I don’t pretend to understand soccer, but I do enjoy anime…
Getting more and more into anime territory. Next match on japan vs croatia the free kick will happen across 10 episodes with flashback from mitoma’s childhood and one filler episode about his coach buying him his first football shoes https://t.co/ZmFHCrN4tr
— Baskara Putra / Hindia (@wordfangs) December 3, 2022
CNN:
In a World Cup of surprises, Japan has played a leading role in headline-making shock results.
Not many would have predicted that the Samurai Blue would beat both Spain and Germany to top Group E in qualifying for the knockouts, but so impressive has the team been that not many would now raise an eyebrow if Japan was to progress to the quarterfinals for the first time in its history…
First to the match in Al Wakrah. Croatia is a team undefeated in nine of its last 10 World Cup matches. Its only loss in that run coming in Russia four years ago when a Kylian Mbappé-inspired France secured a 4-2 win in the final.
Coach Zlatko Dalić told reporters Sunday that the country had performed brilliantly over the years and become a force in world football.
“The population of Croatia is four million and the results we have achieved on the world stage are miraculous,” said Dalić, per Reuters.
“We are continually present in tournaments and World Cups, and that itself is a great success. We have become a world football force.”
While Croatia, unbeaten in Qatar, has never lost in the last 16 in its previous two World Cup matches at this stage, Japan has never progressed beyond the round-of-16, suffering defeat in 2002, 2010 and 2018…
Alison Rose
Come on, Japan!!!
phdesmond
i paid five dollars to Peacock so that i could watch at home, and they retransmit Telemundo’s coverage. when the action is slow, as in this game so far, the commentator sometimes sounds like an agricultural auctioneer trying to boost excitement.
Omnes Omnibus
@Alison Rose:
I take it you are choosing the African and Asian countries over the Europeans each time. Or just rooting for chaos?
Alison Rose
Woohoo!!
Alison Rose
@Omnes Omnibus: Eh, not always, but mostly. I like to see underdogs win here, and it would just be nice to see a less European final few like we usually have, you know? Well…European + Brazil, that is :P But also I just love the Japanese team and their fans
cope
I’m good with either team moving on. I pull for Japan based on their overall anti-litter efforts and Croatia as such a tiny nation. Let’s just see some good soccer.
phdesmond
GOAL! Japan 1-0 Croatia (Maeda 43).
phdesmond
from the Guardian:
Trincha
@phdesmond: I prefer Telemundo’s coverage. The English coverage too frequently veers to the sort of biopic nonsense we all love so much from American broadcasting of the Olympics
Alison Rose
Dang it. Nice pass into the box, though.
phdesmond
haven’t read, just passing along:
Alison Rose
@phdesmond: I definitely agree that the team will likely have a great showing in 2026, although I assume Azteca will be one of the venues, which will be…….not fun.
phdesmond
@Alison Rose:
tell me about Azteca? first i’ve heard of it.
Alison Rose
@phdesmond: Estadio Azteca in Mexico City is a grueling place to play for many reasons. It’s huge, it’s at very high altitude which can cause breathing issues for the players, the pollution in the air is also detrimental (there have been matches where players were like, coughing up black phlegm on the sidelines). Plus, the Mexican fans can be…a LOT. Particularly against the US players. There have been many incidents where, for example, when a US player (most notably LD) would go to take a corner, fans would throw beer bottles and cups of urine at them. It’s a real fucking gauntlet to play there.
phdesmond
@Alison Rose: oh!
Alison Rose
Ooh, boy…another 30!
HumboldtBlue
Even more impressive for Croatia, a Croatian player has played on the Champions League winner for 10 consecutive seasons. Primarily because of the long-standing relationship between Real Madrid and Croatian players (Real has won an absurd 14 Champions League titles and five of the last seven). In the past five seasons alone, Luke Modric (Real) and Dejan Lovren (at the time played for Liverpool) and Kovacic at Chelsea, have all played on CL winning sides.
Alison Rose
Oh man…those head to head hits make me cringe.
Alison Rose
Oh damn!! Feels so close….like ten times there
Alison Rose
PKs! The worst and best thing in a soccer match!
phdesmond
penalty shots. we’ll be seeing more of these in the next two weeks.
Steeplejack
Goddamn. Japan is screwed.
Alison Rose
not a good start :(
Alison Rose
never seen this many saves in a shoot out
Alison Rose
damn :(
Steeplejack
❌ ❌ ❌ Unbelievable.
Alison Rose
Man, I am so sad about this. Now I want Croatia to get their asses kicked in the QF
Paul in KY
@Omnes Omnibus: Croats were Nazis in WW II. Enthusiastic ones. Fuck em.
Paul in KY
Japan sure choked a bit in PKs. The worst one though was the Croatia miss. He’s going to get alot of grief for that stinker. They might want to check him for a bet made against his country…
billcinsd
@Alison Rose: I believe the game division is that all three host opening round games, with Canada playing in Canada, Mexico in Mexico and the US in the US. The knockout rounds are all in the US, IIRC and barring FIFA changing things up. Thus, the US have little chance right now to play at the Azteca