2026 World Cup thread

[exmediahack]

Gambling thread.

Love you too, Sam.

Given the awful navigation of this site in the last change has led me to come here once every couple months, “SJ, you’re welcome”. :)

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Baz about to sub in for Pepi.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

I think Australia is getting the "enough" speech. So, if we start seeing a flurry of cards, this turns into a key point.

 

[HanSenSE]

We will keep talking those own goals to take the lead each match, thank you very much.

How active are the cartels in Australia. I remember 1994.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

For the U.S., bookings at this stage are moot because they will field the B team against the Turks. Rack up the cards!

 

[Bubbler]

This match is kinda boring to be honest.

 

[Webster]

This second half is from hunger

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Soutar getting his Marty McSorley on against Balogun. How kind.

Are we skipping the knee-ankle phase and going straight to bodybags?

 

[Sam Mills 51]

How active are the cartels in Australia. I remember 1994.

Highly doubt anyone is getting murdered over that goal.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Oh, boy ... the referee is cramping up. Nice of the Australian player to help him stretch. But this could turn into a story, which is not what neither any official nor FIFA wants.

 

[brn623cl]

Biggest issue for USA today may have been getting the substitution changes done smoothly.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Sign of a good match and a good day, relatively speaking.

Well, already into the knockout stage. Did not see this coming going into the tournament ...

 

[brn623cl]

Pochettino again took a break from fixing a burnt-out, broken Pinto. Hope he at least washed his hands.

Now back to the Pinto with a lot of daylight left to work on it.

 

[Bubbler]

I wish they would stop acting like getting to the knockout is the same as it used to be. In this format, you have to suck out loud not to make the knockout. Thought that was more of a baseline USMNT performance. Decent, but nothing special.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Now back to the Pinto with a lot of daylight left to work on it.

... starting with installing the plastic shield between the fuel tank and differential housing to prevent explosions.

And changing out those Air Force 1s and back into steel-toed boots.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

I wish they would stop acting like getting to the knockout is the same as it used to be. In this format, you have to suck out loud not to make the knockout. Thought that was more baseline USMNT performance. Decent, but nothing special.

Agreed. But can't ask for much more than three points, and without Christian Pulisic, to boot. Also, won't need a 90th-minute goal from Landon Donovan in the third group match in order to pull some rabbit out of a hat.

But, to your point, I almost wonder if it takes a round, maybe two, into the knockout round before the cream rises to the top.

Australia was also better than Paraguay. Türkiye, I suspect, could be a different opponent altogether.

 

[brn623cl]

I think not having to play in the CONCACAF qualifier helped create a distorted perception of the US team. They used the friendlies as tryouts more than result oriented matches.

 

[Roscablo]

The first half was kind of on par with the first game. I wish they controlled possession more in the second half, but Australia never really threatened.

Maybe with the third place teams and watered down groups it's easier on paper but it is still essentially the same way to move on as before and the US has never done it before the third game, so that is something.

It's also the fourth straight time advancing when being in the WC, so that's also something. But it's time to win some knockout games, that's for sure.

 

[dixiehack]

Two wins in two tries would have led to jubilation and hyperbole for the US under the old format as well. I don’t think we have to gatekeep joy here.

 

[Roscablo]

Two wins in two tries would have led to jubilation and hyperbole for the US under the old format as well. I don’t think we have to gatekeep joy here.

Yeah, it's never happened before. And the pool format is the same. You can argue who they played, but you know, in 2010 they had to barely get results against Slovenia and Algeria to move on. Or Wales and Iran in 22.