2022 FIFA World Cup - Qatar, November 21-December 18

[Meclazine for Israel]

Qatar is already eliminated. What a pathetic host team.

It's Qatar. They probably only have 300 fit men of sporting age to choose from.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Those last two goals by Cameroon looked offside.

[Meclazine for Israel]

The one sport Aussies aren't good at.

Well today we are.

The 2006 team that tied with Croatia was our best side. Cahill, Vaduka and Kewell were three of our best ever players.

The reason a lot of men in the US and Australia don't like soccer is:

(a) we have better football codes;
(b) we don't fake injuries lying on the ground squirming when some one lightly touches us.

Fake Soccer Player injuries

https://youtu.be/aX71nSSBLe8

Australian's have a limit on pretending and bs in sports. It's more acceptable in European culture.

There was a young guy at Collingwood this year who did the soccer free kick acting routine, and the cultural response was swift.

[Meclazine for Israel]

The diving and play-acting can be very off-putting to people who grew up watching hockey, a sport famous for players literally dropping their gloves and beating each other halfway to death during the game.

Imagine Ice Hockey players developing a culture of play-acting injuries like soccer players.

It's interesting how culturally attached Canada is to Ice Hockey fights.

The Australian equivalent is Rugby League.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Also, American 🤡 commentary - "only one team left from CONCACAF" - while Costa Rica can still qualify with as little as a point.

You actually think Costa Rica is going to do anything other than lose to Germany?

Costa Rica leading Germany at one stage.

The Japanese goal was out. The ball was over the line and then kicked back in.

Germany are going to get robbed here.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Round of Sixteen Picks:

Netherlands defeat USA 2-1 AET

Argentina defeat Australia 5-0

Croatia defeat Japan 1-0

Brazil defeat South Korea 3-1

England defeat Senegal 4-1

France defeat Poland 3-0

Spain defeat Morocco 5-0

Portugal defeat Switzerland 0-0 on Penalty Kicks.

No upsets? If it was that easy, just take out a 8 way multi-bet and cash in.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Still coming to terms with the US win over Iran.

Probably the USA's best sporting win over Iran since Hulk Hogan vs The Iron Sheik in 1984.

The Iron Sheik vs. Hulk Hogan (1984)

https://youtu.be/XgEjzI2_ALg?t=482

History made in Madison SQuare Garden. It's up there with The Doors and Led Zeppelin.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Preview of Mexico vs Portugal.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClRJJ0CjpU3/

[Meclazine for Israel]

Still coming to terms with the US win over Iran.

Probably the USA's best sporting win over Iran since Hulk Hogan vs The Iron Sheik in 1984.

The Iron Sheik vs. Hulk Hogan (1984)

https://youtu.be/XgEjzI2_ALg?t=482

History made in Madison SQuare Garden. It's up there with The Doors and Led Zeppelin.

Professional Wrestling really doesn't qualify as a sport.

Them's fightin' words.

[Meclazine for Israel]

[Meclazine for Israel]

The Champions make it look easy.

Mbappe Goal

https://fb.watch/hdFa_WM1Ar/

His two goals were next level. France will go deep into this tournament if he keeps up this form.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Would love to see England win it but like the 21 Euros they usually find a way to let it slip through their fingers. Plus the small matter of other teams being more talented.

The upcoming game with France will be special

Mbappe is in red hot form.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Both matches tomorrow have a decent potential for an upset, if we can call Switzerland beating Portugal an upset. Morocco beating Spain certainly would be one, but I don't think you can totally count out Morocco either.

Nice pick.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Quarterfinals Picks:

Brazil defeats Croatia 2-0
Argentina Defeats Netherlands 3-1
Morocco defeats Portugal 0-0 on penalty kicks
France defeats England 2-1 AET

I think you have Morocco wrong and Argentina will not win by as much.

England could do it, but they need a solid 2 half effort.

[Meclazine for Israel]

My (probably completely erroneous) picks for today:

England 3-2 France

Portugal 0-0 Morocco (3-2 on pens)

I am gonna go France over England.

And Portugal over Morocco.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Why doesn't Brazil have more Japanese players?

Why doesn't Australia have any indigenous players?

It's not their thing.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Argentina $1.85
Croatia $4.60



France $1.55
Morocco $6.50



That means a Croatia - Morocco Final pays $30 on a $1 bet.

Semi Final Preview

https://youtu.be/gJYp7R94ZQQ

[Meclazine for Israel]

Get down there brah! Get amongst it.

[Meclazine for Israel]

I am going for Argentina, but I know how deadly France are in attack.

Meanwhile, Moroccan fans cannot keep it together.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-15/world-cup-morocco-france-fans-clash-with-police-after-game/101778920

In Brussels about 100 football fans, some wrapped in Moroccan flags, briefly clashed with police in the city centre.

The fans threw fireworks and other objects at lines of police dressed in riot gear and set alight some garbage bags and cardboard boxes.

Police responded with tear gas and a water cannon.

There were similar scenes in Amsterdam, where more than 100 soccer fans confronted police.

[Meclazine for Israel]

D Day has arrived.

For one team, they will be showered in eternal glory for the rest of their lives.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Great game. Unfortunately, France got the rough end of the stick.

I thought Argentina had that game in the bag a couple of times, but France just kept applying pressure.

Martinez came on and had 4 shots at goal and missed all of them.

Well done Argentina.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Does anyone know why President Fernandez was not in Qatar for the Finals?

The commentators said he thought he was a bad luck charm for the team.

When he last went to an Argentine World Cup final, they lost, so he was superstitious.

It worked.