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gadgetsrevv · 5 years

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Germany are in trouble on road to Euro 2020. PLUS — Neymar returns to action, Samuel Eto’o retires

It’s the international break but that doesn’t mean there’s a break in the Monday Musings! Gab Marcotti is here to recap the big stories around soccer.

Germany in trouble?

Germany’s trip to Northern Ireland on Monday loomed large after Friday’s defeat to the Netherlands but the 2-0 win, only sealed in second-half injury time, will have calmed things behind the scenes for Die Mannschaft fans and critics alike though the European giants are far from where they need to be.

– Replay: Stream Germany 2-4 Netherlands on ESPN+ (U.S. only) – Replay: Stream N. Ireland 0-2 Germany on ESPN+ (U.S. only) – Harding: Germany stuck by Jogi Low. Will it cost them?

It’s not an issue of talent. Loew’s new-look Germany, with its 3-4-3 “transition” (read: defend-and-counter) has plenty of it. The issue though is that when you’re set up to play without the ball — lest we forget, that’s a major departure from the past — it can be extremely frustrating against teams who are also happy to sit and defend. News flash: that’s what Northern Ireland, Belarus and Estonia, the other sides in the group, are likely to do.

Germany got a big result vs. Northern Ireland to make their path to Euro 2020 a little less stressful though they have some serious structural issues to address. Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images

Only the top two qualify directly and getting there via the playoffs is far from straightforward given that Germany were relegated from their Nations League group, which is the main criteria to establish who get a second crack at Euro 2020. That’s why Loew said three points against Northern Ireland is a must and while they succeeded, his new approach has plenty worried.

It’s not the way most of these players play for the club sides. The set-up not only doesn’t have room for the veterans he dumped, but it also didn’t feature Kai Havertz, possibly Germany’s brightest attacking prospect. Most of all, having reinvented the national side tactically some 15 years ago as the brains behind Jurgen Klinsmann’s operation, he’s now doing a 180-degree turn in the aircraft carrier that is Die Mannschaft.

Few coaches can manage even one massive U-turn in their career. Trying two of them may be a little too far.

Meanwhile, the Dutch are looking good

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After the Netherlands’ 4-2 win in Germany, Steve Nicol says the Dutch are a “real centre-forward” away from competing with France as Europe’s best.

As for the Dutch, the combination of Ajax’s run to the Champions League semifinal, the concurrent emergence of Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek and Frenkie de Jong, as well as the Nations League final, has stoked plenty of enthusiasm after missing out on consecutive major tournaments, something that had not happened in three decades.

They’re nicely stacked in some areas of the pitch (central defence and midfield) and less so in others. Ryan Babel, at this stage of his career, and Quincy Promes can only take you so far. But if Donyell Malen lives up to the hype and becomes a viable foil for Memphis Depay, they could get very good, very quickly.

Where’s the punishment for abusing Lukaku?

We still don’t whether and how Cagliari or the supporters who racially abused Romelu Lukaku will be punished. You can thank a well-intentioned, but diabolically convoluted, system of sporting justice for that.

Late last week, the Italian FA’s sporting judge said he was delaying a decision on bringing charges in order to “acquire more evidence” from stewards and law enforcement. That’s because the abuse — while clearly audible to TV viewers, those in that section of the stand and, obviously, Lukaku himself — was not heard in the main stand. It doesn’t mean there won’t be punishment necessarily, just that a different procedure is required. You just hope it will make sense.

Meanwhile, Inter’s Curva Nord Ultras group wrote a letter to Lukaku explaining that racially abusing players of color during matches is about unsettling them and putting them off their game, nothing more. Oh, and that those who behave that way wouldn’t do it outside a stadium, because they’re not really racist.

It’s nothing we haven’t heard before. Football’s job isn’t, and can’t be, to punish people who are racist: that would require mind-readers. It’s to stop and punish racist behaviour, whether it’s monkey chants or discrimination or whatever, to ensure that players and fans of color can go to a football match without this deeply offensive behaviour.

As for Inter, they chose not to react and distance themselves from the Curva Nord’s statement. Why? Because this fan group doesn’t represent the majority of Inter supporters or even the majority of Inter Ultras: they estimate it’s made up of a few hundred people. And they don’t want to legitimize them or give them air time.

I get the argument, but the horse has bolted here. On a local level, folks can understand it. On a global level, media reports have made it seem as if the Curva Nord speaks for all Ultras, all Inter fans or even the club itself, which is deeply damaging to the club and the vast majority of their supporters. More to the point, it isn’t addressing the actual issue at hand.

Neymar’s positive return to action

Neymar stepped on the pitch after three months on the sidelines against Colombia on Friday: he hadn’t played since picking up that injury against Qatar before the Copa America, and in some ways it looked as if he’d never been away. I said “some ways” because there was a fair amount of rust in the first half and even some boos from the crowd.

But he came to life after the break, scored a goal and showed plenty of fire and motivation. Which, given his injury layoff and the nerve-wracking final days of the transfer window was certainly not something to be taken for granted. It finished 2-2, but Neymar’s return was the most encouraging bit, both for Tite’s Brazil and for Paris Saint-Germain.

Kane certain to break England’s goal record

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ESPN FC’s Paul Mariner explains why he feels Gareth Southgate’s young core of players will have a great chance at winning Euro 2020.

England rolled past Bulgaria with a straightforward 4-0 win at Wembley, with Harry Kane grabbing a hat trick. The path to Euro 2020 looks downhill from here, which means Gareth Southgate has the luxury of time to work on improving and fixing areas that are sub-optimal, particularly the midfield, where (Harry Winks aside) there isn’t much in the way of creativity.

Speaking of Kane, he’s up to 25 international goals, having leap-frogged the likes of Geoff Hurst and Stan Mortensen. Barring injury or sudden decline, he could challenge the all-time mark of 53 held by Wayne Rooney. Kane turned 26 in July, at the same age Rooney had 28 goals to his name. But, of course, Rooney scored his last international goal at the age of 30. And you’d expect Kane to go on well beyond that.

Italy stay perfect in qualifying thanks to VAR

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ESPN FC’s Gab Marcotti discusses Italy’s controversial win over Finland and commends their attacking style of play under Roberto Mancini.

Italy made it six wins out of six over the international break, with away victories over Armenia (3-1) and Finland (2-1). The six victories on the bounce mean that Roberto Mancini is one win away from equaling the all-time record of consecutive wins for an Azzurri boss set by the legendary Vittorio Pozzo, who coached the side to the 1934 and 1938 World Cup.

But the Finland game also offered yet another compelling pro-VAR argument, since Italy’s winner came on a penalty awarded for this handball that was anything but punishable. Contrary to what many seem to insist, not every ball striking an arm in the penalty area is a penalty. Referees still have discretion and this was not a penalty.

Of course, there is no VAR in Euro qualifying. And there is also the very real prospect of Finland missing out on the Euros, which would be their first-ever major international tournament, by a single point. You can argue about execution and implementation as long as you like, but this is why VAR was introduced.

A vital win for Portugal

Having been held to a draw in their opening two games (at home, no less) it was critical that Portugal not slip up away to Serbia at the weekend. The reigning European (and Nations League) champions are assured of a playoff spot, but nobody wants to go through that. Away to Serbia, they raced to a 2-0 lead, had Serbia bring it back to 2-3 and then struck late for a 4-2 win that restores a bit of natural order.

Cristiano Ronaldo got on the scoresheet for his 89th international goal. At 34, he has an outside chance of catching Ali Daei, the all-time leading international scorer who has 109 and a much better shot at reaching 100 international goals. Funnily enough, despite those who depict him as a narcissist obsessed with his his own records, he’d likely be closer to the goal if he hadn’t taken an eight-month break from the national team to help him settle in after his move to Juventus a year ago.

Eto’o retires as a legend

You can’t sum up Samuel Eto’o in numbers, although they’re impressive enough to rattle off. Twenty-two years as a professional, 13 clubs, six countries, four league titles, three Champions League crowns, two Africa Cup of Nations and the 2000 Olympic Gold medal with Cameroon.

Last week, he brought to a close an incredible career, one from which he squeezed every ounce of adrenaline. You can choose your own highlight from two decades at the top. Football-wise, three things stand out, each of which in its own way helps define him — although only in part.

Eto’o successfully straddled both the Ronaldinho and the Lionel Messi eras at Barcelona, ultimately leaving in that ill-fated swap with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He arrived at Inter to play up front with Diego Milito and then, after Jose Mourinho signed Wesley Sneijder, selflessly transformed himself into a humble up-and-down winger, doing the running not just for Milito, but Sneijder too, and playing a key part in the historic Treble.

And he became the world’s highest-paid player by moving to Anzhi Makhachkala in war-torn Dagestan at the age of 31, a transfer which shocked the world and pulverised records.

More than most superstars, he embraced and relished the blue-collar role when called upon to serve others, whether Ronaldinho, Messi or Sneijder. He knew when to ride his ego and when to put it aside. Folks may differ on whether or not he was the greatest player ever from Africa, but he’s easily in my personal top three, alongside Eusebio (who played for Portugal but was born in Mozambique and was older than Eto’o when he moved to Europe) and Jay Jay Okocha.

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newssplashy · 6 years

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World Cup 2018: All the vital stats of the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Kylian Mbappe scored against Croatia to become the second teenager to hit the back of the net in a World Cup final, after Pele in 1958

A total of 64 matches were played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup witnessed 169 goals after all the 64 games

The tournament realized of 2.6 goals per game.

Harry Kane emerged as the tournament's top scorer, with six (6) goals.

Mathias Jorgensen 1st minute goal for Denmark against Croatia is the fastest of the tournament

Belgium finished as the highest scoring side, with 16 goals

For the first time in the history of the World Cup, the Video Assistant Referee was used. France benefited from the first ever VAR decision, when Antoine Griezman was awarded a penalty after a replay and he finished it off perfectly in France’s 2-1 victory against Australia.

Lionel Messi was the first player to miss a penalty in the tournament and it happened in Argentina’s opener against debutants Iceland in a one all draw.

A total of 26 penalties have been awarded so far in the tournament

20 of the penalties awarded were perfectly converted.

six of the penalties awarded were thrown away

The tournament has witnessed 11 own goals.

Aziz Bouhaddouz of Morocco was the first player to score an own goal in the tournament in a game his side lost 0-1 to Iran.

The tournament recorded a total of 219 yellow cards.

The average yellow card per game is 3.5

Aleksandr Golovin of Russia was the first to be yellow carded and it came in their 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia in the 10th minute.

Four red cared have been flashed in the tournament

Carlos Sánchez of Colombia was the only player to have been sent off and is the second fastest red card in the history of the World Cup. It happened as Colombia suffered a 2-1 defeat against Japan in the third minute.

Michael Lang of Switzerland was the latest player to be sent off.

A total of 49, 651 passes have been completed in the ongoing tournament

Croatia with 352 attacks were the best attacking side

England completed most passes-3336 in he just ended tournament.

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos who played for Spain completed most passes- 485

Croatia emerged as the best defending side as well, with 301 clearances, tackles and saves.

Thibaut Courtois made 2 s7aves, which was the best in the tournament

Neymar was the player with most attempts at goal-27.

Ivan Perisic of Croatia covered most distance in the tournament- 72KM

Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick against Spain has made him the oldest player to bag a hat-trick in the World Cup at 33 year and some months and days.

He was the only player to bag a hat-trick in the tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first goal from direct free kick.

Seven (7) freekicks were scored at the Mundial.

Switzerland became the first side to win from a losing position, after they came from a goal down to beat Serbia 2-1.

England defeated Colombia in the round of 16 on penalties to win their first shootout in four attempts in the World Cup.

* Croatia knocked out the host nation at a World Cup for the first time in their third attempt:

✖ vs. France (1998)

✖ vs. Brazil (2014)

☑ vs. Russia (2018)

For the first time since 1982 all the African participants failed to progress from the group stage. In 1982 both Algeria and Cameroon slipped and this term Nigeria, Senegal, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia have all exited after the group stage.

Award winners

Luca Modric was named the player of the tournament, taking home the Adidas Golden Ball

Eden Hazard won the silver Ball

Antoine Griezman won the bronze ball

Harry Kane emerged as the top scorer, winning the Adidas Golden Boot

Kylian Mbappe received the award for the Young Player of the Tournament

Thibaut Courtois was handed the Golden Gloves for winning the keeper of the tournament

source https://www.newssplashy.com/2018/07/world-cup-2018-all-vital-stats-of-2018.html

#News

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cleopatrarps · 6 years

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VAR: World Cup lets technology genie out of the bottle

ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) – When it finally happened, many may not have realized they had just witnessed a moment of World Cup history.

FILE PHOTO: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts at referee Cesar Arturo Ramos during their World Cup loss to Uruguay. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

Brazil were pushing Costa Rica hard in their second group game in St Petersburg, and with 12 minutes left and the sides scoreless, Neymar collapsed under a touch from Giancarlo Gonzalez, leading referee Bjorn Kuipers to award a penalty.

As the Brazilians celebrated, Kuipers held his hand up to his ear, nodded his head and slipped away to the sidelines.

He quickly returned, signaled he had watched the replays and reversed his decision, forcing Brazil to find another way to register their first win in Russia.

A video assistant referee (VAR) review had just overturned a penalty decision at the World Cup for the first time.

Contrary to fears that VAR would kill the debates that are often one of the game’s most enjoyable aspects, the system has if anything enhanced those post-match post-mortems. It has also raised the standards of refereeing.

The willingness of officials to let play flow freely has been a key component of the excitement served up in Russia, where three or more goals have been scored in 26 of the 56 matches so far while only four players have been sent off.

And the tournament has had only one scoreless match – a stultifying draw between France and Denmark.

Compare that with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where fans and viewers sat through five scoreless group games and two more in the knockout rounds.

CLAMPING DOWN

Criticism of referees and of VAR has been harsh, but the overall impact of both has been positive.

A record number of penalties have been awarded for foul play, while the sort of horror tackles that have scarred the consciousness of whole nations in the past has been largely conspicuous by its absence.

Spain’s Gerard Pique got away with a two-footed lunge on Morocco’s Khalid Boutaib, and Croatia’s Ante Rebic was lucky to only see yellow for a stamp on Argentine Eduardo Salvio in the group stages.

But overall, the 2018 tournament has witnessed more histrionics than malicious intent.

FILE PHOTO: Brazil vs Costa Rica – Saint Petersburg, Russia – June 22, 2018 Costa Rica’s Giancarlo Gonzalez fouls Brazil’s Neymar in the penalty area before the penalty award is rescinded after referral to VAR REUTERS/Lee Smith/File Photo

Neymar has made an unwanted name for himself here, with his agonized rolling on the turf giving rise to a series of memes that have flooded the internet.

In the game against Costa Rica, he was a constant thorn in Kuipers’ side, questioning every decision until the Dutchman lost patience and motioned sharply for him to stop talking, causing the Brazilian to retreat into sulky silence.

But Neymar is far from the only guilty party when it comes to trying to influence referees.

Perhaps the biggest unintended consequence of VAR is that it has put a question mark over the man in the middle’s authority to have the final say.

Images of coaches and players signaling frantically for video reviews abound, while Colombia’s seemingly orchestrated campaign to sway referee Mark Geiger in their last-16 clash with England was undoubtedly a low point.

Half the team surrounded Geiger when he awarded England a penalty for a foul on Harry Kane and the American’s performance drew plenty of criticism, including from Diego Maradona, who accused him of allowing England to stage a “monumental robbery”.

FIFA stepped in, releasing a statement rebuking the Argentine great for his criticism of their officials “in a tough and highly emotional match”, and Maradona hastily apologized.

The sight of Geiger surrounded on all sides by incandescent Colombian players has also elicited a fair bit of sympathy for the referee, a former mathematics teacher.

STAR POWER HOLDS NO SWAY

While VAR has thrust referees into the spotlight to an even greater degree than usual in Russia, they have coped admirably with the added attention for the most part.

Cristiano Ronaldo may be one of the biggest stars in global sport, but that did not stop the Portugal captain from being booked in successive matches, first for an elbow against Iran and then for screaming at the referee as his team lost to Uruguay in the last 16.

The technology genie is out of the bottle, and while a number of refinements must be made for it to reach peak effectiveness, it is already showing signs it can lead to a paradigm shift.

Amid all the debate and drama, one virtuoso of football’s darkest arts has shown a willingness to adapt.

Luis Suarez, villain of the 2014 World Cup, is a changed man under the scrutiny of the cameras and has scrupulously kept his nose clean and his teeth out of trouble.

“You have to be much more aware of what’s in the interest of the team,” the Uruguayan said. “With VAR now, things can be sanctioned that would have gone unnoticed.”

Reporting by Simon Jennings in St Petersburg; Editing by Hugh Lawson

The post VAR: World Cup lets technology genie out of the bottle appeared first on World The News.

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#Daily World News #Daily Entertainment #Daily Sports #Today News #World The News

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party-hard-or-die · 6 years

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VAR: World Cup lets technology genie out of the bottle

ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) – When it finally happened, many may not have realized they had just witnessed a moment of World Cup history.

FILE PHOTO: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts at referee Cesar Arturo Ramos during their World Cup loss to Uruguay. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

As the Brazilians celebrated, Kuipers held his hand up to his ear, nodded his head and slipped away to the sidelines.

He quickly returned, signaled he had watched the replays and reversed his decision, forcing Brazil to find another way to register their first win in Russia.

A video assistant referee (VAR) review had just overturned a penalty decision at the World Cup for the first time.

And the tournament has had only one scoreless match – a stultifying draw between France and Denmark.

Compare that with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where fans and viewers sat through five scoreless group games and two more in the knockout rounds.

CLAMPING DOWN

Criticism of referees and of VAR has been harsh, but the overall impact of both has been positive.

But overall, the 2018 tournament has witnessed more histrionics than malicious intent.

Neymar has made an unwanted name for himself here, with his agonized rolling on the turf giving rise to a series of memes that have flooded the internet.

But Neymar is far from the only guilty party when it comes to trying to influence referees.

Perhaps the biggest unintended consequence of VAR is that it has put a question mark over the man in the middle’s authority to have the final say.

FIFA stepped in, releasing a statement rebuking the Argentine great for his criticism of their officials “in a tough and highly emotional match”, and Maradona hastily apologized.

The sight of Geiger surrounded on all sides by incandescent Colombian players has also elicited a fair bit of sympathy for the referee, a former mathematics teacher.

STAR POWER HOLDS NO SWAY

While VAR has thrust referees into the spotlight to an even greater degree than usual in Russia, they have coped admirably with the added attention for the most part.

The technology genie is out of the bottle, and while a number of refinements must be made for it to reach peak effectiveness, it is already showing signs it can lead to a paradigm shift.

Amid all the debate and drama, one virtuoso of football’s darkest arts has shown a willingness to adapt.

Luis Suarez, villain of the 2014 World Cup, is a changed man under the scrutiny of the cameras and has scrupulously kept his nose clean and his teeth out of trouble.

“You have to be much more aware of what’s in the interest of the team,” the Uruguayan said. “With VAR now, things can be sanctioned that would have gone unnoticed.”

Reporting by Simon Jennings in St Petersburg; Editing by Hugh Lawson

The post VAR: World Cup lets technology genie out of the bottle appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2KVbVv9 via Breaking News

#News Headlines #News Update #Sports Update #Business Update #World The News

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dani-qrt · 6 years

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VAR: World Cup lets technology genie out of the bottle

ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) – When it finally happened, many may not have realized they had just witnessed a moment of World Cup history.

FILE PHOTO: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts at referee Cesar Arturo Ramos during their World Cup loss to Uruguay. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

As the Brazilians celebrated, Kuipers held his hand up to his ear, nodded his head and slipped away to the sidelines.

He quickly returned, signaled he had watched the replays and reversed his decision, forcing Brazil to find another way to register their first win in Russia.

A video assistant referee (VAR) review had just overturned a penalty decision at the World Cup for the first time.

And the tournament has had only one scoreless match – a stultifying draw between France and Denmark.

Compare that with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where fans and viewers sat through five scoreless group games and two more in the knockout rounds.

CLAMPING DOWN

Criticism of referees and of VAR has been harsh, but the overall impact of both has been positive.

But overall, the 2018 tournament has witnessed more histrionics than malicious intent.

Neymar has made an unwanted name for himself here, with his agonized rolling on the turf giving rise to a series of memes that have flooded the internet.

But Neymar is far from the only guilty party when it comes to trying to influence referees.

Perhaps the biggest unintended consequence of VAR is that it has put a question mark over the man in the middle’s authority to have the final say.

FIFA stepped in, releasing a statement rebuking the Argentine great for his criticism of their officials “in a tough and highly emotional match”, and Maradona hastily apologized.

The sight of Geiger surrounded on all sides by incandescent Colombian players has also elicited a fair bit of sympathy for the referee, a former mathematics teacher.

STAR POWER HOLDS NO SWAY

While VAR has thrust referees into the spotlight to an even greater degree than usual in Russia, they have coped admirably with the added attention for the most part.

The technology genie is out of the bottle, and while a number of refinements must be made for it to reach peak effectiveness, it is already showing signs it can lead to a paradigm shift.

Amid all the debate and drama, one virtuoso of football’s darkest arts has shown a willingness to adapt.

Luis Suarez, villain of the 2014 World Cup, is a changed man under the scrutiny of the cameras and has scrupulously kept his nose clean and his teeth out of trouble.

“You have to be much more aware of what’s in the interest of the team,” the Uruguayan said. “With VAR now, things can be sanctioned that would have gone unnoticed.”

Reporting by Simon Jennings in St Petersburg; Editing by Hugh Lawson

The post VAR: World Cup lets technology genie out of the bottle appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2KVbVv9 via Online News

#World News #Today News #Daily News #Breaking News #News Headline #Entertainment News #Sports news #Sci-Tech

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newestbalance · 6 years

Text

VAR: World Cup lets technology genie out of the bottle

ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) – When it finally happened, many may not have realized they had just witnessed a moment of World Cup history.

FILE PHOTO: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts at referee Cesar Arturo Ramos during their World Cup loss to Uruguay. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

As the Brazilians celebrated, Kuipers held his hand up to his ear, nodded his head and slipped away to the sidelines.

He quickly returned, signaled he had watched the replays and reversed his decision, forcing Brazil to find another way to register their first win in Russia.

A video assistant referee (VAR) review had just overturned a penalty decision at the World Cup for the first time.

And the tournament has had only one scoreless match – a stultifying draw between France and Denmark.

Compare that with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where fans and viewers sat through five scoreless group games and two more in the knockout rounds.

CLAMPING DOWN

Criticism of referees and of VAR has been harsh, but the overall impact of both has been positive.

But overall, the 2018 tournament has witnessed more histrionics than malicious intent.

Neymar has made an unwanted name for himself here, with his agonized rolling on the turf giving rise to a series of memes that have flooded the internet.

But Neymar is far from the only guilty party when it comes to trying to influence referees.

Perhaps the biggest unintended consequence of VAR is that it has put a question mark over the man in the middle’s authority to have the final say.

FIFA stepped in, releasing a statement rebuking the Argentine great for his criticism of their officials “in a tough and highly emotional match”, and Maradona hastily apologized.

The sight of Geiger surrounded on all sides by incandescent Colombian players has also elicited a fair bit of sympathy for the referee, a former mathematics teacher.

STAR POWER HOLDS NO SWAY

While VAR has thrust referees into the spotlight to an even greater degree than usual in Russia, they have coped admirably with the added attention for the most part.

The technology genie is out of the bottle, and while a number of refinements must be made for it to reach peak effectiveness, it is already showing signs it can lead to a paradigm shift.

Amid all the debate and drama, one virtuoso of football’s darkest arts has shown a willingness to adapt.

Luis Suarez, villain of the 2014 World Cup, is a changed man under the scrutiny of the cameras and has scrupulously kept his nose clean and his teeth out of trouble.

“You have to be much more aware of what’s in the interest of the team,” the Uruguayan said. “With VAR now, things can be sanctioned that would have gone unnoticed.”

Reporting by Simon Jennings in St Petersburg; Editing by Hugh Lawson

The post VAR: World Cup lets technology genie out of the bottle appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2KVbVv9 via Everyday News

#News #Online News #World News #Today news #health News #Social News #Forex News #World The News

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shockingtackle-blog · 6 years

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Sweden 1-0 Switzerland

Both sides came into this game with a lot of hope and a very decent chance of going far after Spain’s elimination against the hosts left the tournament with a lopsided, and yet rather exciting look. Now one of Croatia, Russia, Colombia, England, Sweden or Switzerland would reach the World Cup final. Yes. The final. Only one of those sides have ever reached a final before, and that was England, fifty-two years ago. Could one of them go all the way?

Sweden and Switzerland’s players might have had a tough time keeping their heads on the ground then, but they had both impressed in this tournament. Switzerland rode out an early storm against Brazil in their first game, and after Phillipe Coutinho’s fine opener, looked a very accomplished side as they held their own in a 1-1 draw. Then, in one of this world cup’s best games so far, they grabbed a dramatic 2-1 victory over many people’s fancied underdogs Serbia thanks to the mercurial Xherdan Shaqiri’s scampering run in the final stages, away from the despairing Dusko Tosic, and then his slotted finish. Both he and their other goalscorer Granit Xhaka had sent Serbia and FIFA into meltdown with their “double-eagle” celebrations (representing the flag of Albania, where their families emigrated from). Brilliant entertainment. They then got the draw they needed to go through in second-place behind Brazil.

Sweden had earned a deserved victory over South Korea in their first game thanks to captain Andreas Grandqvist’s sixty-fifth minute penalty. They then faced the world champions Germany in Sochi and deserved so much more than they ended up with. After Ola Toivonen, who had narrowly avoided relegation to Ligue 2 with Toulouse last season, scored a brilliant goal to put them infront, they should have increased their advantage to two or three. Profligate finishing (and perhaps a refereeing decision) let them down, but even after Marco Reus’ early equaliser in the second half, they looked to be seeing the game out well enough and in the process pretty much killing Germany’s hope. Then they made a couple of poor decisions (John Guidetti scuffing a shot straight at the keeper when he could have kept hold of the ball, Jimmy Durmaz diving in to give Toni Kroos his opportunity to produce THAT free-kick) and it seemed it was to be them who would exit the world cup. But on an astonishing final day in group F they hammered Mexico 3-0 and topped the group.

Switzerland were forced into changes before the game because of suspensions, with the new Arsenal man Stephan Lichtsteiner and first choice centre-back Fabian Schär both having to be replaced by Michael Lang and former Arsenal man Johan Djourou respectively. They also made attacking changes of their own choice, with Breel Embolo and Mario Gavranovic not impressive enough to retain their place from the Costa Rica game. Steven Zuber took the place of Embolo on the left and Swiss coach started Josip Drmic upfront for the first time in the tournament, in a bid to solve their problems in the position.

Sweden made their only change because of Seb Larson’s suspension, Gustav Svensson of Seattle Sounders replacing him.

The game began with some excellent play from Marcus Berg as he wrestled with the Swiss defender and cushioned the ball down to Victor Claesson. Berg then spun and ran in behind his defender, received the ball back with a great pass from Ola Toivonen, and looked to have a clean shot on goal from a wide position. Unfortunately he showed little of the composure which had got him through on goal in the first place and lashed his shot miles wide of the goal. Soon after the Swiss were over elaborate as they tried to play out from the back, and Yann Sommers clearance fell to Albin Ekdal midway inside the Swiss half. He volleyed the ball first time to Berg who looked to be in another great position, but Manuel Akanji made a good block to deny his shot. The ball then looped back out to onrushing Ekdal, but he could only smash his volley into the stands. Then Switzerland looked disorganised once again as Johan Djourou slipped and Berg’s ball was just behind Emil Forsberg when an accurate one could have played the RB Leipzig winger through on goal. Throughout all this Switzerland’s main man Xherdan Shaqiri then started to receive the ball a lot, and his in-swinging crosses were a regular occurence in the first half. Midway through the first half he created Switzerland’s first chance as Steven Zuber ran onto his cross but Zuber’s flicked header caused no problems to Robin Olsen in goal. Then Sweden had another good chance as Claesson knocked the ball down to Marcus Berg after a scramble in the box, and Berg’s low volley came off the turf as it travelled towards the bottom corner, requiring a very decent save from Yann Sommer to prevent the goal. Switzerland then had their best chance of the game as Zuber picked out Blerim Dzemaili with a cutback, but he could only rocket his shot over the bar when he ought to have tested the keeper. Despite Switzerland dominating possession, they were often keeping the ball in areas that were of no concern to Sweden, with both Xhaka and Behrami vacating the midfield to become extra centre-backs at times. This meant that they often failed to give enough support to the creative midfield three, and Sweden looked comfortable. And they should have taken the lead at the end of the first half, when Lustig’s cross looped over everyone else to Albin Ekdal at the far post, but he side-footed high over the bar and not past Sommer. Unfortunately Drmic did not have the desired effect upfront, playing too static and not being strong enough to dominate Victor Lindelöf and Andreas Grandqvist.

At the start of the second half there was a great piece of skill from Forsberg as he turned like a spinning top and left the Swiss midfield in his wake. The ball was crossed in and fell to Toivonen, but the Swedish finishing was again profligate. There was then a small period of sustained Swiss pressure, the peak being when Shaqiri’s dangerous cross was punched away by Olsen, but nothing came of it. The game seemed a dull one, with Switzerland looking blunt in attack, and Sweden happy to contain them and try and take chances from set-pieces and counter-attacks. Forsberg then came into the game and drew a couple of fouls from Valon Behrami, which would have seen him miss the next match. As it turned out, he wouldn’t have to worry about it. Finally the game was sparked into life as Sweden played a number of sharp passes around the box, Forsberg received the ball from Toivonen and took one touch past Xhaka, who dived in too easily, and smashed the ball straight towards Sommer. Unfortunately for the Swiss it took a killer deflection off Akanji which left Sommer for dead and looped the ball high into the net. There was just twenty minutes left and that goal sprung the Swiss into action, bringing on Breel Embolo and Haaris Seferovic for Dzemaili and Zuber. Shaqiri then came deep and his pinged cross was just beyond the stretch of the onrunning Akanji. Switzerland managed to get Ricardo Rodriguez down the left hand side a few times, but he wasn’t his usual self and too often seemed reluctant to cross. Akanji’s header was cleared off the line from a corner, Josip Drmic’s shot was blocked, and Seferovic’s header was saved, but ultimately Switzerland didn’t do enough to break down the mean-spirited Swedish defense. And then in the final minute of injury time, sub Martin Olsson was played through on goal, felt a hand on his back, dived to the floor in the box and won a penalty with a red card for Michael Lang. The decision was reviewed, then reversed, a free-kick given instead, but by the time the process had finished it was game over, and Sweden went marching on.

Sweden will face the winner of the Colombia vs England game, and though they will be underdogs whoever they face, they will fancy themselves with their unique brand of defensive organisation and dogged determination which has seen them reach this point.

#Sweden #Soccer #world cup #world cup 2018 #russia #switzerland #football #round of sixteen #match report

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mayramoss-blog1 · 6 years

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Learning the Past: The Three Lions' Round of 16 Record Analysed Ahead of England vs Colombia

The World Cup round of 16 was first introduced in Mexico 1986 replacing the second group stage that was pioneered the tournament before. Since then England have only failed to reach this round twice, failing to qualify for the 1994 USA tournament and crashing out in the group stage at the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

As the Three Lions prepare for perhaps their most significant round of 16 encounter to date, we take a look back at those six previous fixtures and how well England fared. If Gareth Southgate’s boys can beat Colombia there is an excellent chance they genuinely could go all the way to the final.

But curb your enthusiasm for a moment as we weigh up Southgate’s chances based on England’s fortunes at this round in years gone by.

6. Mexico 1986: England 3-0 Paraguay

England met South American opposition in their first ever round of 16 tie and it proved to be a simple afternoon for Bobby Robson’s men. Gary Lineker bagged a brace, with his two goals split by a Peter Beardsley effort.

The Three Lions finished the game as comfortable 3-0 winners and went on to meet another South American side Argentina in the next round. A game that will live long in infamy for England fans as Diego Maradona’s hand led his side to victory. Argentina would eventually go on to win the World Cup that year.

5. Italy 1990: England 1-0 Belgium

Four years later England faced Guy Thys’ Belgium at this round in a less routine, dogged affair. The two sides were unable to be seperated in the 90 minutes with the match finishing 0-0 and heading into extra time. As the clock ran down it was a tie that looked certain to go to penalties before some very last minute drama.

David Platt netted for England in 121st minute with the final kick of the game, putting England 1-0 into the lead and into the quarter finals. It would be England’s best showing at a World Cup since 1966, losing on penalties to the Germans in the semi finals. England also suffered a third place playoff defeat to Italy, finishing fourth overall in the tournament.

4. France 1998: Argentina 2-2 England (4-3 on penalties)

After missing out on qualification for the 1994 tournament England had some rebuilding to do but had put together impressive team. They met familiar rivals Argentina in the round of 16 with the two sides still locked in a stalemate at the full time whistle. Goals from Alan Shearer and Michael Owen were cancelled out by Gabriel Batistuta and Javier Zanetti as the game finished 2-2.

The match went to a penalty shootout and England were offered an early ascendancy with Argentina missing their second penalty. Unfortunately Paul Ince also missed levelling the scores up until the final penalty which fell to David Batty, he missed and England went home.

3. Japan and South Korea 2002: England 3-0 Denmark

2002 brought about the first Asian World Cup and England once again headed there in fine fettle. Denmark were the Three Lions’ opponents in the round of 16 and Sven-Goran Eriksson's side matched the impressive victory from back in 1986. Rio Ferdinand gave England an early lead before Michael Owen notched up a second inside the first 25 minutes. Emile Heskey added a third on the stroke of half time in a dominant first half performance that saw England cruise to victory.

Brazil awaited in the next round and another moment of infamy for the England faithful. Ronaldinho sensationally chipped David Seaman from a free kick around 30 yards out, sending England home from another World Cup.

2. 2006 Germany: England 1-0 Ecuador

More South American opposition greeted England in the 2006 round of 16 as they faced off against Ecuador. Is was less eventful than some of their previous fixtures in this round but that’s not always a bad thing where England are concerned. A David Beckham free kick split to two sides and England ran out 1-0 winners.

Of course more World Cup controversy followed for the Three Lions with the 'winker’ incident. England’s prodigy Wayne Rooney was sent off around the hour mark with then teammate Cristiano Ronaldo appearing to gesture that he deliberately drew the stamp from the hotheaded forward. England took the game to penalties as neither side could break the deadlock with Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher all missing efforts to send England out.

1. South Africa 2010: Germany 4-1 England

2010 marked the beginning of a woeful generation for England as they struggled to get out of a group containing USA, Algeria and Slovenia. Finishing second set up a tough tie with old rivals Germany in the round of 16 and sure enough there was more controversy for England fans to sink their teeth into. The Three Lions got off to a woeful start going 2-0 before Matthew Upson pulled one back for his side.

Frank Lampard then appeared to have equalised for England but the referee and his assistants missed the ball crossing the line. The goal was chalked off and it proved a crippling blow as they conceded twice more, falling to their biggest World Cup defeat to date as the game ended 4-1 in favour of the Germans.

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investmart007 · 6 years

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MOSCOW | The Latest: Royal support: King of Spain at game vs Russia

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MOSCOW | The Latest: Royal support: King of Spain at game vs Russia

MOSCOW — The Latest on Sunday at the World Cup (all times local): 4:30 p.m.

King Felipe VI of Spain is at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to see the national team play World Cup host Russia.

The king heads FIFA’s list of VIP guests for the round of 16 game, which also includes Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

President Vladimir Putin has not returned to the stadium where he watched Russia beat Saudi Arabia 5-0 in the opening game on June 14.

Spain’s king is a soccer fan who, as crown prince, attended the 2010 World Cup final in Johannesburg to see La Roja beat the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time.

He had other business four years ago when Spain was eliminated by a 2-0 group-stage loss to Chile at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

The following day in Madrid, Felipe was sworn in as king after the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos. ___ 4:20 p.m.

Mark Geiger has been assigned to referee Tuesday’s World Cup round of 16 match between England and Colombia, four years after he became the first American to officiate in the knockout stage of soccer’s showcase.

This will be the sixth World Cup match for the 43-year-old former math teacher from Beachwood, New Jersey, and the third at this tournament. He refereed Portugal’s 1-0 win over Morocco and Germany’s 2-0 loss to South Korea, which eliminated the defending champions.

Four years ago in Brazil, Geiger worked Chile’s 2-0 win over Spain and Colombia’s 3-0 victory against Greece in the group stage, and France’s 2-0 win over Nigeria in the round of 16.

The U.S. is the only nation with two referees at the World Cup. Jair Murrufo officiated Belgium’s 5-2 victory over Tunisia. ___ 4 p.m.

Spain is starting without Andres Iniesta against Russia in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Coach Fernando Hierro makes three changes from the lineup which drew 2-2 with Morocco in the last game of the group stage, bringing in Nacho Fernandez, Jorge “Koke” Resurreccion and Marco Asensio. Up front in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Diego Costa is likely to try to open up space in Russia’s five-man defensive line for David Silva and Isco to threaten the goal.

Spain lineup: David de Gea, Nacho, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Koke, Marco Asensio, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Diego Costa, David Silva, Isco. ___ 3:50 p.m.

Russia is set to switch to five at the back for its World Cup round of 16 game against Spain on Sunday.

Fyodor Kudryashov will join Sergei Ignashevich and Ilya Kutepov in the center of defense, with Mario Fernandes and Yuri Zhirkov on the flanks. Russia used a four-man back line in its three group games. In midfield Daler Kuzyaev, who came on as a substitute in all three group games, gets his first World Cup start in place of the dropped Yuri Gazinsky.

The winger Denis Cheryshev, who was raised in Spain, is on the bench despite having scored three goals so far, while backup right-back Igor Smolnikov is suspended after being red carded in Monday’s 3-0 group-stage loss to Uruguay.

Russia is playing its first World Cup knockout game in the post-Soviet era. The winner will play either Croatia or Denmark in Sochi on July 7.

Russia lineup: Igor Akinfeev, Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kutepov, Sergei Ignashevich, Fyodor Kudryashov, Yuri Zhirkov, Roman Zobnin, Alexander Golovin, Daler Kuzyaev, Alexander Samedov, Artyom Dzyuba.

By Associated Press

#Dmitry Medvedev #England and Colombia #FIFA #king felipe vi #Luzhniki Stadium #Maracana stadium #Moscow #TodayNews

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jodyedgarus · 6 years

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World Cup Stoppage Time Is Wildly Inaccurate

The second half of Iran and Morocco’s tightly contested group match contained nothing too out of the ordinary by World Cup standards. Each side used all three substitutes; there was only one booking; no goals were scored. In a group with Spain and Portugal, both teams presumably were eager to steal a crucial three points and break the 0-0 tie. When the game reached the 90-minute mark, the fourth official raised the electronic board to indicate six minutes of added time.

It should have read 14 minutes.

It’s no secret that the stoppage time in soccer is often inaccurate, but it’s not easy to know exactly how inaccurate. This is unique to soccer — particularly when held against other major sports. In basketball, tenths of seconds can be decisive and are often exhaustively reviewed for accuracy. In football, pundits and fans measure coaches by the nuances of their clock management. But without an official clock in view of spectators and no dedicated timekeeper, the duration of each soccer game is solely up to the discretion of the referee. This, in turn, affects strategy as players and teams that are eager for a game to end find ways to stall.

With this in mind, we decided to test the accuracy, or lack thereof, of the referees’ stoppage time decision made at each half. Using a stopwatch and a team of patient timekeepers, FiveThirtyEight meticulously tracked and categorized every stoppage during the first 32 games played of the World Cup — a total of 3194 stoppages in all, or one every 58 seconds.

Our findings confirmed what avid fans already know: Actual stoppage time is a wildly inaccurate measure of how long the game was actually stopped. The average added time flashed on the board for these 32 games was 6:59, which includes both halves. By our calculations — which adhered to FIFA’s rules on the matter — the time that should have been added to each game was 13:10. This means stoppage time was roughly half of what it should have been for most games.

Nobody gets enough extra time

Minutes with ball in play for each World Cup match and difference between expected and actual stoppage time added

Stoppage time Home Away Minutes ball in play Expected Actual Diff.* Russia Saudi Arabia 55:27

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10:27 06:45 -3.7 Egypt Uruguay 63:02

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09:25 07:15 -2.2 Portugal Spain 57:23

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14:08 05:51 -8.3 Morocco Iran 44:36

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18:49 08:00 -10.8 France Australia 55:24

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11:25 06:30 -4.9 Peru Denmark 51:41

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13:39 08:03 -5.6 Argentina Iceland 60:03

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08:44 06:09 -2.6 Croatia Nigeria 54:57

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10:08 05:58 -4.2 Brazil Switzerland 59:30

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15:32 08:52 -6.7 Costa Rica Serbia 57:02

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12:35 09:36 -3.0 Germany Mexico 58:41

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08:55 04:06 -4.8 Sweden S. Korea 51:21

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14:58 06:19 -8.7 Belgium Panama 52:44

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14:19 06:08 -8.2 Tunisia England 48:26

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17:37 07:11 -10.4 Poland Senegal 56:21

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11:57 06:33 -5.4 Colombia Japan 58:58

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11:27 06:14 -5.2 Russia Egypt 53:25

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08:07 04:10 -4.0 Uruguay Saudi Arabia 58:49

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08:24 06:02 -2.4 Portugal Morocco 52:02

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10:15 08:07 -2.1 Iran Spain 53:46

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15:33 07:15 -8.3 France Peru 55:12

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11:34 06:30 -5.1 Denmark Australia 60:11

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10:08 05:07 -5.0 Argentina Croatia 51:56

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16:24 06:13 -10.2 Iceland Nigeria 51:19

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15:41 08:37 -7.1 Brazil Costa Rica 62:31

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15:27 09:12 -6.3 Serbia Switzerland 56:31

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10:26 07:57 -2.5 Germany Sweden 61:08

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08:56 09:06 +0.2 S. Korea Mexico 53:37

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12:29 06:46 -5.7 Belgium Tunisia 50:58

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20:58 07:14 -13.7 England Panama 53:25

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19:01 07:22 -11.7 Poland Colombia 56:16

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18:37 09:08 -9.5 Japan Senegal 51:51

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15:02 04:59 -10.1

* Difference in minutes

For the first 32 matches of the 2018 World Cup.

Unfortunately, these calculations are not as simple as pausing the stopwatch every time the ball goes out of bounds. The rules leave plenty to the discretion of each referee, but they do lay out some concrete guidelines regarding allowance for time lost. According to FIFA’s official rules, the following occurrences are to be factored into time lost: substitutions, “assessment and/or removal of injured players,” disciplinary sanctions, hydration breaks, and “any other cause, including any significant delay to a restart (e.g. goal celebrations).”

For our purposes, these were the easiest chunks of dead-ball time to tally. This number gave us a base stoppage. And it’s worth noting that these actions alone averaged almost five minutes more than the average added time allotted. But the FIFA rules are more cryptic for routine stops such as throw-ins, goal kicks, free kicks and corners. To be included in added time, these types of stoppages need to be considered “excessive” and not a “natural” part of the game. For this, we developed thresholds for the routine activities to determine excessive stoppages.

How long routine soccer events should take

Event Seconds Throw-ins 20 Warnings 30 Goal kicks 30 Corner kicks 45 Free kick 60 Penalty kick 60 Altercations 30 Arguing with referee 30

*Anything over is counted towards expected stoppage time estimates

These thresholds, which are based on how long the event usually takes on average, were intended to allow for a generous length of time before considering a stoppage excessive. For example, if a keeper spent 41 seconds to take a goal kick, 30 of those seconds were considered natural, but the last 11 seconds were considered excessive and added to the “excessive stoppages” total. Anyone who has watched a team try to burn clock at the end of the game knows that players will really milk routine throws and set pieces for precious seconds off the clock.

By adding base stoppage time to excessive stoppage time, we reached the estimated amount of ideal stoppage time for each game. The second half of Iran-Morocco wasn’t even the most egregious example in one half. That honor belongs to the first half of the England-Panama match, which underestimated stoppage time by 10:49 . Across a full game, Belgium-Tunisia was the biggest offender: By our count there should have been more than 20 minutes of stoppage time and there was actually just a shade more than seven minutes (although Tunisia was probably not that upset over this).

Some of the referees’ estimates for added time look even worse when broken up by half. For example, the first half of the Colombia-Japan game featured two goals, a substitution and a red card, which added up to 5 minutes and 53 seconds of stoppage time by our count. But somehow referee Damir Skomina of Slovenia decided to add only one extra minute. FIFA rules say that the length of the second half must not be changed to compensate for timekeeping errors in the first half so it may have just been luck that led Skomina to overestimate second-half stoppages by 37 seconds, which kept the overall discrepancy more in line with others.

There was only one match that actually had more time added than our stoppage time estimate called for: Sweden vs. Germany. Our calculation estimated 8:56 as an accurate amount of added time, but referee Szymon Marciniak allowed the teams to play 17 seconds more than that. The game was also the closest any referee came to matching our estimated figure.

Regardless of how accurate stoppage time is, the sheer amount of time the ball was out of play is also interesting. By our calculations, the average game lasted 97 minutes and the ball was in play for only 55 minutes on average, meaning 43 percent of the game is lost to dead ball time. Many of the stoppages can feel like action hasn’t stopped (e.g. a quickly taken throw-in or free kick), but even if we throw out any stoppage of 17 seconds or less, the average match has contained 75 separate stoppages in play.

This statistic is also a good snapshot of the pace of the game. The highest percentage of action in a single match was Egypt vs. Uruguay, where the ball was in play for 63 of the 97 minutes played (65 percent). Meanwhile, the struggle that was Iran vs. Morocco clocked in with under 45 minutes of action and over 53 minutes of stoppages (46 percent action).

So where exactly is all that time going? The chart below breaks down each type of break from action based on our classifications.

What slows matches down the most

How much time each type of stoppage has taken up per World Cup match, on average

Stoppage type Share of all play Avg. min. per match Free kick 10.8%

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10:29 Throw-in 8.1

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07:50 Goal kick 6.2

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06:03 Corner kick 4.4

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04:14 Injury 4.3

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04:10 Substitution 3.1

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03:03 Goal celebration 3.0

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02:55 Booking 0.9

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00:55 Dissent 0.6

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00:36 Penalty kick 0.6

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00:33 Video review 0.5

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00:31 Warning 0.3

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00:17 Altercation 0.1

–

00:05

For the first 32 matches of the 2018 World Cup.

Yes, almost eight minutes of each game is waiting for the ball to be thrown inbounds while an additional six minutes per game is spent waiting for the keeper to take his goal kicks. (Interestingly, the much ballyhooed Video Assistant Referee barely made a dent in the overall stoppages.)

In some respects, the referee deserves a pass for not getting the extra-time number exactly right (or remotely right). Putting more than 10 minutes on the board would represent such a break from tradition that it might incite a riot — the highest actual number allotted in any of the 64 halves we watched was six minutes1. Also, the referee must manage play across roughly 7,700 square yards while running up to 12 miles per game. This is perhaps why he may turn to his assistants for help with the clock.

“The referee has the ultimate responsibility as timekeeper for the game,” said Alan Black manager of senior referees at Professional Referee Organization, which sent two of its members to the World Cup as referees. According to Black, referees will often ask “their assistant referees and fourth official to keep a mental note of the stoppage time that is lost and the referee will also do the same.” The referee then consults with the other officials, usually with about five minutes left in the half, and informs the fourth official how much time is to be added.

That referees are awarding an average of six minutes less than what should be included in added time is substantial. These are often the most valuable minutes in a game. Through Tuesday, 16 goals were scored in added time of either half, or 15 percent of all goals. In fact, the only goal in that Morocco vs. Iran game came in the 95th minute.

But the bigger issue to many fans is the time-wasting behavior that underestimating stoppage time rewards. There’s a reason that players feign injuries when leading or dig the ball out of the net and run to midfield after scoring a goal while trailing. Their perception is that not enough stoppage time is added. So far this World Cup, their perception has proven to be reality.

— Jacoba Gundle, Andrez Guerrero, Angel Gutierrez, Dan McDowell, Rick Dunning and Wade Starnes contributed to this article

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/world-cup-stoppage-time-is-wildly-inaccurate/

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newssplashy · 6 years

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Kylian Mbappe scored against Croatia to become the second teenager to hit the back of the net in a World Cup final, after Pele in 1958

A total of 64 matches were played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup witnessed 169 goals after all the 64 games

The tournament realized of 2.6 goals per game.

Harry Kane emerged as the tournament's top scorer, with six (6) goals.

Mathias Jorgensen 1st minute goal for Denmark against Croatia is the fastest of the tournament

Belgium finished as the highest scoring side, with 16 goals

Lionel Messi was the first player to miss a penalty in the tournament and it happened in Argentina’s opener against debutants Iceland in a one all draw.

A total of 26 penalties have been awarded so far in the tournament

20 of the penalties awarded were perfectly converted.

six of the penalties awarded were thrown away

The tournament has witnessed 11 own goals.

Aziz Bouhaddouz of Morocco was the first player to score an own goal in the tournament in a game his side lost 0-1 to Iran.

The tournament recorded a total of 219 yellow cards.

The average yellow card per game is 3.5

Aleksandr Golovin of Russia was the first to be yellow carded and it came in their 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia in the 10th minute.

Four red cared have been flashed in the tournament

Michael Lang of Switzerland was the latest player to be sent off.

A total of 49, 651 passes have been completed in the ongoing tournament

Croatia with 352 attacks were the best attacking side

England completed most passes-3336 in he just ended tournament.

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos who played for Spain completed most passes- 485

Croatia emerged as the best defending side as well, with 301 clearances, tackles and saves.

Thibaut Courtois made 2 s7aves, which was the best in the tournament

Neymar was the player with most attempts at goal-27.

Ivan Perisic of Croatia covered most distance in the tournament- 72KM

Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick against Spain has made him the oldest player to bag a hat-trick in the World Cup at 33 year and some months and days.

He was the only player to bag a hat-trick in the tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first goal from direct free kick.

Seven (7) freekicks were scored at the Mundial.

Switzerland became the first side to win from a losing position, after they came from a goal down to beat Serbia 2-1.

England defeated Colombia in the round of 16 on penalties to win their first shootout in four attempts in the World Cup.

* Croatia knocked out the host nation at a World Cup for the first time in their third attempt:

✖ vs. France (1998)

✖ vs. Brazil (2014)

☑ vs. Russia (2018)

Award winners

Luca Modric was named the player of the tournament, taking home the Adidas Golden Ball

Eden Hazard won the silver Ball

Antoine Griezman won the bronze ball

Harry Kane emerged as the top scorer, winning the Adidas Golden Boot

Kylian Mbappe received the award for the Young Player of the Tournament

Thibaut Courtois was handed the Golden Gloves for winning the keeper of the tournament

via NigeriaNews | Latest Nigerian News,Ghana News,News,pulse, and Latest News In Ghana In a Splash

#IFTTT #NigeriaNews | Latest Nigerian News #Ghana News #News #pulse #and Latest News In Ghana In a Splas

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flauntpage · 6 years

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Video Review Has Made the World Cup Better

A week into Russia 2018, we've already borne witness to one of the best FIFA World Cup group stages anyone can remember—and that's thanks, in part, to the introduction of video review.

The combo of stunning goals, late-game drama, incredible individual performances, and surprising results has made this tournament memorable. Meanwhile, the presence of video assistant referees (hilariously dressed in full kit while staring at monitors in Moscow) has added a layer of decision-making security that's allowed these moments to shine even brighter.

The introduction of VARs for this World Cup hasn't been flawless, nor has it eliminated controversy altogether—although the reality is that, given the subjective nature of many FIFA Laws of the Game, and the reliance upon human beings to interpret them, absolute consistency can never be achieved.

But what we have seen so far is that many of the big fears about video review simply haven't come to fruition. Soccer hasn't been transformed overnight into a stop-start game of basketball, nor has irreparable damage been done to the sacrosanct "flow of the game."

The few on-field reviews we've seen have taken around 60 to 90 seconds, which is no longer than the average time-wasting faux injuries we're accustomed to seeing toward the end of most one-goal contests.

Also, we can likely do away with fears that technology would remove the "human element" from the game (or the ability to argue ad infinitum with your drinking buddy over whether the ref got it right). Fans are still debating penalty-kick decisions in France vs. Australia or England vs. Tunisia, for instance (England fans seem especially enamoured of this particular element of following the sport).

Sure, the early implementation of video review in leagues such as Major League Soccer and the German Bundesliga has produced its share of troubles. And with ever-more-intense games to follow in Russia, it's distinctly possible that the system will encounter some calamitous problem that makes these words seem quaint and naïve in retrospect.

But thus far, on the World Cup stage, video review has done what it's promised to do (intervene only when necessary, in big moments, to give the referees every opportunity to evaluate their decisions) and avoided doing what many feared it would do: create more problems than it solved, a la the NHL's recent dalliances in expanded video replay.

In Russia, we've seen the VAR system quickly resolve an instance of mistaken identity on a yellow card in France vs. Peru, confirm a potentially explosive red-card decision in Colombia vs. Japan and, most notably, reverse a penalty-kick decision initially awarded for Brazil on a flop from star striker Neymar against Costa Rica.

With that precedent set, we can keep our fingers crossed that players will now think twice about diving to win penalty kicks.

We can also happily watch the rest of the tournament unfold, relatively safe in the knowledge that when the big goals do come from open play, they won't have been preceded by players being offside, or by anyone illegally handling the ball (like Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" in 1986, or Thierry Henry in 2010 World Cup qualifying).

Given the use of the world's top officials in Russia, and the intense scrutiny that follows every World Cup, it may not be realistic to think video review will be incorporated as seamlessly in other leagues and competitions. Different leagues have used VAR in different ways; in MLS, for instance, each game has one VAR, while World Cup games have each featured a team of four.

But the early returns from Russia 2018 have shown that, as currently imagined and implemented on the World Cup stage, video review can indeed produce benefits without spoiling the beautiful game. Whether FIFA takes these results and uses them as an impetus to further expand video review (which could, in fact, ruin the game) remains to be seen.

Come on, though—FIFA taking something good and turning it sour... what are the odds of that happening?

This article originally appeared on VICE Sports CA.

Video Review Has Made the World Cup Better published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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