aucanucktiger 1,784 Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 Once every 4 years, nations only, more popular than the Olympics, one of the most popular events on the planet, World Cup 3rd place Holland didn't qualify (!), generally world class soccer, 2018 World Cup host Russia already eliminated and this 2016 edition is bizarre so... slapping it on here for those interested. 4 team group round robin play wrapping up and you don't have to know much about soccer to see how surprising some of these results are. Today, Iceland 2-1 over Austria. Hungary 3-3 against media-proclaimed "world's best player" (and dive & roll crybaby) Chrissy Renaldo's Portugal. Hungary wins group (dominated soccer last in early 1950s) Iceland second (plays England next in round of 16) Portugal 3d (PROHIBITIVE pre tournament group favorite). Wales (!) won England's group. Tournament this time is in "solid" France and its mercurial (flakey/angst ridden) fans/team are worth the price of admission. Ireland just beat Italy (!) so the Irish finish 3d in their group and with 4 points (3 for a win, 1 for a tie) they probably advance (the 4 best 3d place teams in group play also advance). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoundationEagle 637 Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Hungary 3-3 against media-proclaimed "world's best player" (and dive & roll crybaby) Chrissy Renaldo's Portugal. I'm glad you included this part. I think Messi is a better overall player. Ronaldo may be one of the best, but he is my least favorite. He does everything with a bad attitude whereas Messi just enjoys everything he does. Two worlds apart those two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Hungary 3-3 against media-proclaimed "world's best player" (and dive & roll crybaby) Chrissy Renaldo's Portugal. I'm glad you included this part. I think Messi is a better overall player. Ronaldo may be one of the best, but he is my least favorite. He does everything with a bad attitude whereas Messi just enjoys everything he does. Two worlds apart those two. I was giggling all match when they played Austria. His mounting frustration entertained me to no end. Him missing that penalty was icing on the cake. I am so pulling for Iceland. A team that's manager is a dentist, fields that are frozen solid eight months out of the year, has no pro league and roster that's transfer value amounts to about two thirds of Harry Kane. How can you not pull for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Poland leaped out to a 1-0 lead over the Swiss with a first half goal. 62nd minute. Pointless thread hijack: Fun thing I like to do. I have a FIFA 16 manager career where the year is now 2025. I took the worst team in the Football League, Barnet F.C. and turned them into a world class side. It's fun to pick out players currently on my side in these games. For instance, for the Swiss, Breel Donald Embolo and Xherdan Shaqiri. Embolo is currently the best striker in the world and if he isn't winning the golden boot, it's because Alexis Sanchez scored 30+ goals. Perfect combination of strength and speed. He was an 83 when I first signed him. Seriously, if you play him anything in the air, he will most likely win it. I made the mistake of letting him go for 80,000,000 (hard to turn that down) in 2020 to PSG and tried to replace him with Origi, whom I paid 60,000,000 for and was awesome but more of a finesse striker. Sold Origi for 104,000,000 () and tried Martial. Martial did not fit my play style at all and I found myself playing a 17 year old I had scouted as he was a better scorer for how I play. Let this go on for a season and a half before I threw up my hands, went out and resigned Embolo. Been gravy ever since. Shaqiri is finally getting less awesome with age, but runs away with the assist title every year. Just to continue this brag, here's the lineup: 4-3-3 holding LW Memphis Depay 87 - ST Breel Donald Embolo 93 - RW Xherdan Shaqiri 84 LCM Emerson Hyndman 85 - RCM Nicola Gagno 86 (a scouted Italian playmaker) CDM Brandon Cook 81 (a scouted English solid as a rock distributor) LB Gaya 87 - LCB Matt Miazga 86 - RCB John Brooks 85 - RB Kevin Diks 78 GK Jan Oblak 87 Bench: RW Thomas Bruyn 81 (a scouted Dutchman) RB Deandre Yedlin 74 (was the starter but aged out of the role, still fast) ST Ichiro Ryusaki 71 (a middling scouted Japanese striker, only 17) LM Jose Henry 79 (a scouted American) CM Adam Tozer 79 (a scouted American speedster) CB Nebjosa Vuckovic 81 (a scouted Slovakian) CDM Brian Cunningham 76 (a scouted American, strong and slow but this the best ball control and short passing on the team. Will be special) /pointless thread hijack-brag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Swiss leveled it. Shaqiri with an incredible bicycle kick in the 82nd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Extra time coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 113th minute and the Swiss are definitely the team on the front foot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Poland almost scores in the 120th against the run of play. Clattenburg says no stoppage. Time for penalties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Poland wins the shootout 5-4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Wales - Northern Ireland is a hard watch. It's like they've spent the last 73 minutes simply feeling each other out. I've seen one really good attack on goal and that came early from the Irish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 And as I say that, a Gareth Bale cross is put into the back of the Northern Irish net by their own CB. Oops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUBwins 10,001 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Another scoreless game late with Port and croatia. 0 shots for Ronaldo so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUBwins 10,001 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Make that 0 shots on target for either team. 80th min Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 I find it way more entertaining than the Wales - Northern Ireland game. At least they've both had some nice attacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUBwins 10,001 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 That's true. That other game was pathetic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Surely someone will get a head or foot onto the end of one of these crosses and manage to direct it on frame eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Ronaldo might as well be invisible. Since halftime he has done nothing. Looks like it might be penalties though so he'll still get to tear his shirt off and act like he just singlehandedly won the game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Wouldn't you know it, Croatia gets a good attack and nails the post, Portugal counters and bangs one home off a rebounded Ronaldo shot. 1-0 118th minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Croatia corner 120th minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Comes to nothing. Looks like Portugal will be playing Poland Thursday. Croatia gets one last attack and comes a hair's breadth from equalizing. Ballgame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUBwins 10,001 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 He hooked a little too much but it was very close Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 England-Iceland sounds like fun. 1-1 in the 7th minute. Can't watch because the friggin Joint Commission is in the hospital today and everyone is freaking out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Iceland beating England 2-1 three minutes from halftime. This result holds up, Hodgson is probably out for England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUDub 10,994 Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 60th minute and the English sub in Vardy. Still 2-1 to Iceland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McLoofus 35,182 Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 I know the population of Iceland has been compared to many things during this tournament. One of the more interesting to me was Madison County. The country and the county are about the same, as are Huntsville and Reykjavik. Also, Iceland's tackle in the box on that England counter was unreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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