FIFA World Cup knockout stages

[dan08]

Belgium through.

Maybe not.

[SaintPowelly]

But to show how football-obsessed this country is, athletics is relegated to the Red Button interactive service, despite the fact that Brits are competing, while the teams playing in the World Cup do not have Englishmen in it, and yet it's on BBC1.

For every 1 Athletics fan, there are probably about 5,000 football fans.

[sussexpob]

Not buying the USA were good stuff... Outplayed completely for a 110 minutes. If this so called spirit existed, they would have played like that before going 2-0 down. They were poor for all the match till the end and should have been killed off 2-0 or 3-0 in normal time

[SaintPowelly]

Belgium were awful, I genuinely though Fellani was American, the amount of times he gave them the ball. Hazard tracked back a grand total of once, Mirallas who is their best player was left on the bench for 60mins, if they play close to that against Argentina, they will be torn apart.

[Aidan11]

Is it me or does Klinsmann have a slight american accent now?

[Gingerfinch]

Belgium were awful, I genuinely though Fellani was American, the amount of times he gave them the ball. Hazard tracked back a grand total of once, Mirallas who is their best player was left on the bench for 60mins, if they play close to that against Argentina, they will be torn apart.

I didn't see the game, but heard it was a good one?

[Aidan11]

Today is the 20th anniversary of the murder of Colombian footballer Andres Escobar, who was killed soon after arriving home from the World Cup and was belived to be executed on the orders of a drug baron who betted heavily on Colombia (since disputed). Escobar's own goal help put Colombia out of the tournament.

[dan08]

Belgium were awful, I genuinely though Fellani was American, the amount of times he gave them the ball. Hazard tracked back a grand total of once, Mirallas who is their best player was left on the bench for 60mins, if they play close to that against Argentina, they will be torn apart.

Their defence is still pretty solid though. Argentina's attack has been average so far so they may find it difficult to score.

[Gingerfinch]

[GGAS]

Following a few days of sleeping on friends floors and lots of work (which included taking 21 Russian children around London at the same time as a gay pride parade was on) I have finally managed to catch up on all the last 16 games.

Glad to see the back of Uruguay and Greece for obvious reasons, absolutely delighted for Costa Rica. It's a shame more of the unfancied teams didn't make it through, would have loved to have seen Holland and especially Brazil go out. I really don't like this Brazil side, hope they get dicked by Colombia. As for Holland, Robben clearly dived and he cannot keep getting away with it, would be justice for them to see a legitimate penalty appeal turned down as they trail Costa Rica by a goal on the 93rd minute. Sadly I think both Holland and Brazil will go through along with Argentina, who aren't playing to their potential, but should have too much Belgium, and France. I think the French will upset the Germans. I'm not sure why, It's just a gut feeling.

Such a good world cup so far!! x1000 better than the one in SA.

[sussexpob]

Belgium were awful, I genuinely though Fellani was American, the amount of times he gave them the ball. Hazard tracked back a grand total of once, Mirallas who is their best player was left on the bench for 60mins, if they play close to that against Argentina, they will be torn apart.

This is crazy talk, Belgium forced a record amount of saves from Tim Howard for a World Cup match, and hit the woodwork twice.... had they taken their chances, they could have won by an embarrassing margin. By the end of the second half they were passing through the USA defence like it wasn't there......

Strangely, having 17 shots on target you class as awful, but also say an Argentina team who were immensely poor going forward against Switzerland would destroy them? I would hazard a guess Belgium created more proper goal scoring chances in the last ten minutes of normal time yesterday then Argentina have all tournament.

Messi is a one man team at the moment for Argentina.... Higuian, Aguero, Di Maria (who was as poor yesterday as a player can be while winning a game), Gago and co simply haven't turned up.

If Rojo spends all his time ahead of the left winger, like he has all tournament, then Kevin de Bruyne may scored 5 goals.....

Argentina have scrapped through some pretty easy matches this tournament.

[dan08]

Belgium were awful, I genuinely though Fellani was American, the amount of times he gave them the ball. Hazard tracked back a grand total of once, Mirallas who is their best player was left on the bench for 60mins, if they play close to that against Argentina, they will be torn apart.

This is crazy talk, Belgium forced a record amount of saves from Tim Howard for a World Cup match, and hit the woodwork twice.... had they taken their chances, they could have won by an embarrassing margin. By the end of the second half they were passing through the USA defence like it wasn't there......

Strangely, having 17 shots on target you class as awful, but also say an Argentina team who were immensely poor going forward against Switzerland would destroy them? I would hazard a guess Belgium created more proper goal scoring chances in the last ten minutes of normal time yesterday then Argentina have all tournament.

Messi is a one man team at the moment for Argentina.... Higuian, Aguero, Di Maria (who was as poor yesterday as a player can be while winning a game), Gago and co simply haven't turned up.

If Rojo spends all his time ahead of the left winger, like he has all tournament, then Kevin de Bruyne may scored 5 goals.....

Argentina have scrapped through some pretty easy matches this tournament.

Rojo's banned.

[Aidan11]

FIFA are now considering the use of a 4th sub in the event of extra time.

Should have happened ages ago.

[sussexpob]

I got 98/1 on Brazil, Colombia, Holland, Costa Rica, Belgium, Argentina , France and Germany to make the quarters....

3/8 in....I think Greece might be the shaky draw

Just thought I would bring this post up again btw......

Nordic Bet just paid for all my Alaska holiday....

[Gingerfinch]

I got 98/1 on Brazil, Colombia, Holland, Costa Rica, Belgium, Argentina , France and Germany to make the quarters....

3/8 in....I think Greece might be the shaky draw

Just thought I would bring this post up again btw......

Nordic Bet just paid for all my Alaska holiday....

Nice one sussex

It's apparently the first time all group winners have won their last sixteen games.