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Topic: Football World 2020 [S4 - COMPLETED] |
2043 replies
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South Korea come out of the blocks incredibly quickly here, as the Malaysian defence simply cannot live with the South Korean front line led by captain Son. The Korean forward scores a quick brace with a right-footed drive from 15 yards out and then powers home a header to make it 2-0. Jeong-hyeop then goes on to make it 3-0 and compound the misery for Malaysia, who look to be struggling against the pre-season favourites for this group.
However, as we pass the 30th minute the Malaysian captain Rasid starts to drop deeper into the midfield and pick the ball up himself...and with 35 minutes on the clock he does just that before playing a 1-2 with Ahmad and then slotting the ball past the South Korean keeper. Rasid then again muscles his way into the box, before managing to slot the ball through the keeper's legs to make it 2-3...
...and that is how the half ends, with the match poised on a knife-edge with 45 minutes still to go!
@Lyee Chong (A61)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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Croatia are ranked 7th in the World and have been a constant threat within the South/East A League. This 1st half looks to be no different, as Kovačić hammers home a long-range shot from 35 yards out that Rajković in the Serbian goal simply cannot contend with. Rajković then goes on to make a series of brilliant saves to keep Serbia in the hunt.
Serbia do have some attacks of their own, though they struggle to really cause more pressure than the Croatian defence can cope with - instead they spend most of their time camped inside their own half with just a few speculative shots to their name.
Hopefully they can bring more of a fight in the 2nd half...
@Adrian Popa (R131)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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This match looks set to be 0-0 until half-time, as Mexico look keen to just keep a clean sheet. The new Mexico manager Nasios is clearly trying to work out what his best formation and line-up looks like...
...though unfortunately this is probably not it, as they find themselves under more and pressure before eventually Moreno upends Sánchez just outside the penalty area. And the Chilean forward is lethal from this kind of range...he steps up and curls home a beautiful free-kick that Mexican keeper Ochoa can only stand and watch whistle past him into the net.
Hopefully the Mexicans can muster more of an attack in the 2nd half...
@Tolis Nasios (P24)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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When/What will be my next game ?
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After the significant changes in the South Sudanese team, it's no wonder they take a while to find their feet in the game - and that's something that Burkina Faso immediately capitalise on after Traoré manages to intercept a loose back-pass from Deng, before smashing home past the stranded Mawith!
Though South Sudan do start to find a rhythm as the half wears on and soon manage a breakthrough of their own, as Nyuar (now playing in a far more advanced position in the new line-up) relishes his new attacking freedom and pounces on a through-ball by Lumeri before rouding the keeper and tucking away the equaliser to leave this match evenly poised going into the 2nd half...
@Gary Harding (R57)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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The French set-up to dominate the midfield, which they manage for a significant period of time during this game...with Belgium having a lot to thank Courtois for, as he keeps them in the match for a long, long time! Finally though, the resistance cracks when a through-ball by Griezmann springs the offside trap and leaves Mbappe to move into a one v one situation with the keeper, from which he makes no mistake to put France 1-0 ahead.
However, while France have the midfield locked down their defence looks shakey...and from a counter-attack it is De Bruyne who swings in a peach of a cross that Lukaku only needs to graze with his forehead to hammer it beyond Lloris and give Belgium a share of the lead at half-time...
@Romain Lebreton (A36)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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Hong Kong dominate the 1st half, as Syria can barely get a look in - in fact their only decent opportunity of the half is comfortably smothered by Yapp to preserve his clean sheet.
That leaves it down to the Hong Kong front line to score first, which they do with ease in the 14th minute when Giovane breaks free from his marker to get on the end of a Wong ball into the box and slam home the opening goal of the game. He repeats the feat minutes later, this time by managing to toe-poke home a slide-rule pass from Tan that is likely one of the easiest goals he will ever score in his career!
Even better is to come for Hong Kong, as on the stroke of half-time it is Hélio who runs onto the ball some 30 yards out and elects to have a speculative shot...and the defenders aim is straight and true, as he produces a bullet of a strike that gives the Syrian goalkeeper no chance!!! 3-0 at half-time and Hong Kong look odds on to top the group after the opening matchday.
@Jun Ho (R12)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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For a long time in this game, Greece are on top and totally dominating the contest. They enjoy the lion's share of possession and restrict Ukraine to a single wayward effort on goal - meanwhile it looks like an attack v defence training exercise for the rest of the half...
...and it is Limnios who is the first grateful recipient of this exercise, as he gleefully pounces on a Zeca cross to volley home the opening goal of the game - with the bounce in front of the goalkeeper completely throwing him off! Masouras adds a 2nd goal shortly afterwards, which doubles the advantage and puts Greece seemingly comfortably in control...
...however, with half-time looming a poor back-pass is seized upon by Yarmolenko, who doesn't even need to look up to know where the goal is - and with one single powerful shot he changes the complexion of the game entirely! 1-2 is the half-time score here in Kiev...
@George Togas (A23)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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A fascinating encounter here, even if it is only a Friendly as Sri Lanka (formerly the lowest ranked side in the world) take on newly relegated New Zealand, with the former now managed by Shannon Fuerte - the man who orchestrated San Marino's many giant killings last season!
At 1st glance this team look to be heading the same way, as an early Ishan free-kick finds its way into the net through a sea of crowded bodies. However, Sri Lanka don't quite have that trademark Fuerte intensity about them yet - and they slowly allow New Zealand to play their way back into the game...
...until a late cross past the far post finds the head of Wood, who powers it straight back in the direction the ball came - and watches it glance off the underside of the bar and into the net for the equaliser! 1-1 at half-time then...
@Shannon Fuerte (R60)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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Reminder PMs sent out - deadline for 1st half submissions is Wednesday 2nd September at 23:59 CET.
That's the point after which I will consider ending the matchday IF all other 2nd halves have already been played. If there are 2nd halves outstanding a further deadline will be set.
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I think that is what I get when I don't play the game and just the forums.
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Both sides here are clearly eager to pack the midfield and launch attack after attack - with the Faroe Islands coming out of the traps quickest, as Olsen starts strongly with a brilliant flick over de Gea to give them a somewhat surprising lead. It may well be that the Spanish are relaxing and thinking that they can contain the Faroese...
...and as the 1st half wears on it becomes apparent that they cannot! The Spanish defence are simply asleep and derelict in their duties, as they allow Vatnhamar to waltz past them and tuck home the 2nd of the game...and he repeats that feat shortly afterwards to make it 3-0!
The Spanish midfield then start to apply pressure themselves - but with a 3-0 deficit weighing on their minds there are clear signs of pressure that cause them to produce a series of wayward shots! However, eventually Rodrigo manages to take down a Ceballos cross and hammer home Spain's opening goal of the game!
However, the defensive issues are still prevalent for Spain, as Olsen grabs his 2nd of the game thanks to a poor clearance from de Gea that allows the Faroese forward to smash home their 4th - with the 5th coming soon afterwards courtesy of Eriksen's deflected long-range shot that completely catches de Gea out!
A late goal for Oyarzabal makes it 2-5, though Spain will surely need a miracle to get back on track against the far more intense Faroe Islanders...
@Claudio Laguna (P20) @Peter Willmore (P8)
2nd half whenever you're ready gents:
https://forms.gle/F6v8zwb5H8Kdmc617
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The US Virgin Islands are fresh off a first ever World Cup Finals appearance that saw them progress all the way through to the World Cup Final itself! They clearly retain that confidence here, as they immediately put Ecuador under pressure, restricting their possession and opportunities to allow the US Virgin Islands midfield to dictate the pace and rhythm of the game...
...and that benefits one man in particular, as Dennis gets some excellent service to allow him a significant amount of time to pick his spot on more than one occasion - and though Padilla in the Ecuador goal does make a series of brilliant saves there is nothing he can do to prevent a couple of those efforts from flying past him. That ensures that the US Virgin Islands go into half-time with a strong 2-0 lead...
@Greg Tierney (P16)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
https://forms.gle/F6v8zwb5H8Kdmc617
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Football in Qatar has become far more renowned with their national team certainly a more serious proposition than they were after hosting the World Cup last time around. However, Australia are certainly the favourites for this league and they completely restrict Qatar to just a single shot on goal that doesn't even land on target!
That dominance translates into a series of chances, which are initially spurned by the likes of Leckie and Taggart - before their strike partner Arzani finally does the job, as Mooy is the man supplying the final ball that Arzani takes one touch to control, before then letting fly with a peach of a shot that gives the Qatar goalkeeper absolutely no chance...
...so 0-1 to Australia as we head into half-time.
@Tom Byrne (R101)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
https://forms.gle/F6v8zwb5H8Kdmc617
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Estonia's preparation for this match has been far from ideal, as they suffered a 5-2 loss to the lower ranked Malaysia that clearly caused some challenges in the Estonian camp...and whether that meant a lack of warm-up for some of the players or whether it's just bad luck will be debated after the game by manager Toom and his staff - though ultimately the knock-on effect is that Kallaste picks up an injury 6 minutes in, which will leave a gap in the Estonian defence...
...and that gap is exploited by Switzerland, initially by Mihajlovic with a powerful header (which you have to think that Kallaste would have marked him out of) past Toom in the Estonian goal before Stocker picks up a ball over the top and smashes it low and hard to give the Swiss a 2-0 half-time advantage.
@Mairo Toom (R13) Kallaste is now injured, you need to PM me the name of the player you will sub-in or you will lose 3 points to your top category. This penalty will be reduced to 1 point for the 2nd half if you submit the name before I simulate it.
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
https://forms.gle/F6v8zwb5H8Kdmc617
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Italy have looked a shadow of their former selves of late, opitimised by their World Plate Quarter Final loss to their rivals San Marino - and their preparation in the camp has also been less than ideal, particularly with a tough Polish side that are eager to bounce back from a lacklustre finish to the previous season for them.
The Poles dominate the midfield, as Italy sit deeper and deeper - ultimately asking for danger, which Lewandowski subsequently provides as the rangy Polish forward strides on to a through ball that he tucks home to give Poland a 1-0 lead heading into half-time.
Italy need a new plan and quickly!!!
@Quentin Rieg (R23)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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Quote ( Mairo Toom @ August 31st 2020,12:59:30 ) How to improve Mood ?
Quote ( Jonathan Beagles @ August 15th 2020,23:48:16 ) your players' mood will be impacted by your performance in matches
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Quote ( Jonathan Beagles @ August 15th 2020,23:48:16 ) Bot formations
Home and drawing : 4-3-3 Home and losing : 3-3-4 Home and winning : 5-3-2
Away and drawing : 4-4-2 Away and losing : 3-4-3 Away and winning : 5-4-1
Is it still up to date Jon ? I wasn't expecting Belgium to be in 5-4-1 formation ...
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Quote ( Romain Lebreton @ August 31st 2020,14:21:37 ) Is it still up to date Jon ? I wasn't expecting Belgium to be in 5-4-1 formation ...
Isn't that just for the 2nd half?
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Quote ( Romain Lebreton @ August 31st 2020,14:21:37 ) Quote ( Jonathan Beagles @ August 15th 2020,23:48:16 )
Bot formations
Home and drawing : 4-3-3 Home and losing : 3-3-4 Home and winning : 5-3-2
Away and drawing : 4-4-2 Away and losing : 3-4-3 Away and winning : 5-4-1
Is it still up to date Jon ? I wasn't expecting Belgium to be in 5-4-1 formation ...
That's only for 2nd half, 1st half formation is random I think
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Quote ( Romain Lebreton @ August 31st 2020,14:21:37 ) Is it still up to date Jon ? I wasn't expecting Belgium to be in 5-4-1 formation ...
Yes it is up to date - and as the above posts have correctly ascertained, it only relates to the 2nd half. 1st half is indeed a fairly random formation :)
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Sweden's end to last season came to a halt at the World Cup Round of 16 against a tough German side, while the Danes could only manage an appearance at the World Plate Round of 32 where they lost out to a Mexico side who would go on to reach the Semi-Finals of that particular tournament.
However, since then Denmark have made a managerial change in bringing in the former England manager Matthew Standen (who led England to a Round of 16 World Cup match vs Iceland a few seasons back), who seems to have his players well-organised already as they shade the possession stats.
However, neither side are being too adventurous and the defences have snuffed out any chances of note to leave this 0-0 at the break...
@Christer Andersson (M2) @Matthew Standen (A10)
2nd half whenever you're ready gents:
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Two sides that reached the World Cup knockout stages but lost out to tricky opposition face off in what many think may be the ultimate fight for A League superiority in the UEFA Central division - though the Dutch start by looking somewhat uninspired here after losing their manager Janga at the end of last season.
Germany by contrast have retained a good degree of consistency with both manager and players and of course managed to reach the A League Final last time around - and they look to have the upper hand initially after dominating the possession stats and having attempt after attempt on the Dutch goal, though for the opening 40 minutes Cillessen frustrates the German front line by being equal to everything they can throw at him.
However, 41 minutes in a wicked curving shot from Gnabry forces him into a full stretch save, which he manages to prevent from sailing into the net...but his attempted stop only falls to the feet of Reus, who calmly slots the ball home to send Germany into half-time 1-0 ahead!
@Tim Wagner (P6)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate:
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