Group E's General Discussion Thread

Tale of 2 halfs really.

Ecuador is very physical and presses like crazy. They gave Morocco probably their toughest game in a long time in a friendly few months back.

CIV can be sloppy especially early on in games. Ecuador didnt make them pay for that early pressing , and catching them cold and I think they tired in the 2nd and allowed CIV to take over.

CIV just has those difference makers to finish.

 

I think the Ecuador coach got it right in the first half. They just didnt finish. When you press like that and dont take advantage its always gonna be tough later on.

I actually thought Fae got clearly outcoached in the first half.

 

Ecuador better find a way to score some goals against Curacao or else they may get grouped. Germany is not going to take it easy on them.

 

If Germany beat Ivory Coast, they might rest some players for Ecuador

 

This World Cup so far appears to be a let down for CONMEBOL teams minus Brazil. I say Brazil is the exception because most of the qualification campaign took place before Ancelotti took over; but the rest of the CONMEBOL teams might be letdowns.

Paraguay getting smashed by USA, Ecuador losing to Ivory Coast likely third best CAF team. I guess Uruguay and Colombia get second in their group but might be out in round of 32, depending on who they face. Argentina also might disappoint

 

Yeah ive been hyping diomande for the past year. Serious baller.

 

Brazil was hot garbage against Morocco and hasn't shown any sign of improvement under Ancelotti. They had the same problems with Dorival and Diniz because the midfield is unfixable unless they pull a Toni Kroos from under a rock tomorrow. On top of that they lost their best CB (Militao) and their only decent RB (Wesley).
Vini will have to make the carry job of all time or quarterfinals is the limit.

 

Beautiful finish for the winner.

From the highlights it seemed an entertaining game despite being goalless for so long.

 

Germany will struggle to score on them. I fully expect them to find a goal, eventually, but Ecuador has the best defense in the world based on the available evidence. When I tried to figure out this matchup I went back and forth but leaned to Ivory Coast because while Ecuador had the better defense, Ivory Coast also had the good defense and a better attack, it's funny, I probably have a different prediction in every site, game, and everything else I used. I went back and forth, back and forth, and I hate that these two teams were grouped together, they are both top 15ish teams at this WC, maybe better, but man, they were all lumped in here, kind of like Group I with that big 3.

I feel for both of them but I'm slightly more empathetic for Ivory Coast, because even if Ecuador's been waiting for a knockout game for 20 years, Ivory Coast has never even gotten a chance to play in one. Group of Death exit in '06, in '10 they lost a ticket to the knockout rounds in a group with a trio of death (Brazil/Portugal/Ivory Coast and the Patsy-North Korea) on a total goals tiebreaker after Portugal piled it on against North Korea to clinch the tiebreaker, and in '14, Greece cheated Ivory Coast and the refs to steal a ticket to the knockout rounds in injury time, thus writing the epitath for an utterly snake bit Ivory Coast side. So just really, really wanted this new generation to make good on the promise the heroes of '06-'16 laid as a foundation for them. Really happy w/their win, they should be able to take out Curacao and probably lock in a first or second place finish and a likely matchup with, yikes, France, Norway or Senegal in the Round of 32 unless they win the group and get a 3rd place finishing side.

Ecuador deserved better, especially after the bittersweet results in '22, but I am a touch more sympathetic to Ivory Coast considering the bitter history the past 20 years. Ecuador should be fine, advancing as a 3rd place team unless they beat Germany (they get them on match day 3 in NYC, so that could give them a bit of an advantage). Very exciting group to watch going forward with Germany set for a real brawl in the next two matches, especially if Ivory Coast can handle them next week.

 

Apparently Curacao's manager Dick Advocaat told his team to 'play like Brazil'.. and they did, lost 7-1 to Germany

 

And I think part of the reason it was a tale of two halves is because CIV didn't start Amad and Bonny.

This group now sets up a lot like Group A. Similar to ROK and Czechia against Mexico, I think both ECU and CIV have a chance to get a result against Germany. But either way, they have an additional 3 points in the bag (South Africa/Curacao)

 

Yes, it was a very good match. Ecuador hit the crossbar twice and CIV hit it once, before the goal. CIV has that class up front that Ecuador lacks and that was the difference.

 

Indeed. But, yes, not a good sign when a team that's unbeaten in like 19 matches suddenly lose when they step out of C'BOL in a match where it felt like Ecuador were playing at home.

And I'll include Brazil too given that a primary reason they looked so bad against Morocco was poor tactics from Ancelotti.

 

You are assuming they beat Ivory Coast. Far from a guarantee.

 

I see it being a wide open match on the final match day of the group. Especially if Germany does not beat Ivory Coast. I do not see It being low scoring. And in that type of match the Germans will make them pay.

 

CIV need to just go and beat Germany. The first place prize in this group is huge. A 3rd place team, wheras 2nd gets you a date with France/Senegal/Norway. Not good at all.

With my pre WC predictions it will be Senegal v CIV

Strong possibility 3rd in this group gets you a weaker opponent in R32.

CIV can beat Germany, but they just have to be on their game. Dimonade will slice up Kimmich.

 

A Germany/CIV draw and a Germany/Ecuador draw would see CIV top the group, assuming CIV beat Curacao. Also a very possible scenario.

 

I agree, but that’s why I said IF