Summer of Football thread: Euro 2020(1), Copa America, CONCACAF Gold Cup

[Santander]

How ******* blind does the referee have to be to not notice that there are two footballs on the pitch?

He probably did see, but didn't judge it to be interfering with play. If two balls on the pitch automatically stopped play no matter what, a team could just throw an extra ball on to the pitch whenever they thought the other team was about to score. In this case though, the balls were practically next to each other at one point, so it's much harder to explain the referee's decision...

[NewYorkExpress]

How ******* blind does the referee have to be to not notice that there are two footballs on the pitch?

He probably did see, but didn't judge it to be interfering with play. If two balls on the pitch automatically stopped play no matter what, a team could just throw an extra ball on to the pitch whenever they thought the other team was about to score. In this case though, the balls were practically next to each other at one point, so it's much harder to explain the referee's decision...

And if a team did that in a soccer match and I was refereeing, I'd award their opponents a penalty. That kind of situation should be re-viewable by VAR (to determine how the second ball got on the field. If it was thrown on the field by someone on the England/Denmark bench than England/Denmark-whichever side didn't throw the ball, should get a penalty kick)

[Santander]

How ******* blind does the referee have to be to not notice that there are two footballs on the pitch?

He probably did see, but didn't judge it to be interfering with play. If two balls on the pitch automatically stopped play no matter what, a team could just throw an extra ball on to the pitch whenever they thought the other team was about to score. In this case though, the balls were practically next to each other at one point, so it's much harder to explain the referee's decision...

And if a team did that in a soccer match and I was refereeing, I'd award their opponents a penalty. That kind of situation should be re-viewable by VAR (to determine how the second ball got on the field. If it was thrown on the field by someone on the England/Denmark bench than England/Denmark-whichever side didn't throw the ball, should get a penalty kick)

Well, that's why you are not a referee. They would get a yellow or red card depending on the circumstances.

[Alcibiades]

A laser was also being shone by an England fan in Schmeichel’s eye as Kane was taking the penalty. Tbf, not the referee’s fault, just the typical awfulness of England fans.

[Santander]

A laser was also being shone by an England fan in Schmeichel’s eye as Kane was taking the penalty. Tbf, not the referee’s fault, just the typical awfulness of England fans.

Awful, but sadly not uniquely awful.

[NewYorkExpress]

Updated pick for the Euro final:

England 2, Italy 2 (England defeats Italy on Penalties, 5-4)

Updated pick for the Copa America Final:

Argentina 1, Brazil 0 (In Extra Time)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Good match between two basically sympathetic teams.* Penalty borderline: a genuine matter of interpretation either way.

_{*A bit of less than super behavior from players on both teams but lmao nothing compared to the shitshow last night. Or how Italy will behave in the final!}

[Filuwaúrdjan]

England were the better team on the day, but the circumstances in which they have gone through are so disgraceful. When even all the English pundit hacks are saying the penalty was soft, you know it’s a blatant dive.

It was a blatant dive but there was also a small amount of contact. I'm afraid that football's badly written rules and the frankly Byzantine nature of the unwritten ones that referees have to abide by often lead to messy situations like this. I like the sport a great deal but there are reasons why I prefer Tennis and Cricket, must say.

[Alcibiades]

England were the better team on the day, but the circumstances in which they have gone through are so disgraceful. When even all the English pundit hacks are saying the penalty was soft, you know it’s a blatant dive.

It was a blatant dive but there was also a small amount of contact. I'm afraid that football's badly written rules and the frankly Byzantine nature of the unwritten ones that referees have to abide by often lead to messy situations like this. I like the sport a great deal but there are reasons why I prefer Tennis and Cricket, must say.

Indeed. It is was it is and England were the better side, but it leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth. From a neutral’s perspective, no one wants to see a match of this magnitude decided in that manner.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

England might be the weakest team remaining in the tournament even if Spain looked worse this week. Just relax.

It's coming home

The home:

Yeah I've got some news for you.

[Never Made it to Graceland]

The COPA AMERICA final is tomorrow. Argentina and Brazil.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Copa_Am%C3%A9rica_Final

[Santander]

Brazil is so much better than Argentina on paper, it isn't even funny. I mean, I know Argentina isn't exactly known for having great defenders, but that back line is embarrassing compared to that beautiful Brazilian back line of Danilo, Renan Lodi, the best central defensive partnership in the world in Marquinhos and Thiago Silva (matched only perhaps by Chiellini and Bonucci), and Casemiro in front. Plus, there's that Olympic gold medalist diver called Neymar...

Might be one of the more likeable Brazil squads in recent memory too, despite Neymar's antics.

[NewYorkExpress]

Brazil is so much better than Argentina on paper, it isn't even funny. I mean, I know Argentina isn't exactly known for having great defenders, but that back line is embarrassing compared to that beautiful Brazilian back line of Danilo, Renan Lodi, the best central defensive partnership in the world in Marquinhos and Thiago Silva (matched only perhaps by Chiellini and Bonucci), and Casemiro in front. Plus, there's that Olympic gold medalist diver called Neymar...

Might be one of the more likeable Brazil squads in recent memory too, despite Neymar's antics.

Games aren't won on paper (just ask France).

[Santander]

Brazil is so much better than Argentina on paper, it isn't even funny. I mean, I know Argentina isn't exactly known for having great defenders, but that back line is embarrassing compared to that beautiful Brazilian back line of Danilo, Renan Lodi, the best central defensive partnership in the world in Marquinhos and Thiago Silva (matched only perhaps by Chiellini and Bonucci), and Casemiro in front. Plus, there's that Olympic gold medalist diver called Neymar...

Might be one of the more likeable Brazil squads in recent memory too, despite Neymar's antics.

Games aren't won on paper (just ask France).

Yes, of course. (although I'd also argue France's squad wasn't nearly as good as people were giving it credit for, but still miles better than that Swiss side that had like Sommer and maybe Freuler as good players) And Argentina have a habit of doing well in tournaments when they play badly, being the least deserving World Cup finalists in history in 1990 and 2014.

[Coastal Elitist]

My picks to win are Brazil and Italy

[NewYorkExpress]

Just under seventy-five minutes in, and Argentina is up 1-0 in the Copa America Final.

Meanwhile, over in the Gold Cup, Curacao has been removed due to positive COVID tests and been replaced by Guatemala.

Curacao was dropped from the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Friday because of positive COVID tests and replaced by Guatemala.

Ranked 76th, Curacao was to open Group A on Saturday against El Salvador in Frisco, Texas, then play Mexico on Wednesday in Dallas and Trinidad and Tobago on July 18 at Frisco.

[Santander]

lol this American commentary is a joke.

[NewYorkExpress]

lol this American commentary is a joke.

I personally like the commentary ESPN has for the Euros. Sounds a bit more authentic.

Fox Sports's commentary for the Copa America is more like what you'd hear for an MLS game, and that's not a good thing.

[NewYorkExpress]

It's OVER!

Lionel Messi is a Copa America Champion!

Argentina wins 1-0!

[Santander]

That was a terrible game. Last few minutes were kinda interesting not so much for the quality, but the hilarious miss by Messi, and then Neymar showing he can stay on his feet when tackled after all... much too late of course.

[Suburbia]

Messi gets his trophy, at last

[Red Velvet]

Might be one of the more likeable Brazil squads in recent memory too, despite Neymar's antics.

One of the most hatable imo. They did nothing to pay homage to more than a half million dead on COVID. Team is complicit with Bolsonaro antics of bringing Copa America in the middle of crisis for the sake of stimulating “Panem et Circenses” feels in the population, which failed (practically no one cares about Copa America here, only World Cup is relevant). Half of them planned to celebrate the title with Bolsonaro and definitely voted for him in 2018.

Rooted for Argentina to win and got everything I wanted. The shirt of the Brazilian football team is tainted with blood and represents the “party of the president”, not the country. Brazilian colors were hijacked. If anything this loss was too small, I wanted something that could humiliate them more. Anything that works against Bolsonaro is good for the country.

[Cortarán todas las flores, pero jamás detendrán la primavera]

Brazil is so much better than Argentina on paper, it isn't even funny. I mean, I know Argentina isn't exactly known for having great defenders, but that back line is embarrassing compared to that beautiful Brazilian back line of Danilo, Renan Lodi, the best central defensive partnership in the world in Marquinhos and Thiago Silva (matched only perhaps by Chiellini and Bonucci), and Casemiro in front. Plus, there's that Olympic gold medalist diver called Neymar...

Might be one of the more likeable Brazil squads in recent memory too, despite Neymar's antics.

Well thanks for the good vibes man.

Anyways, glad for the team, they broke a 28 year drought and gave us moment of happines amid very dificult times. And glad for Messi, he deserved this.

Also a good omen for the english, they might end their own drought tomorrow (though i'll be rooting for Italy, of course)

[Suburbia]

Might be one of the more likeable Brazil squads in recent memory too, despite Neymar's antics.

One of the most hatable imo. They did nothing to pay homage to more than a half million dead on COVID. Team is complicit with Bolsonaro antics of bringing Copa America in the middle of crisis for the sake of stimulating “Panem et Circenses” feels in the population, which failed (practically no one cares about Copa America here, only World Cup is relevant). Half of them planned to celebrate the title with Bolsonaro and definitely voted for him in 2018.

Rooted for Argentina to win and got everything I wanted. The shirt of the Brazilian football team is tainted with blood and represents the “party of the president”, not the country. Brazilian colors were hijacked. If anything this loss was too small, I wanted something that could humiliate them more. Anything that works against Bolsonaro is good for the country.

So basically the Brazil team is pro-right wing? It is like how many people see the England soccer team as progressive?

[Santander]

Half of them planned to celebrate the title with Bolsonaro and definitely voted for him in 2018.

Shouldn't be surprising that I like the team, then.