talking African fans) improved their perception of Senegal's chances after the Croatia game. This much I can agree on. I especially can't see Poland not conceeding. Maybe if Glik miraculously starts next Monday.
Senegal - South Korea went closed door. Apparently half time, Senegal dominated possession but have nothing to show for it: 0:0. Senegal starting XI: Ndiaye, Sabaly, Koulibaly, Salif Sané, Wagué, Kouyate (C),Ndiaye, Mané, Niang, Sarr, Sakho.
Very strange. What about fans who purchased tickets to this game? Or is it taking place at some closed-off training ground?
How How many goals did Senegal score in last 5 games? 2? Maybe Polish defence is not perfect, but it seems that Senegal can't score.