What's going on in POL-ARG? The matchtracker doesn't show a a shot on goal for Argentina since their second goal.
Apparently the goal makes no difference for Mexico. If Mexico scores, Mexico advances on goals scored.
Onside. Honestly, he was looking out for the fans in attendance and trying to give them a chance for another game. He didn't anticipate Saudi Arabia doing enough for them. He thinks on levels obviously.
I feel like the schadenfreude would be a bit more delicious if Saudi Arabia hadn't scored late, and Mexico had gone out on fair play points rather than goal difference.
3 of the 8 teams in the knockout rounds so far lost their first group game, but managed to advance (Argentina, Australia, Senegal).
Its funny.. with Mexico losing the cries of “no more foreign coaches” will continue to be the cry… while in the US its “the bias towards American/MLS coaches is holding us back”… Honestly the worst thing the US ever did to Mexico was to beat Panama in that game that allowed Mexico to sneak into the ‘14 World Cup.. that half scare prevented the possibility of true change and kept the same tired mechanisms in control… Flat out losing might have been healthier for them today..
So... USA vs. Mexico in 2021-22: Won the Nations League Won the Gold Cup Won the CONCACAF Champions League Outlasted Mexico in the World Cup Finished behind Mexico in qualifying, but beat them head-to-head. Not a bad 18 months.
Meanwhile in Mexico “these players are f’n trash” send them to crappy ass MLS… meanwhile MLS experienced players continue to thrive
This would be the perfect time for Inter Miami to sign Tata as head coach. Unfortunately they've just renewed that Manc idiot's contract.
As much as I like Pinieda from his time with the Sounders, .. I gotta think that Tata becoming available, a new GM coming in, and Atlanta looking to splash the cash again, no could be an excellent opportunity for Atlanta to bring him back.
A few observations about this World Cup (so far): Only 1 team has (so far) lost 3 consecutive matches (Qatar). Only 1 team remains that can lose 3 consecutive matches (Canada). Only 2 teams remain that can win 3 in a row (Brazil, Portugal). I'd have to compare this historically, as maybe this has been the norm and I never noticed, but I thought this was an indication of the general quality of teams of the tournament. Few dominant teams. Few totally outclassed teams.
Teams to win all three group games 2006: Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Spain 2010: Argentina, Netherlands 2014: Netherlands, Colombia, Argentina, Belgium 2018: Uruguay, Croatia, Belgium Teams to lose all three group games 2006: Costa Rica, Serbia and Montenegro, Togo 2010: Cameroon, North Korea 2014: Cameroon (again), Australia, Honduras 2018: Egypt, Panama I'd say it is roughly par for the course. Maybe a little on the low side depending on results but not much different than 2010. I'd have to look at the GDs for teams to say if there were fewer outclassed teams. I will say in 2018 it was fairly ok for GA except for Panama giving up 11 in their group games. Only 3 other teams gave up more than 5. Interestingly it was Panama's group mate Tunisia and two teams in Group A (Saudi Arabia and Egypt). This year nobody has hit double digits, though Costa Rica could as they are sitting on 7 with a game against a German team that needs to win (and possibly by a big score). But right now there are 3 teams whose World Cup is over that conceded more than 5 (Wales, Iran, and Qatar) with Costa Rica joining them. So, a minimum of 4 with Canada, Serbia, and Ghana all sitting on 5 with a game left to play.
And by another metric, number of combs, this World Cup is also on par with all the others in the 32-team era. All of them have had 2-3 combs in the group stage. What's really remarkable about 2022 so far is that both of the teams that got combed came back to win their next game. But a team coming back to win after being combed isn't unprecedented either: in 2006 Ukraine lost their opener 4-0 to Spain, and then beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 in their next game and ended up reaching the quarterfinals.