Calling all fans in Japan, come down and support the mighty nix in Osaka
http://www.facebook.com/WellingtonPhoenixClubMembersSupportersGroupOsaka
Hope the Ticos get thrashed.
Spain meanwhile bet Jordan 3-1.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11438293/Costa-Rica-forced-CANCEL-World-Cup-warm-friendly-Iraq.html
- Costa Rica travelled from their training base in Kuwait to the Iraqi border
- They'd been due to play Iraq in a friendly match in Basra on Thursday
- Delegation thought they had an agreement their passports wouldn't be stamped
- But this wasn't the case and the decision was made to cancel the match
- It has put a dent in their preparations ahead of World Cup opener with Spain
ok read the article
"They'd requested the Iraqi government did not stamp their passports when crossing the border but the authorities did not honour the agreement.
There was a concern that the Iraqi passport stamp would cause difficulties in accessing other countries in the future."
stupid officials ruining things again.
Queenslander 3x a year.
Same logic being that an Israeli stamp in your passport would be a problem elsewhere.
But yeah just another botched saga adding to the cluster fudge that is the Qatar WC
Hope the Ticos get thrashed.
Puts the NZ ranking and playoff performance into perspective
Spain were top class this morning
Shows how bad NZ was.
"It will be hosted in Wellington. My balls my word"
3/7/2013
"McGlinchey is ours ! My balls my word."
5/8/2014
Quality is relative, and in comparison to both our level and the level of our previous opposition, they were and still are a good side. In the two windows prior to playing us, they had beaten both USA and Canada (who both dominated European opposition in their opening WC games) and drawn away at the Azteca (the toughest place to go in CONCACAF) against Mexico. These are the sort of competitive results we'd dream about; case and point was the time we played a qualifier at the Azteca. It should be quite obvious to anyone acting in good faith that no one was claiming them to be better than or even close to the global superstars in the Spain team.
Even still, the 7 goals came from 3.5 xG, which shows Spain were clinical and Costa Rica unlucky. On another day it could be similar to how Germany had 3.1 xG and still lost 1-2 to Japan this morning. One site has us as having 1.7 xG vs Costa Rica, yet instead of having half what Spain scored we had 7 less. That's just how things work out.
Not surprising England, France and Spain have run riot somewhat. Likes of Borges, Modric and Messi I think will struggle to make much of an impression.
Calling all fans in Japan, come down and support the mighty nix in Osaka
http://www.facebook.com/WellingtonPhoenixClubMembersSupportersGroupOsaka
Quality is relative, and in comparison to both our level and the level of our previous opposition, they were and still are a good side. In the two windows prior to playing us, they had beaten both USA and Canada (who both dominated European opposition in their opening WC games) and drawn away at the Azteca (the toughest place to go in CONCACAF) against Mexico. These are the sort of competitive results we'd dream about; case and point was the time we played a qualifier at the Azteca. It should be quite obvious to anyone acting in good faith that no one was claiming them to be better than or even close to the global superstars in the Spain team.
Even still, the 7 goals came from 3.5 xG, which shows Spain were clinical and Costa Rica unlucky. On another day it could be similar to how Germany had 3.1 xG and still lost 1-2 to Japan this morning. One site has us as having 1.7 xG vs Costa Rica, yet instead of having half what Spain scored we had 7 less. That's just how things work out.
Agreed, way too much being read into two games. Even the NZ game where "NZ played poorly", NZ had twice the possession, three times the shots, and played 20 minutes with a man down. Costa Rica got an early goal and it suited them immensely.
Listen to Martin Tyler go through the playing elevens of the various teams, and there ain't many with guys in Serie C, the Danish 2nd tier or even a middling SPL team.
Spain’s passing map (via @OptaAnalyst) looks like a kid’s drawing #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/2nOhSBcqom
— Jason Pine (@pineynz) November 23, 2022
Queenslander 3x a year.
Poor quality game, very slow (apparently hottest tourney day in Qatar to date), and all playing into hands of Costa Ricans who have unlike them normally, have dominated possession
Germany will be breathing a huge sigh of relief.
2 games, 1 shot on target for 1 win
Japan were poor, little movement, slow, lots of passing backwards
So drawing a long bow, AWs are not far off Japan, but long long way off Spain
Have you forgotten Argentina v Saudi Arabia?
Three for me, and two for them.
The Germans really need a win today against Spain!
Queenslander 3x a year.
I'm happy for germany but now sad for Japan, I have both teams in the draw. Could japan upset spain?
Queenslander 3x a year.
Calling all fans in Japan, come down and support the mighty nix in Osaka
http://www.facebook.com/WellingtonPhoenixClubMembersSupportersGroupOsaka
5 changes. Starting a J league winger ahead of Mitoma, Ito, [edit Doan started soz], Kubo, Maeda, Hatate, Furuhashi and Tomiyasu…
I mean it fits with their qualification campaign.
Even though Asano’s goal was brilliant, it was counter attacking, long ball from a defender with the other team pushed forward.
No such favors from Costa Rica. Japan dominated possession and territory, but hardly troubled Navas.
2 games, 1 shot on target for 1 win
Japan were poor, little movement, slow, lots of passing backwards
So drawing a long bow, AWs are not far off Japan, but long long way off Spain
Have you forgotten Argentina v Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia didn't come into that game off a 7-0 loss!
Was a massive form turnaround by CR.