Knockout stage - Round of 32 Games

Nixieboys222 wrote:
no ones fault but Senegal's.... terrible game management in conceding 2 goals in last 5 minutes, despite not doing anything for 85 minutes beforehand... 

• High-speed lunges: Is the player sprinting or jumping into the tackle?
• Out of control: Did the player launch themselves through the air with both feet off the ground, leaving them unable to stop or change direction?
• Brutality: Did the player use their body weight to crush or slam into the opponent? 

• Above the ankle: Referees look closely at where the impact happens. Contact directly on the ankle, shin, knee, or thigh is highly dangerous and almost always a red card. 
• Studs up: Are the sharp metal or plastic studs on the bottom of the boot showing and pointing directly at the opponent's body? 
• Trapping the leg: Is the opponent's foot planted firmly on the grass? If their leg is stuck in the ground when hit, the risk of a broken bone or torn ligament skyrockets. 

• Leading with the studs: Using the hard bottom of the foot as a weapon instead of the side or top of the foot.
• Two-footed tackles: Scissors-style tackles where both legs trap or crash into the opponent.
• Stiff leg: Keeping the tackling leg perfectly straight and locked, which concentrates all the force right into the impact point. 

• From behind or the side: Tackles from blind spots where the opponent cannot see the danger coming to protect themselves. 

• "Getting the ball first" does not matter: Under IFAB guidelines, touching the ball first does not make a dangerous tackle legal. If a player kicks the ball but their momentum carries their studs dangerously into a shin, it is still a red card. 
• No injury required: A tackle does not have to cause an actual injury or even make heavy contact to be labelled Serious Foul Play. If the action itself completely endangers the opponent's safety, it is punished.

theprof wrote:
Malice is not part of the rule for foul play or dangerous play, intent isnt even in there!
The red card was issued under Serious Foul Play: Brutal or excessive force while challenging for the ball. Refs should go through this list when deciding if the challenge fits:

1. The Speed and Intensity (The Force)
 

• High-speed lunges: Is the player sprinting or jumping into the tackle?

 

• Out of control: Did the player launch themselves through the air with both feet off the ground, leaving them unable to stop or change direction?

 

• Brutality: Did the player use their body weight to crush or slam into the opponent? 

2. The Point of Contact 

• Above the ankle: Referees look closely at where the impact happens. Contact directly on the ankle, shin, knee, or thigh is highly dangerous and almost always a red card. 

• Studs up: Are the sharp metal or plastic studs on the bottom of the boot showing and pointing directly at the opponent's body? 

• Trapping the leg: Is the opponent's foot planted firmly on the grass? If their leg is stuck in the ground when hit, the risk of a broken bone or torn ligament skyrockets. 

3. The Body Part Used 

• Leading with the studs: Using the hard bottom of the foot as a weapon instead of the side or top of the foot.

 

• Two-footed tackles: Scissors-style tackles where both legs trap or crash into the opponent.

 

• Stiff leg: Keeping the tackling leg perfectly straight and locked, which concentrates all the force right into the impact point. 

4. The Direction of the Challenge

• From behind or the side: Tackles from blind spots where the opponent cannot see the danger coming to protect themselves. 

Crucial Myth-Busters for Referees
 

• "Getting the ball first" does not matter: Under IFAB guidelines, touching the ball first does not make a dangerous tackle legal. If a player kicks the ball but their momentum carries their studs dangerously into a shin, it is still a red card. 

• No injury required: A tackle does not have to cause an actual injury or even make heavy contact to be labelled Serious Foul Play. If the action itself completely endangers the opponent's safety, it is punished.

 

theprof wrote:
0-0 at the half, fairly even thus far

theprof wrote:
wow!
Croatia even it up 2-2 at the 13 minute mark of the 10 mins extra time!

it's gonna all come down to VAR..

offside! so close for Modric!

20260703_131046.jpg 5.4 MB

And he's nicked it. 
Croatia are out ☝️

kwlap wrote:
With Ramos up top, Portugal are a matched for any side at this WC(except for France). I wonder why he doesn't start....?

Outpost wrote:
I think it's bloody sad for the game that amazing, dramatic, cathartic moments like that are ruined by a blip registered on a snickometer.

martinb wrote:
Who can stand up to France? The favourites by some distance currently…

Buffon II wrote:

 martinb wrote:
Who can stand up to France? The favourites by some distance currently…

Spain definitely can. Haven't conceded yet. I think Morocco will test them as well should that be the Quarter Final.

From the other side of the draw Argentina can match them. You don't win three tournaments in a row by chance. Brazil and England would be firm outsiders.

coochiee wrote:
Shame for the Mexico their last home game will be the R16 match against England. If the Mexicans win that from the quarters onwards, all games are in the States.

Staying at the Azteca you'd almost back them to go on a run all the way to a New Jersey final.

I think many will have them favourites against Ingerland.

Buffon II wrote:

 martinb wrote:
Who can stand up to France? The favourites by some distance currently…

Spain definitely can. Haven't conceded yet. I think Morocco will test them as well should that be the Quarter Final.

From the other side of the draw Argentina can match them. You don't win three tournaments in a row by chance. Brazil and England would be firm outsiders.

Rusty Dunks wrote:
Thats what happens when you rely on defenders to take penalties.

That being said, Aussie are much better than us. Maybe Wood would make their starting XI based solely on this WC. Maaaaaaaybe Just.