QF July 6 Brazil v. Belgium [R]

Nope. Germany was the team "people around the globe" were betting on... But your point about favoritism based in history stands.

 

Still go enough that Belgium still hacked the shit out of him

 

Ha.

Oh, Brazil were in that group of death that included Costa Rica and Serbia and a rather toothless Swiss team.

While the draw worked out well enough so that England and Belgium played their benches in what should have been the marquee matchup, we both know that resting starters is a gamble. It's failed many a team.

Fouls were what, 16 to 18, Belgium committing more, but you're having a laugh if you think every foul on Hazard was called. He was bodied/hip checked off the ball that was not called at least three times. Now, he was also embellishing the contact, so maybe he got his reward, too.

And lucky goals, sure. But if Brazil was so much better, why didn't they create any lucky goals of their own?

Brazil is the most important team in the world for the past 60+ years. Yet they didn't do nearly enough to "deserve" to win this game. They just got beat by a pretty good Belgium.

 

I guess this is karma from 2014 WC.

Brazil kicked Colombian Rodriguez up and down the field, and Brazil advanced.

Maybe the Belgians should have added insult to injury, asking the public to applaud defeated Neymar, just like David Luiz did with Rodriguez in 2014.

Give it up for Belgium. Another upset at Russia 2018.

 

Not sure where the concept of Belgian lucky goals comes from...
Surely the second one wasn’t lucky.

As for the first, winning a corner and the subsequent kick glancing off a defender into the goal isn’t in the ‘lucky’ category.

It is more fortunate than many but the corner was earned, the kick was good and the ball went in the net. Fortunate, but not luck alone.

There were many plays where Brazil was just about to get a quality shot and a Belgian defender sold out to block it. On the second goal today Brazil looked like a tired Japan team. Yet it wasn’t the 93rd minute.

The difference wasn’t luck, it was structure and fortitude in the last 45 yards. Martinez’s lineup and formation were good decisions.

Belgium could have given up 4 goals and nobody would have been shocked. Brazil had that many quality looks. Belgium showed more grit than most expected.

 

Also, Courtois.

 

Just saw Brazil with 10 back on defense. Guess they are parking the bus.

Not to mention that if the ball hadn't gone into the net, there is a good chance it would have been called a handball.

 

He shouldn't. If he is, I'd like Mexico giving him a long, hard look.

 

Br

Brazil lost, but shouldn't have IMHO.

It is like Spain losing to Russia, of course Spain is superior, but Russia strategy worked. Thats all.

Same goes to Brazil. Belgium counter attack worked and their luck worked again too.

How did Belgium stopped most of Brazil attacks? Fouls.

The second Belgium goal would be avoided if the Brazilian had used the same strategy.

 

1015351939771482112 is not a valid tweet id

 

No f'ing way. It's gotta be Courtois.

I agree with Griezmann. He was fabulous.

 

The awards are by fan voting. That should tell you all.

 

Meaningless stats. Germany scored 40+ conceided just 4 in 2018 qualifier. Serbia conceided just a single goal in 2006 qualifier and topped Spain at their qualifying group. Does it matter? no off course.

 

Brazil’s loss always hurts, but today they were thoroughly outplayed by Belgium. No major defensive screwups, no chokes from the goalie, no clear chances missed, no bad calls from the ref. I can’t think of any culprits to the loss, other than giving credit to the Belgians for playing a great game.

 

Congratulation Belgium on a good game, they were the deserving winner. very good and exciting team. Good Luck against France

Today wasn't our day we were too wastefull. I hope Tite stays for more four years.

 

I can think of one...

#MundialTelemundo ¡Sorpresa en la Arena Kazan! #BEL ya le gana a #BRA con fortuna. Así lo narró 🎙 @AndresCantorGOL pic.twitter.com/dqcRoPgZXX

— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) July 6, 2018

 

I disagree in part with this. Take any era you want and Brazil will always have a team worthy of being World Cup favorites. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but how can a team with Zico and Socrates not be slated as a favorite? How about Kaka, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos? Neymar Marcelo, Coutinho, etc?
Forget’s Pelé’s generation. Brazil always rebuilds.
Belgium, Colombia, Spain, Czech Republic, all these teams have been slated as favorites many times before, only to flake at the big stage. Brazil, Italy, Germany, Argentina may have bad tournaments (and even qualifiers), but you can be sure they’ll be back next time around. I guarantee they’ll be favorites in the 2042 World Cup with players that haven’t even been born yet.
As for parity between teams, I agree. Brazil bearing Belgium, Switzerland, Costa Rica are no longer guarantees as it was someday. But betting on these guys to beat Brazil ahead of the tournament is just crazy.

 

Well it was no group of death, but no frolick in the Park which England and Belgium both got...

Costa Rica: 14 qfinalist (won wc 14’s group of death)
SwitZerland: 14, 18 r16

Panama: 18 group stage
Tunisia: 18 Group stage

Most of the fouls were committed by Brazil in the end because they were pushing forward leaving themselves 1v1 with Lukaku and Hazard cause of the dirtiness/ “physicality” of the Belgium play neutralizing Brazil’s forwards and ref’s decision to allow it. Plenty of replays showing fouls in the box, but no VAR reviews... (those are just for light skinned players like Griezman anyways). This is why there was no lucky plays. Can’t wait for you guys to cry about Lukaku not getting calls. If ur dark skinned or larger VAR won’t work. It’s decidely racist. Just rewatch the games. Structural racism is in effect with VAR.

Notice Referees are hand picked not random. They maybe instructed before hand not to give Neymar penalties (conscious decision) or they pick someone who they know won’t call fouls for Neymar (subconscious advantage).

It can have a huge effect: just read about disgraced NBA ref tim donaghy’s insights.

http://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/11340/tim-donaghys-claims-on-trial

 

Fine u got me there lol. Hey but Neymar got
His back broken too in that game... then Brazil got humiliated... I dunno what’s worse.

De Bruyne had a nice goal. A little redemption for him after losing out on EPL player of the year to Salah.

Tbh I don’t not like Belgium. I was using them in Fifa 18 as my squad (though with Naingolan and Dembele in mid and Thorgen Hazard on the right mid in a 3412) I just hate VAR and the fact they can replay show the foul on TV and still not call it. It’s so lol and so biased it’s not even funny. It’s like hey we have replay now... we’ll show the foul to add insult to injury... can’t even claim we didn’t see the foul... it’s a joke... waiting for robot referees... or coaches with a replay team that can specifically request on tablets which play they want reviewed. God it would even be better to american idol it where the audience can text-vote which plays to review. There’s a billion people watching this sporting event... two billion eyes don’t lie... we’re essentially all reffing the game.

Give the audience a say on what to review. You can Olympic style voting eliminate the outliers... but if a certain amount of people vote saying there was a foul committed... u get the idea... even if my writing is incoherent.

 

My god you people are delusional. Belgium’s win was roughly on a scale as if Wondolwski had scored in 2014

In 2014
Belgium 38 shots
US 14 shots
Belgium had 2.7 times more shots


In 2018
Brazil 27 shots
Belgium 9 shots
Brazil had 3 times more shots

Belgium spent nearly the entire match pinned in its own half and was even MORE dominated by Brazil than the US by Belgium. I don’t think a single fluky US goal would have led anyone to say the US thoroughly dominated Belgium, but rather were that lucky. It was that one sided.

Belgium is one crazy lucky team.

 

Anyways moving on:

Will Neymar stay with Meunier and PSG. That move to PSG from Barcelona might have screwed him. Meunier knew all his moves. Like Rakitic defending Messi.

And what Will HEnry do coaching against his own team?

Or will he go double agent and spill the beans on Belgium to France now after being in their camp!!! Lols. They better keep him away from phones. They talk about Italian mafia, but all the crazy stuff happens in ... Princess Diana, Ronaldo’s seizure, Anthony Bourdain’s apparent suicide, changing the draw rules to allow lowest ranked in Europe France out of designation of group of death in Brazil 14.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.goal...mar-boos-by-meunier/gmh2ad60luck1abedzqydy1h5

 

Courtois proved in a single game that’s he’s a better goalie than overrated De Gea. He deserved MOTM.

 

Yeah, definitely. He was their Tim Howard. In fact, I think Courtois tied Tim Howard for the record number of saves in regular time. Howard has 16 in a single match, but I think he had 10 during regular time, so Courtois now shares that record.

Which says a lot about how lopsided the game actually was.

 

Man you're so right. Especially with how accesible Peru's side of the draw is.

Sigh.

BTW, whoever made the point that South American leagues, being feeder leagues, may favour the development of attacking players over defensive ones, made an excellent point.

Congrats to France and Belgium.