FIFA 2014 World Cup - Official Discussion Thread

[Arturo Belano]

It seems that the Goalkeeping Gods are with Costa Rica at the moment.

[minionofmidas]

It seems that the Goalkeeping Gods are with Costa Rica at the moment.

One of the three we've seen in this tournament is playing with them, yeah.

[Lief 🗽]

Alright this game got pretty good at the end. Looks like the dreams of a Costa Rica - Germany final are still possible.

[minionofmidas]

Dutch in their fifth extratime in World Cup history. Every previous one has ended in their elimination.

Alright this game got pretty good at the end. Looks like the dreams of a Costa Rica - Germany final are still possible.

The dream, clearly, is either a Germany vs Netherlands or a Brazil vs Argentina final. I want to see blood.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Dutch in their fifth extratime in World Cup history. Every previous one has ended in their elimination.

Alright this game got pretty good at the end. Looks like the dreams of a Costa Rica - Germany final are still possible.

The dream, clearly, is either a Germany vs Netherlands or a Brazil vs Argentina final. I want to see blood.

What about the unlikely but inspiring possibility of Costa Rica beating Germany in the final?  (No way Costa Rica would beat Brazil in a final simply because of the home field advantage.)

[minionofmidas]

We all know what happened the last time Brazil had home team advantage in a world cup final...

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Costa Rica is the Unofficial World Champions ever since they captured it from Uruguay in the Group Stage. The last World Cup, the Netherlands had the title the whole World Cup until they lost the final to Spain.

[Јas]

Anyone aware of any precedents for this type of pre-penalty goalkeeper substitution?

[Јas]

The last 9 World Cup shoot outs have been won by the team shooting first.

[Keystone Phil]

The drama of this World Cup...

So glad Ruiz missed his kick.

[Suburbia]

This is thrilling. I hope my Dutch friends are thrilled too.

[Keystone Phil]

Traditional powers in the Semis. Beautiful.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The last 9 1 World Cup shoot outs have been won by the team shooting first last.

ftfy

[GMantis]

The last 9 World Cup shoot outs have been won by the team shooting first.

Dutch in their fifth extratime in World Cup history. Every previous one has ended in their elimination.

Every rule has eventually an exception eventually...
Oh, and van Gaal is a genius.

[Lief 🗽]

Noooo

Well three out of four teams in the semifinal are horrible. Our hopes rest on Manuel Neuer and Thomas Müller's shoulders now.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Football is dead.

Traditional powers in the Semis. Beautiful.

You are a bad person.

[Lief 🗽]

Football is dead.

Yes.

[GMantis]

Football is dead.

I don't think that Costa Rica's all-game "man the ramparts" routine is that good for football either. And if football survived Germany defeating France in 1982, it can survive four low scoring semifinalists.

[King]

Would've been nice to see an upset IMO penalties seem to be where the talent difference becomes more apparent. Costa Rica's kicks were very straightforward and Krul guessed them all easily. Their best shot to win was at 118'

The worse part is, given the way all four teams have played, it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see the semis both play out 0-0 into penalties.

[Јas]

When did Tim Krul become a PK specialist?
His Premier League record is saved 2 of 20.

[Јas]

The last 9 World Cup shoot outs have been won by the team shooting first.

Every rule has eventually an exception eventually...

Indeed.
That record went back 12 years - to 2002, when we lost to Spain.

[King]

When did Tim Krul become a PK specialist?
His Premier League record is saved 2 of 20.

Maybe he hates Costa Ricans and Van Gaal hoped to channel his racist energy.

[Lief 🗽]

Dutch in their fifth extratime in World Cup history. Every previous one has ended in their elimination.

Alright this game got pretty good at the end. Looks like the dreams of a Costa Rica - Germany final are still possible.

The dream, clearly, is either a Germany vs Netherlands or a Brazil vs Argentina final. I want to see blood.

Germany-Costa Rica would have been the first World Cup final between countries that are at war with each other though!

[Angel of Death]

An interesting tidbit that has been pointed out is that the Netherlands could end up getting even for all of their major World Cup traumas in this tournament alone (in reverse chronological order no less): So far, they've managed to avenge the lost final against Spain (2010) as well as losing on penalties (1998). That leaves the lost finals against Argentina (1978) and Germany (1974).

[Senator Cris]