Cancer Posted November 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2022 In the opening match, Ecuador 2 - Qatar 0. It wasn't as close as that, though Qatar wasn't totally outclassed, just badly outclassed. Three matches tomorrow, including USA - Wales and England - Iran. Canada's first match is Wednesday against Belgium, a decidedly tough opponent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted November 20, 2022 Report Share Posted November 20, 2022 I'm more curious about the finances than the football. I am even angrier about this Cup than most of the posters here. Qatar was a terrible choice for host nation, money in FIFA voters' pockets not withstanding. But what has that meant for the ad revenue in markets like the United States. A sport without interruptions of play simply to accommodate TV commercials sounds like a tough enough sell. Of course, there are fans who might not care at all -- which I find distasteful. And what will this do to Qatar's stability when the new arenas lose money and end up with no local occupants. Does Qatar even have a top-flight leaguer? Seriously -- is there a league in Qatar that can use these arenas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted November 20, 2022 Report Share Posted November 20, 2022 As I recall, there wasn't a top flight league in the US when we hosted the cup in '94. NASL was long dead, and MLS would come along a couple of years later. But the United States has/had infrastructure that Qatar simply does not. All of the games in the '94 World cup were played in existing stadiums. There wasn't a lot of new construction required. Qatar has pretty much had to build everything from scratch, and used indentured servitude to accomplish most of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted November 21, 2022 Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 And very likely...like many facilities built for the Olympics...they'll sit idle once the event's over. A league in Qatar? The whole country has less than 3 million people. It probably covers less ground than the Los Angeles metro statistical area; it's smaller than Connecticut, altho bigger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted November 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 England crushed Iran 6 - 2 earlier this morning. Senegal and Netherlands are playing (first half, still scoreless) as I type this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted November 21, 2022 Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 The teams were told that any player wearing such an armband would receive a yellow card. European teams abandon plan to wear 'OneLove' armbands at World Cup amid threats of punishment First no beer, then this. Who's running this thing, FIFA or the Qatari government? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted November 21, 2022 Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 Netherlands 2 Senegal 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted November 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 ... both goals scored late (84th minute, and then 9 minutes into stoppage time). Rather closer match than the final score would suggest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted November 21, 2022 Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 Iran players refuse to sing national anthem prior to match against England I can't imagine they'll receive a warm welcome in Tehran once the tournament is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan D. Hurricanes Posted November 21, 2022 Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 USA is beating Wales right now, which I imagine is being handled well in Wales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlord Posted November 21, 2022 Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 Uh oh penalty kick! Bummer. 1-1 now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlord Posted November 21, 2022 Report Share Posted November 21, 2022 Critical mistake allowed that penalty, may come down to goal differential to get out of the group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted November 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 I had to teach during that match. It ended 1-1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 It does not matter if you beat Wales or England. It matters if you don't beat Iran..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted November 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 Denmark and Tunisia play to a 0-0 draw. I only got up in time to see stoppage time at the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 I need my DeLorean... 750-1 underdog Saudi Arabia beats Argentina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted November 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 Just saw that score. Gotta find highlights and an account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 From Uni-Watch: "FIFA absurdity rose to a new level Monday, when they ordered Belgium to remove the word “Love” from the inside collar of their jerseys." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 My, my, my... FIFA somehow manages to find new ways to lower its credibility. Considering its past, that's a feat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan D. Hurricanes Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 38 minutes ago, Pariah said: From Uni-Watch: "FIFA absurdity rose to a new level Monday, when they ordered Belgium to remove the word “Love” from the inside collar of their jerseys." It's official: there is no love in Qatar. 58 minutes ago, unclevlad said: 750-1 underdog Saudi Arabia beats Argentina. And I'm sure it was totally legit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 There is no way that the Argentinian players would throw a game. They are one of the favourites to win. And South America takes its football very seriously. A player for Columbia was murdered because of his supposed failure by a fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted November 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 I was in attendance for that game (but obviously not for the subsequent murder); Pan Am Games in Indianapolis in the late '80s, and yes, the player's mistake on the field cost Colombia the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 Own goal? Or am I (mis)remembering something different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 Meanwhile Mexico draw with Poland And Australia are 1-0 up against France. The World Champions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted November 22, 2022 Report Share Posted November 22, 2022 So we beat France? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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