2022 World Cup

up7587 wrote:Argentina gets a goal from Messi, then loses 2-1 to . . . Saudi Arabia??  Somebody do a welfare check on Geezer to see if he's ok.

Aw,

I knew we’d go through all along. It’s not like we are Germany or Belgium or anything.

up7587 wrote:Brazil loses to Cameroon?  Where they playing at full strength?

Without Neymar, but he’s hurt and hasn’t played since the first match.

Soccer journalist Grant Wahl collapsed and died at the World Cup while covering the Argentina - Netherlands match.

He was a Passionate reporter who covered lots of controversial topics in men’s and Women’s soccer. Most recently he was detained in Qatar for reporting on human rights abuses and wearing a rainbow shirt.

May  he rest in peace.


https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/09/sports/soccer/grant-wahl-dead.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Geezaldinho wrote:Soccer journalist Grant Wahl collapsed and died at the World Cup while covering the Argentina - Netherlands match.

Damn!

He was a wonderful human being and writer.  I rarely read about soccer beyond UP's teams, but I had been reading his articles and listening to his podcasts and found them interesting, informative, and insightful.

I am sure his death won't affect the way the World Cup matches are played, but it will certainly lessen the importance of the results for some of us.

up7587 wrote:Morocco completes the sweep of the Iberian Peninsula.

Lots of great moments in that match, and the best may have been the passion of the Morocco fans.

In the long history of Morocco (and not just Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in "Casablanca"), we know there will be a helluva lot of passion on display if France were to go through to meet Morocco next.

Aside from the game itself, the commentating of Derek Rae and Aly Wagner was first class...and their tribute to Grant Wahl late in the first half was heartfelt.

DoubleDipper wrote:In the long history of Morocco (and not just Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in "Casablanca"), we know there will be a helluva lot of passion on display if France were to go through to meet Morocco next.

Bring on the passion...France vs. Morocco Tuesday, 12/13 at 11am PT.

Hard to root against Morocco, but I had a pleasant experience with Los Pumas recently so maybe I should support their compatriots? Everyone here is “anybody but England,” so that probably gives away my location.

ExpatPilot wrote:Everyone here is “anybody but England,” so that probably gives away my location.

During my first visit to Stirling Castle, it was pretty obvious by the statue of Sir William Wallace that he was a venerated figure in Scotland.



Sir William, one of the main figures during the First War of Scottish Independence, was hanged, drawn, and quartered in London by the English in 1305...

Many Scots still carry on the fight for independence and remember Sir William on "Wallace Day" each year on the anniversary of his execution, August 23.

Advised years ago, to never believe in coincidences, I cannot help but wonder about the death of another journalist at the World Cup.  

English-language Qatari news service Gulf News reported on Saturday the death of Qatari photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam, citing the Qatari TV news outlet he worked for, Al Kass TV.

Few detail, such as when and how al-Misslam died, have been released, and Qatar's Ministry of Health was unavailable for comment when contacted at time of publication.

Grant Wahl's family has said they have questions about his death and will make a statement after Wahl's autopsy in the US.

American soccer writer Grant Wahl died of an undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium while attending the Netherlands-Argentina match last week, according to his wife, Dr. Celine Gounder.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/soccer-writer-grant-wahl-s-cause-of-death-announced/ar-AA15gxUK?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=17b96e4c72a846b5804b86ade5dc3d91

"The chest pressure he experienced shortly before his death may have represented the initial symptoms. No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death."

up7587 wrote:Anything interesting happen yesterday?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1602764555310047235

Strangely, yesterday's match was the first time I'd seen Lionel Messi play an entire match, prior to that I had only seen him in highlights.

Wow!

The highlight of him turning the 21-year-old defender into a pretzel was played over and over, but beyond that his command of the game and his speed made me an instant fan.

France was certainly better than Morrocco today, but they are going to have to even better if they are going to beat Argentina on Sunday.