At one point I saw corners were 8-4 in favor of Japan. They attack well as a team but they lack something.
I missed the game (have it recorded), but saw the extra time and penalties. What was a pathetic penalty kick performance by Japan. So weak, for a second I thought Logan Pause and Brandon Prideaux were out there! Also, the Croatia keeper guessed right every time. Awesome job by him.
Buckle up because this last hour is going to be the Harlem Globetrotters against the Washington Generals.
Just like the first 42 minutes! I was really hoping this would be the one upset in the Round of 16. I didn't expect it to be, but I had hope. 4-0 already and there is no hope.
I only saw the ET and PKs. Japan looked fresh, lively, like they could go another 90. They were dangerous but just had no one to finish. Croatia looked slow, waiting for the whistle. The Japanese players were tipping where they would shoot on the PKs.
When the squad was announced, everyone was up in arms that of the three guys on Celtic, the Japanese coach took Daizen Maeda over Reo Hatate and goalscoring machine Kyogo Furuhashi. Some said Maeda was the worst of the three, although I disagree. I think Maeda has such an absolutely amazing work rate, he's incredibly helpful if you wanna press the way Japan does. And his hard work paid off with a goal today. But leaving behind Kyogo Furuhashi really shows off exactly what you said. They needed a goalscorer. They needed someone clinical in the attack. I'd have to go through the Japan squad again to say who should've been left behind, but there needed to be a way to get Furuhashi to Qatar. That man has been disrespected by the National Team most of his career and now when he's been in some of the best form of his life, he isn't called up. Weirdly enough, it's justice. Also, speaking of Kyogo Furuhashi, the Fire should throw so much money at him to be our third DP. That guy can keep the spot warm for Lewandowski.
Japanese teams usually do better without possession? This is just something I've noticed in the J-League. With the exception of Kawasaki, the team that wins usually doesn't have the ball.
Japan was a blast to watch. They seem to lull you to sleep with casual looking passing then suddenly they are all over you like excited ants in a disturbed hive.
Spain is proving right now why I do not like Tiki Taka. You've got all these pretty passes, but no goals to show for it.
Spain with 74% of the possession, 5 corners and 1 shot of target. Headed for extra time. The BBC online commentator stated: "Oh, great 30 more minutes of this"
Has any team ever missed ALL of their penalties in a major competition?!? Couldn't happen to a worse assemblage of players, unless Brazil f'd up this bad. Good riddance, Spain.
Happy for Morocco…don’t seeing them get much further. just read CR7 is NOT in the starting lineup for Portugal…hmm
Shaqiri credited with 1G and 1A so far, but he was involved with the other two goals against Serbia. When Switzerland beat Portugal 1-0 earlier in the year, Shaqiri was involved in that goal as well.
I assume the coach would rather Ronaldo is available if necessary from the 60th to the end of PKs rather than the first 80 minutes. After watching Croatia sun out the old guard as the Japan game wore on, I could see a coach reversing this as a precaution.
My own FM game playing style considers a player's ability to go 120 minutes in a knockout game. At this level it matters when a coach wants to make tactical moves, or account for fatigue/injuries.
Weird shift at kick off… Setup in a 4-2-3-1, Shaqiri at RW immediately trots to the middle, and then over to the left and the RB moved up…leaving a 3 back line couldnt tell if 3-5-2, but it sure looks like Shaqiri will be a roamer. Second look…5-3-2 with Shaqiri as second striker, but free to roam also weird…but cool…to hear the announcer ‘Shaqiri of the Chicago Fire’!