Getting the ball first isnt the ONLY thing that matters, but it is fairly important. Both players are allowed to try to win the ball, the player who goes for the ball, and doesnt get it, has basically put himself in the way of the player who did win the ball. Now you can't just toe tap the thing barely and act like you won the challenge and take down someone who still could have played the ball because you barely moved it though. I think the calls (in the box anyway) have been pretty good in this game.

Crap, was hoping for a 0-0 tie.

The pitch must be comfortable for the Swedish...

Could either of these teams beat the other two?

Out in Left Field said:

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Could either of these teams beat the other two?

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After Mexico beat Germany, anything's possible. Just "one of those games" yesterday, and it could happen again.

What a chance!

seriously

Really, we got no better view of that?

not a pk...arm was on the body and it hit around the shoulder from what I saw

Out in Left Field said:

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Could either of these teams beat the other two?

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I think Sweden could beat either Mexico or Germany. I don't have as much faith in Korea.

It didnt look like a pk live to me, but from the angle they showed on replay I could tell nothing.

weird right? Must not have been close enough to matter for the FIFA feed

JJxvi said:

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It didnt look like a pk live to me, but from the angle they showed on replay I could tell nothing.

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calll it when it happens, not when the other team is on a counter attack....holy ****

aznaggiegirl07 said:

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JJxvi said:

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It didnt look like a pk live to me, but from the angle they showed on replay I could tell nothing.

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calll it when it happens, not when the other team is on a counter attack....holy ****

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this is how VAR works, and I am perfectly ok with it. Let the action continue and if the VAR determines it should have been called, then stop play. Play would have stopped either way. Zero problem with it.

I will say that even with relatively annoyingly bad officiating in in a couple of these recent games, it's nice not to have the crazy ****ing game changing bad calls so far. Feel like all the games so far are being decided by the players at least.

To be honest, this was the first real horrible game from a ref. And it's partly the ref and partly the WC refereeing constraints.

Aguilar is not a good ref. He has good days for CONCACAF and bad days. This was his bad day. He randomly calls fouls, lets lots of stuff go and you have no idea what game he seeing. At one point he was well on pace for 60 fouls with no cards.

And that's the other problem. FIFA doesn't want cards early because of accumulation. Sonthey tell guys to work through it. They then don't card normal fouls and more importantly don't card PI or "Team PI". And the players know it. Every game is seeing tons of fouls committed in the defensive end and players know they can do it with impunity. And dissent is just ignored.

Couple Aguilar with the WC "no card" policy and you get a disaster. Well, st least he didn't shove a player back like the guy yesterday.

And dear Dr Joe. Getting the ball first doesn't mean ***** It's still a foul you moron.

Other than a 0-0 tie, a 1-0 win was about as good an outcome as Mexico could've asked for.

Just gotta beat Korea and we're in great shape to win the group. Can't get comfortable.

Man, what a crap game this morning. 1-0 with a PK being the only score. Barf.

Hard to see South Korea finding a way out of the group stage after this. I think only the winner of this game had a shot, although you have to believe it's going to be Mexico and Germany advancing right now. Still, that's why they play the games.

There was no One out there to support Son. He'd go o
N a fast break to be the only one in the box...

I'm just praying that the game with Mexico woke Germany up, because they weren't and aren't playing anywhere near their potential at all

Odds on 538 after Round 1:

Chances to make RO16:
Mexico - 79%
Germany - 64%
Sweden - 52 %
South Korea - 4%

Chances to win group:
Mexico - 50%
Sweden - 26%
Germany - 23%
South Korea - <1%

Can someone explain how Sweden has more chances to win the group than Germany, but less chances to make the RO16?

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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Odds on 538 after Round 1:

Chances to make RO16:
Mexico - 79%
Germany - 64%
Sweden - 52 %
South Korea - 4%

Chances to win group:
Mexico - 50%
Sweden - 26%
Germany - 23%
South Korea - <1%

Can someone explain how Sweden has more chances to win the group than Germany, but less chances to make the RO16?

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Germany can't get to 9 points, or even 7. Sweden can get to either.

Yeah, Germany (by definition) needs help to win the group. Sweden doesn't--all they have to do is win two games.

They have less chance to advance because that's easier said than done.

Seems counter-intuitive, but I guess that makes sense.

aznaggiegirl07 said:

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Beat the hell outta Mexico, a WHOOP!

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WHOOP!

Ya ganamos

So 30 prostitutes was what Mexico needed against Germany. I wonder what the number is against South Korea?

surprised to see Jang Hyun Soo in this game. He had a bad game against the Swedes...

I actually don't dislike the Mexican jersey.

And a kid picked up the game ball on the way onto the pitch, not the ref?

Great. Won't be able to understand a word of this game.

This PBP announcer. So f##kig bad. I will try to have this be my only comment on it but no promises.

bagger05 said:

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This PBP announcer. So f##kig bad. I will try to have this be my only comment on it but no promises.

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I'm about to stream a Korean broadcast

Ok. I posted on another thread the commentators haven't been too bad but this guy is incredibly annoying. Too loud. Tries to be the entertainment vs the game being the entertainment.

Also...really like these Mexican kits. Impressive. Clean.