Friendlies

[bugylibicska]

Sturm im Wasserglass. The Canadian men soccer team had the audacity to demand equal pay to the women, unheard of. Only in Canada.

[bugylibicska]

Canada beat Curacao 4:0 in Vancouver in a very one sided game, could have been many more, 2 goals from Alphonso Davies.
Edit: just realized this was not a friendly.

[Firnen]

Japan-Ghana 4-1
Korea-Paraguay 2-2
Saudi Barbaria-Venezuela 0-1
Oman-New Zealand 0-0

Japan is, as always, the best Asian team when it comes to facing non-Asian competition. It's a pity they're in such a tough group.

New Zealand has serious issues scoring, they're the outsider against Costa Rica, but the Ticos also aren't good at scoring, thus a 0-0 and a penalty shoot out is not out of the question.

[Michael S Collins]

Japan is, as always, the best Asian team when it comes to facing non-Asian competition. It's a pity they're in such a tough group.

New Zealand has serious issues scoring, they're the outsider against Costa Rica, but the Ticos also aren't good at scoring, thus a 0-0 and a penalty shoot out is not out of the question.

New Zealand/Costa Rica feels like a lottery ticket for someone to get gubbed 5 or 6-0 by Germany and Spain.

I don't expect Japan to beat their "last 16, group stage, last 16, group stage" alternate World Cups routine in this group, but they do have quite a nice team so they could give the big 2 a game individually.

[offside]

New Zealand/Costa Rica feels like a lottery ticket for someone to get gubbed 5 or 6-0 by Germany and Spain.

If I remember correct, New Zealand and Costa Rica, both, had positive results facing Italy in a World Cup match. But yeah, no chances to meet Italy this time.

[Michael S Collins]

New Zealand/Costa Rica feels like a lottery ticket for someone to get gubbed 5 or 6-0 by Germany and Spain.

If I remember correct, New Zealand and Costa Rica, both, had positive results facing Italy in a World Cup match. But yeah, no chances to meet Italy this time.

They were much younger and better sides back then. Costa Rica was a World Cup too far for their team in 2018 and qualification results don't scream much more.

The New Zealand group in 2010 - the two qualifiers haven't been at a World Cup since, and Italy haven't played a World Cup KO game since they won it!

[Lorric]

Linfield beat Qatar 1-0.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61889765

[Firnen]

San Marino failed to get their 2nd ever victory, drawing 0-0 against Seychelles at home.

[Lorric]

San Marino failed to get their 2nd ever victory, drawing 0-0 against Seychelles at home.

I'm amazed at the pre-match odds for that one. 1.36 for a San Marino win! 7.00 for Seychelles.

[Firnen]

San Marino failed to get their 2nd ever victory, drawing 0-0 against Seychelles at home.

I'm amazed at the pre-match odds for that one. 1.36 for a San Marino win! 7.00 for Seychelles.

I read that San Marino dominated the match, but missing their 2 best forwards cost them.
I am not surprised, San Marino is in theory much better than the minnows of other continents. But they have a huge problem scoring, they had 0-0 draws against Liechtenstein and Gibraltar too in the last Nations League.

[Michael S Collins]

Linfield beat Qatar 1-0.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61889765

I missed this until now. Ouch.

[Lorric]

Linfield beat Qatar 1-0.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61889765

I missed this until now. Ouch.

They also got beat 3-0 by Croatia U23 on Tuesday.

[Michael S Collins]

Linfield beat Qatar 1-0.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61889765

I missed this until now. Ouch.

They also got beat 3-0 by Croatia U23 on Tuesday.

For comparison, when South Africa were being criticised for being weak hosts in 2010 (which turned out accurate), their last bunch of friendlies included them BEATING Denmark.

[Firnen]

I missed this until now. Ouch.

They also got beat 3-0 by Croatia U23 on Tuesday.

For comparison, when South Africa were being criticised for being weak hosts in 2010 (which turned out accurate), their last bunch of friendlies included them BEATING Denmark.

South Africa 2010 was a much better team than this Qatar.
South Africa had qualified for 2 World Cups before on merit. Qatar hadn't come even close. Yeah I know, they won the Asian Cup, well so did Iraq in 2007. Miraculous runs happen.

[Michael S Collins]

They also got beat 3-0 by Croatia U23 on Tuesday.

For comparison, when South Africa were being criticised for being weak hosts in 2010 (which turned out accurate), their last bunch of friendlies included them BEATING Denmark.

South Africa 2010 was a much better team than this Qatar.
South Africa had qualified for 2 World Cups before on merit. Qatar hadn't come even close. Yeah I know, they won the Asian Cup, well so did Iraq in 2007. Miraculous runs happen.

Yes, I mean, I know all about folk raising their game on the big occasion, but if you lose to these teams, then the Dutch, Senegal and Ecuador is a daunting prospect.

We knew they'd be bad, but that's even worse than expected.