Era of the New Majority

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Group B

Czech Republic
Mexico
South Korea
Uruguay

The group's opening match in Brisbane pitches Mexico against Uruguay. Sporting one of the best attacking fronts assembled in decades with Jose Morales, Nico Lopez, and Diego Rolan on their frontline and supported by a midfield that includes Diego Poyet, Gaston Pereiro and Diego Fagundez, Uruguay is one of the favorites not just in the group but in the tournament. Mexico has other plans, however, catching La Celeste napping early when Mexico captain Tecatito scores a sudden goal at 20'. Uruguay fails to score on Mexico on four straight shots and are punished for their failure when Giovani heads in a cross from 20-year old midfielder Pedro Aguirre. In the second half, Uruguay tightens up their play, but a penalty kick from Rolan fails and they lose the game, and pole position in the group, 2-0. In the other group game, in Blacktown, Czech Republic and South Korea battle to a 0-0 draw.

Uruguay rightens the ship in Sydney, where they face South Korea. Despite favored to do with the tournament in Asia, the aging, unprepared South Koreans are blasted by the experienced Uruguayan side, which wins 4-0 with four different players scoring (Rolan 11', Lopez 27', Poyet 55', Fagundez 76'). It is an embarassing loss for Korea Republic. Mexico, meanwhile, fails to tie up first place in the group when they draw Czech Republic. Aguirre scores at 50', but veteran Czech captain Tomas Necid equalizes at 82' to keep his side alive in the group and keeps Mexico from guaranteeing passage into the next round.

On the final group day, Mexico faces South Korea and grinds out a 0-0 draw, needing a win by Uruguay to be guaranteed a spot in the group stage. Uruguay obliges, with Lopez scoring at 31' and Pereiro adding a score at 60' to give them a 2-0 win and allowing them to win the group after their disastrous start.

Final Standings:

Uruguay 6
Mexico 5
Czech Republic 2
South Korea 2

Goalscorers:

Lopez (Uruguay) 2
Rolan (Uru) 1
Poyet (Uru) 1
Pereiro (Uru) 1
Fagundez (Uru) 1
Tecatito (Mex) 1
Giovani (Mex) 1
Aguirre (Mex) 1
Necid (CR) 1

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Group C

Belgium
Italy
Cameroon
Honduras

A favorable draw for two European powers, both who are expected to advance out of their group -particularly Belgium, defending a third-place finish in 2018 and the runner-ups to the European Championship. In the first game, Italy vanquishes an injured Cameroon 2-0, with scores from Marco Verratti and captain Ciro Immobile. In the other tie, two-time Ballon d'Or winner Eden Hazard picks up where he left off in 2018/20 and scores on Honduras at 76' after a curiously scoreless game against an underpowered CONCACAF side.

Honduras' woes continue in the next game, as Cameroon defeats them 1-0 with Vinny Aboubakar's score at 17'. In the other tie, Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois allows his first goal for Belgium since the second game of World Cup qualifying, including friendlies when Immobile sneaks a pass past him at 60'.

In the final group stage game, with Italy already qualified for the next round, the Azzuri dominated Honduras. Despite an own goal by defenseman Rugali early on, the Italians score three times (Immobile 24', Palmieri 57', Florenzi 66') to advance to the second round with 9 points and having not conceded any goals to the opposition. Immobile, with 3 goals, now has scored 8 for Italy in World Cup competitions, second most after the three-way tie at 9. In the other game, Belgium defeats Cameroon 1-0, with Lukaku scoring at 66' to power Belgium into the next round. It is worrying for Belgium that they have struggled to score in opening halves and their form is unusually poor compared to their recent standard.

Standings:

Italy 9
Belgium 6
Cameroon 3
Honduras 0

Goalscorers:

Immobile (Italy) 3
Verratti (Italy) 1
Palmieri (Italy) 1
Florenzi (Italy) 1
Hazard (Belgium) 1
Lukaku (Belgium) 1
Aboubakar (Cameroon) 1
Rugali (own goal) 1

Hazard, with his sixth goal in a World Cup, now holds the record for WC goals for Belgium.

Group D

Croatia
Ghana
Switzerland
Uzbekistan

Croatia begins their campaign with a dominant 2-1 win over Ghana. Though the African side opens scoring with rugged veteran Ayew getting a goal at 41', Croatia adds two quick goals at 57' (Halilovic) and at 64' (Kovacic), the stars of their 2020 European run, to clinch the win. Switzerland, meanwhile, battles to an ugly 0-0 draw with Uzbekistan, who are appearing in their first-ever World Cup.

The next ties feature Uzbekistan and Croatia. Kovacic scores for to open play at 7', but a lazy and complacent defensive error at 82' leaves the net exposed and Igor Sergeev scores easily, giving Croatia an unfortunate draw. Switzerland, meanwhile, blasts Ghana, winning 2-0 as national hero Shaqiri scores twice (48' and 58') to give them pole position in the group.

The resulting match between Switzerland and Croatia is one in which the Swiss park the bus early, trying to do nothing but maintain their goal differential, assured of a spot in the next round with a draw. Croatia lucks out that the 0-0 end result does not hurt them, as Uzebkistan's quest for glory ends in a 1-1 draw to Ghana, who manage to score at 89' to play spoiler.

Final Standings:

Switzerland 4
Croatia 4
Uzbekistan 3
Ghana 1

Goalscorers:

Shaqiri (Switz) 2
Kovacic (Croat) 2
Halilovic (Croat) 1
Sergeev (Uzbek) 1
Rashidov (Uzbek) 1
A. Ayew (Ghana) 1
J. Ayew (Ghana) 1

The Ayew brothers are the only brothers to ever score in the same World Cup.

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Group E

Colombia
France
Russia
USA

USA and Russia facing off in the first game of this match in Sydney provides much of the intrigue for the geopolitical angle alone. Despite boisterous interactions between the fans before and during the game, including loud chanting and booing by Russian fans during the American national anthem and when USA holds the ball, the players are courteous towards one another and play a clean game. USMNT is clearly the superior side, with the defense dominating Russia's meager attack, with Russia only managing two shots on goal, both of which are easily deflected by Zack Steffen. Jordan Morris scores at 65' after several frustrated chances in the first half and the USA is never threatened for the remainder of the game as they take three points. In the other match, in Adelaide, the No. 2 ranked team in the world France faces 2018 runner-ups Colombia (they also opened the 2018 WC against one another), who have had poor form coming into the World Cup after their heartbreaking loss in Russia. Bad luck for the Cafeteros continues, as Quintero fails to produce anything in three shots on goal and Paul Pogba secures the win for France, avenging their upset loss in 2018.

The next game does not go as well for USA. Rubio Rubin opens scoring at 20', but from there on France dominates, with the other two parts of the Big Three, Thauvin (38') and Lacazette (77') score to earn France the win. Thanks to a score by Joao Rodriguez at 88', Colombia manages to draw Russia 1-1 (after an earlier score by the ageless Oleg Shatov at 56') to stay alive in the group.

France routs Russia in their final game, 3-0, with all three members of the Big Three scoring (Pogba 22', Thauvin 42', Lacazette 70'). Pogba is now tied with Zidane and Platini for third-most goals by a French player in the WC. In the other game, Colombian star James Rodriguez - who has been limited by injuries - scores twice to open the game, once at 29' and once at 35' to put Colombia in pole position to advance out of the group and avenge their 2017 Confederations Cup loss to the USA by eliminating the Yanks. The United States mounts a massive comeback, however, as Emerson Hyndman scores at 57'. Steffen then blocks a controversial penalty by Quintero and just narrowly deflects a header from Joao. A goal by Jordan Morris is flagged offside as the clock ticks down - but in the 88th minute, just as hope is nearly lost, American substitute Gedion Zelalem takes a cross from Rubin and scores the equalizer. There are five minuets of stoppage, in which Steffen daringly blocks both a long strike from James as well as the play on the deflection by Luis Muriel. As Quintero rushes towards the bouncing ball, Hyndman intercepts it and punts it away into the Colombian side of the field, and the whistle blows a minute later as the United States completes one of the great comebacks in World Cup history and powers them into the next round.

Final Standings:

France 9
USA 4
Colombia 2
Russia 1

Goalscorers:

Pogba (France) 2
Thauvin (France) 2
Lacazette (France) 2
James (Colombia) 2
Morris (USA) 1
Rubin (USA) 1
Zelalem (USA) 1
Hyndman (USA) 1
Jo. Rodriguez (Colombia) 1
Shatov (Russia) 1

James is now tied with Ronaldo at 15 goals for third-most goals scored in World Cup history.

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Group F

China
Brazil
Spain
Sweden

China continues their lack of ability in World Cup games as Brazil embarasses them 6-1. Neymar and Felipe Anderson both score twice, while Coutinho and Nathan each add one of their own. China sees only captain Wu Lei score late in the game when Brazil has already pulled several starters. Spain faces Sweden, and Jesé scores at 76' to avoid an equalizer.

In the next round of ties, Brazil defeats Spain 1-0, with Nathan scoring the winning goal on a penalty in a hard fought game at 68'. In the other game, Lei opens scoring at 51', but Gustav Engvall and John Guidetti score within three minutes of each other shortly thereafter to power Sweden to a win.

The final round of games sees Brazil face Sweden, whom it defeats 1-0 thanks to Felipe Anderson's late score after another physical game, thus eliminating the scrappy Swedes. Lei continues to be the best player in Chinese history as he scores his third goal of the World Cup against Spain just minutes after Isco's goal, giving China a respectable 1-1 draw against the gassed Spain.

Final Standings:

Brazil 9
Spain 4
Sweden 3
China 1

Goalscorers:

Felipe Anderson (Brazil) 3
Lei (China) 3
Neymar (Brazil) 2
Nathan (Brazil) 2
Coutinho (Brazil) 1
Isco (Spain) 1
Jese (Spain) 1
Engvall (Sweden) 1
Guidetti (Sweden) 1

Neymar now has 12 goals in the World Cup, tying him with Pele.

[Senator Cris]

Go Italy and Felipe Anderson!

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Group G

Argentina
Germany
Ivory Coast
Japan

In the opening game of this group, Japan stuns the world by defeating Argentina 1-0. Argentina, featuring a stacked team coached by former Atletico manager Diego Simeone and featuring the considerable talents of a 34-year old Lionel Messi, Luciano Vietto, Giovanni Simeone, and Paulo Dybala, is one of the tournament favorites coming in, despite concerns about their back line. That concern springs up in Townsville, where after a rugged defensive game 18-year old Japanese prodigy Kenji Masuhito scores at 89' to win the game, one of the biggest victories in Japan's history. In the other game, Germany defeats Ivory Coast 2-0, with Thomas Muller scoring his 18th World Cup goal and Niklas Stark adding another goal late in the game.

The next tie has Germany face longtime World Cup foe Argentina, the first time they have been drawn together in group stages. Though Vietto opens scoring, Germany's machine-like team responds with a score by Julian Brandt at 48' to equalize and a score by Max Meyer at 61' to take the lead. German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp blocks a Messi penalty and with that Argentina is eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 2002. In the other game, Japan defeats Ivory Coast 1-0, with the young Kenji once again scoring the decisive goal.

The final games feature two teams that are already eliminated facing off, and Argentina takes their frustrations out on an outmatched Ivory Coast team, going off 4-1. Messi scores his 10th and final World Cup goal, being pulled from the match at 78' to applause and cheering from players and fans of both sides. Simeone and Dybala each add a goal, and Vietto scores late in stoppage to add to the margin. Germany, meanwhile, blasts Cinderella Japan, with Meyer, Gotze and Muller all scoring in the first half to give Germany the full nine points in the group.

Standings:

Germany 9
Japan 6
Argentina 3
Ivory Coast 0

Goalscorers:

Muller (Ger) 2
Meyer (Ger) 2
Kenji (Japan) 2
Vietto (Argentina) 2
Stark (Ger) 1
Brandt (Ger) 1
Gotze (Ger) 1
Dybala (Argentina) 1
Messi (Argentina) 1
Simeone (Argentina) 1
Bebokou (IC) 1

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Group H

Algeria
England
Netherlands
Saudi Arabia

In the first group tie, Algeria and Saudi Arabia battle to a gritty 1-1 draw in a rare all-Arab match, with Confederations Cup star Farouk Haddadi scoring Algeria's lone goal while Fahad Al-Muwallad scores for Saudi. In the other game, England defeats the Oranje 1-0, with Harry Kane scoring an early goal and then the defense holds down to keep Memphis Depay and the otherwise mediocre Dutch attackers out of goal. England's goaltender is Jack Butland, who had to step up as the first choice after captain and star Joe Hart was ruled out of the World Cup with an injury that kept him out of the final matches of his club season, too.

With the pole position in the group, England next faces Saudi Arabia, which it defeats 3-1. After Al-Muwallad, the only real scoring threat on the Saudi side, slides a header past Butland, England's attack roars to life, with Danny Ings scoring at 48', captain Kane scoring at 59' and 21-year old sub and Man U star Eddie Russell scoring at 71'. Netherlands, meanwhile, draw Algeria, with Feghouli continuing his captaincy by scoring at 60' but Memphis responding at 74' to keep the Dutch alive.

With passage into the next round guaranteed for the first time since 2010, England manager Tim Sherwood sits most of his stars and Algeria wins 1-0, with Bassam Hosseini scoring the decisive goal. In the other match, needing a win, Netherlands draws Saudi Arabia 1-1 and are summarily eliminated.

Standings:

England 6
Algeria 5
Netherlands 2
Saudi Arabia 2

Goalscorers:

Al-Muwallad (Saudi) 3
Kane (England) 2
Depay (Netherlands) 2
Ings (England) 1
Russell (England) 1
Feghouli (Al) 1
Haddadi (Al) 1
Hosseini (Al) 1
Klaassen (Netherlands) 1

[KingSweden]

Hot Sports takes, 2022 World Cup Edition.

On Argentina: "The ouster of Argentina in the group stage is yet another devastating result for a team that, based on its recent performances that are not commensurate with its absurd talent. Supporters have reason to ask if they are cursed. Manager Diego Simeone announced his resignation mere minutes after the team entered its locker rooms after its cathartic beatdown of the Ivory Coast, but the result does not rest on his shoulders. The team was stubborn in its efforts to run through a visibly depleted Messi, for playing Simeone's son and Vietto too far back - ostensibly to accomodate Messi - and for failing to build a midfield out of actual midfielders and not converted strikers who were poor in the defense and visibly gassed. For team that, on paper, should have been at minimum a quarterfinalist against what is regarded as a weak field to be ousted after two games is a national shame. The rebuild post-Messi will be long and will require honesty and creative thinking by the wounded giant."

On South Korea: "Failing to score a single goal, South Korea continues its ugly streak of bad World Cups. With the Asian Cup this January on home soil, the Red Devils will have to solve their attacking woes, and fast. Whoever is brought in from outside the insular world of Korea Republic football will have their work cut out for them."

On Australia: "The host nation Australia, having emerged as an Asian power in the last decade, are playing with house money. Getting to the knockouts in front of home fans is already a big win. Though they will struggle against teams with stouter defenses than they have faced, the Socceroos are taking their fans along on what is a delightful ride and have, so far, been the most fun team to watch in the entire tournament."

On England: "Harry Kane has taken the moribund English side to its first knockout since 2010, carrying a team with legendary talent but poor performances on his back much as he has carried Spurs to two continental titles. Butland is playing out of his mind - quite possible the best netminder in the tournament - for being someone given first choice just a month ago. The defense, thought to be the team's weakness coming into the World Cup, has tightened up. The young and mercurial Eddie Russell, known as a hothead and difficult player, has kept his mouth shut and shared the ball. England should have no trouble with Japan."

On USA: "What we witnessed against Colombia the other night was nothing short of a soccer miracle. Facing elimination, USA channeled longtime national hero Landon Donovan and got it done when it needed to be done. Zack Steffen gave what may be one of the great goalkeeping performances in the history of the tournament. Hyndman and Rubin continued their brilliance. Zelalem finally showed the flashes of potential were more than just flashes. The defense, anchored by CCV and Yedlin, clamped down after two costly mistakes left their trusty goalkeeper exposed in the first half. Whatever happens next doesn't matter, particularly since the USA will be hard pressed to beat Brazil, who while not the juggernauts of years past are still a class above the scrappy Yanks. It doesn't matter because USA soccer fans watched their team come back from a two-goal deficit, facing elimination, and get a draw to knock out the defending World Cup runner-up in a game even more exciting than their 2017 showdown in Moscow with a similar Colombia side. Behind their 1-0 win over England in 1950, this might be the biggest win in American soccer history."

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Round of 16

Mexico vs. Australia (Sydney Football Stadium)

It is one of the great games in World Cup history, at the very least one of the most exciting. Mexico opens scoring by taking a two-goal lead in the first half, with Diego Gama and Tecatito each scoring. The second half is when things get exciting - Luongo scores at 61' to give Australia hope. Just two minutes later, Pedro Aguirre breaks free and cathces Socceroos keeper Mathew Ryan off guard, making the score 3-1. Facing a terrible deficit, Luongo pulls another trick out of his hat, scoring at 72' to pull within one goal. Tecatito is fouled and draws a penalty - however, when Gama tries to kick it in, it is blocked by Ryan. Another chance for Mexico is prevented when Ryan bats away Aguirre's surefire shot on goal. What initially appears to be a massive blown chance by Luongo when his kick bounces off of the crossbar on Mexico's goal becomes a huge win for Australia when young midfielder Jake Robinson catches the flying ball with his chest, controls it with his knee and fires it on a cross to Cameron Joice, who heads it in. 3-3. An attempt by Giovani to knock it in is deflected by Ryan in stoppage time and we head to extra minutes.

In extra time, Australia strikes first thanks to Luongo, who completes a hat trick when he takes a pass from Robinson, kicks it to Joice, who fires it backwards to Robinson who fires it to a leaping Luongo who heads it in past stunned Mexico goalie Jesse Gonzalez. It looks like Australia takes even further control at 101' when Ikonomides fires the ball past a bewildered Gonzalez - however, he is flagged offside. At 112', Mexico defender Sergio Flores fouls Luongo as he bears down on goal. On the ensuing penalty kick, however, Joice inexplicably kicks it softly and the ball is easily caught by Gonzalez. As the clock ticks down, the miracle happens - Aguirre hits the ball on a cross to Tecatito, who lets it fall to the ground so that he can kick it past three Australia defenders to substitute Hirving Lozano, who slides to the ground in order to reach the ball in time and just barely kick it past Ryan, who barely gets one finger on it. The game is now tied 4-4 and is headed to a shootout.

Australia:

Ikonomides GOOD
Oar GOOD
Joice NO GOOD
Robinson GOOD
Atkins GOOD
Luongo NO GOOD
Davidson GOOD
Juric GOOD

Mexico:

Tecatito NO GOOD
Aguirre GOOD
Lozano GOOD
Giovani GOOD
Gama GOOD
Salcedo NO GOOD
Flores GOOD
Corral NO GOOD

In sudden death, George Corral's kick is deflected by Mathew Ryan and so Australia, after one of the wildest World Cup games in recent memory, advances to the quarterfinals for the first time ever 6-5 on penalties. For Mexico, which at one point led 2-0, it is yet another heartbreak at the World Cup stage. Luongo enters the rarefied club of men who have scored hat tricks in the World Cup, and the even smaller club of men who have done so on home soil, becoming the sixth to accomplish it and the first player to do so since Geoff Hurst in 1966.

Uruguay vs. Portugal (Newcastle)

The game is a rugged, defensive affair, with Portugal's defense holding its own against Uruguay's vaunted attack. Regular time ends 0-0 after a tiresome, feisty game. In extra time, however, at 112', young star José Morales scores his first goal of the World Cup with a laser shot after a pass from Poyet to put Uruguay up 1-0 and send them on to the quarterfinal.

Croatia vs. Italy (Blacktown)

Andrea Belotti opens scoring at 18', but in the second half Croatia wears down on Italy's injured defense and a score from Kovacic ties the game up at 1-1 by the end of regular time. In extra minutes, Rakitic scores and powers Croatia into the quarterfinals over the favored Azzurri.

Belgium vs. Switzerland (Brisbane)

The Swiss deficiencies in the attack and defense are finally exposed by Belgium, which rips through them en route to a 3-0 win, with scores from Lukaku, De Bruyne and Origi.

France vs. Spain (Townsville)

France scores a drab, unremarkable 1-0 win over Spain thanks to an early score by Thauvin and a terrific defensive performance, flustering and frustrating the Spanish attack that earns a Man of the Match award for French captain Kurt Zouma.

USA vs. Brazil (Canberra)

Though the Brazil defense is too much for USA to solve, Zack Steffen saves 11 shots on goal and keeps a clean sheet, thus sending the game to penalty shots after a scoreless 120 minutes. Against a team like Brazil, with its World Cup pedigree and players like the veteran Neymar, Felipe Anderson (who is subbed out with cramps early in extra time) and Nathan, this is a monster performance for the Americans.

USA:

Rubin GOOD
Hyndman NO GOOD
Morris GOOD
Carter-Vickers GOOD
Zelalem NO GOOD
Yedlin GOOD
Brooks GOOD
Diskerud NO GOOD
Shea NO GOOD

Brazil:

Malcom GOOD
Nathan NO GOOD
Judivan NO GOOD
Willian GOOD
Neymar GOOD
Lucao GOOD
Coutinho GOOD
Marlon NO GOOD
Jorge GOOD

Brazil wins 6-5 after defender Jorge blasts the ball past Steffen, denying USA the chance at a monster upset over another South American giant. The result, even with the elimination, is hailed as a massive success in the United States despite the disappointing heartbreak of a penalty shootout, while in Brazil commentators are furious that they allowed the USA to take them to that position in the first place.

Germany vs. Algeria (Gold Coast)

Thomas Muller scores his 20th World Cup goal, becoming the first man to reach the milestone, early on. Brandt adds another score late in the game as the Germany defense swallows up Algeria's "Big Three" attack and prevents Haddadi or Hosseini from working in the space they need to tick. After the 2-0 Germany win, Muller announces he will donate the shirt he wore to a museum, with his autograph.

England vs. Japan (Geelong)

England's defense figures out the quick-footed youngster Kenji early on and wins an easy 2-0 match, with Kane and Ings both scoring to push England into the quarterfinals.

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Quarterfinals

Australia vs. Croatia (Stadium Australia - Sydney)

The magical run for Australia ends in Sydney, where Halilovic and Kovacic both score early on to take a 2-0 lead. Joice continues his excellent World Cup by scoring his third goal late in the game at 77', but Australia is unable to equalize in the final minutes, sending Croatia to their first semifinal since 1998. Australia's team is applauded by a raucous home crowd as they leave the pitch.

France vs. Germany (Perth)

France pays back Germany for their quarterfinal exit in 2014 by defeating the two-time defending World Cup champions 1-0 in Perth, thanks to a score at 20' by Pogba. It is Germany's first time failing to reach the semifinal since 1998, and is seen as effectively ending the dynasty.

Uruguay vs. Belgium (Adelaide)

Uruguay wins 1-0 once again, thanks again to José Morales, who scores at 70' to prevent another extra time game as Uruguay's defense and midfield harry Belgium and earn revenge for the Third Place game four years earlier.

England vs. Brazil (Melbourne)

Kane scores his fourth goal of the tournament early on, with England taking a 1-0 lead into halftime. Brazil, however, equalizes as Neymar scores his 13th World Cup goal at 60'. Just as the clock ticks down, budding star Eddie Russell scores at 90', right before stoppage time, to power England past Brazil, 2-1, into the semifinal for the first time since 1990. The festivities in England are massive as people start to believe that England actually could win its second World Cup.

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Semifinals

France vs. Croatia (Adelaide)

Once again, Croatia's ceiling is the semifinal. Despite an early score by Halilovic to take a promising lead, France responds with a score by Lacazette and a score by Pogba to push on into the final for the third time.

England vs. Uruguay (Perth)

Ings and Jordan Henderson upstage Liverpool teammate Morales as they both score in the first half and England clamps down in the second half, including five brilliant saves from Butland, to keep a clean sheet at 2-0 to advance to their first final since 1966, setting up a massive final with rival France.

[KingSweden]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Third Place

Uruguay vs. Croatia (Brisbane)

Uruguay wins 1-0 as Rolan scores early and the defense, led by José Gimenez, keeps Kovacic and Halilovic out of net, with goalkeeper Guillermo de Amores man of the match after nine saves, including on a penalty. It is his fifth clean sheet of the tournament.

Final

France vs. England (Stadium Australia)

One of the most anticipated finals in years, France opens as the favorite, but the world is cheering for England. Lacazette scores first, heading in Anthony Martial's corner kick. Harry Kane equalizes at 60', and the score stays tied into extra time. With the clock ticking down, Florian Thauvin catches a long ball from Zouma, dribbles it past Danny Rose and slips it in past Butland at 116', preventing penalty kicks. Ings' attempt to equalize in stoppage time goes off the crossbar on a free kick and France wins the 2022 FIFA World Cup!

It is their second World Cup title and first outside of France. All twelve goals for France in the tournament were scored by members of its vaunted Big Three, and France becomes the third team to win a World Cup while also holding the European Championship. It is the third straight year France has earned a major title, and their new golden generation is amongst the best European sides ever assembled. Kurt Zouma is the first man to captain a team to a Euro, a World Cup, a Confederations Cup and the Champions League (Chelsea).

Awards:

Golden Ball - Harry Kane (England)
Silver Ball - Paul Pogba (France)
Bronze Ball - Massimo Luongo (Australia)

Golden Boot - Massimo Luongo (Australia) 6 goals
Silver Boot - Harry Kane (England) 5 goals
Bronze Boot - Paul Pogba (France) 4 goals, 3 assists

Golden Gloves - Guillermo de Amores (Uruguay)
Silver Gloves - Jack Butland (England)

Best Young Player - Eddie Russell (England)

Fair Play Award - Australia

[KingSweden]

Here's a map Tayya drew of the WV State House post-2020.



By his estimates, we should see about 30-35 Democrats every cycle, as Republicans have eliminated MMDs as per their longstanding goal.

Update:



Here are the corresponding WV CD seats. As one can see, these two districts are straightforward north-and-south. Republicans should have no problem winning both.

The state senate map is also included. Tayya estimates about 6 to 8 Democrats, depending on conditions, getting elected from this map.

Thanks Tayya!

[KingSweden]

July 2022: The summer season is not nearly as scorching hot as the last three years - temperatures are much closer to longtime averages, though Heinrich declares, "This is not an excuse to give up on our efforts to combat global climate change." As Heinrich's approvals stabilize around 52% by the end of the month, Republicans start to fret that they may not see the 2014-style midterm they were hoping for in November. Good news for them, economic growth is only 0.4% in the second quarter. In more unfortunate news, three important figures on the right - John McCain, Ron Paul and Alan Greenspan - all die within days of each other.

On July 31st, though, Republicans get the exciting news that HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo has been indicted by federal prosecutors regarding influence peddling actions taken during and after his Governorship. That evening, President Heinrich announces, "I have asked for, and I have received, Secretary Cuomo's resignation. While I am confident of his innocence, this administration cannot have any members of its Cabinet under indictment to distract from the important work they do." Red avatars on the Atlas Forum rejoice.

July 2022 (continued): The situations in Korea, Cuba and the UK continue to destabilize. The refugee crisis continues to spread in Asia, where the Japanese Navy is now helping transport people to temporary camps on Kyushu and Hokkaido. South Korean and US leadership is concerned about the possibility of North Korean spies being amongst the refugees, sent to wreak havoc, particularly after a deadly riot in a refugee camp outside of Incheon. Unbeknownst to the public, the United States sends in two SEAL teams to try to secure North Korea's nuclear stockpile. Within the country itself, reports come out of rival gangs of military platoons loyal to different commanders and factions fighting each other and brutally attacking civilian populations to retrieve food, manpower and tradeable goods. At the end of the month, China mobilizes its forces and seizes the first ten miles beyond the Yalu River to create a buffer zone to contain the flow of refugees northwards. There is no zero resistance from North Korea, and CIA leaks indicate that certain factions in North Korea are backed by Beijing in the power vacuum.

Cuba, meanwhile, continues to teeter on collapse as the government desperately scrambles to stamp out the street protests in Havana and Santiago. It fumbles its reaction, and several senior officials flee Cuba after most Western nations withdraw their ambassadors. Raul Castro, bedridden, is amongst the senior Communists who depart for the safe confines of Bolivia and Switzerland. President Diaz-Canel, meanwhile, declares he will stay behind despite half of his government having abandoned him. Fears of a paramilitary war like in Venezuela spread and boat refugees start flowing across the Strait of Florida in large numbers. Heinrich announces sanctions against senior Cuban officials, but resists calls by Republicans to intervene in Cuba militarily, arguing that do so would legitimize claims by the Communist regime that the protest movement is a plot by the United States to invade Cuba. "This is an organic, beautiful thing the Cuban people are doing. We must help them without coopting them."

The UK and Spain, meanwhile, both continue to should street protests by secessionist parties. Sturgeon and Salmond both remain in prison in Spain, with Osborne continuing to refuse to request their repatriation. SNP MPs stage a walkout from Parliament, and Tory MPs cheer and applaud them derisively as they leave, with audible shouts of "And don't come back!"

[KingSweden]

August 2022: Bad news for Heinrich and co - rumors emerge that the Clintons pressured DOJ prosecutors to sit on evidence they had on Cuomo, and Patrick (and Schneiderman before him) refused. Though the leaks indicate that Heinrich only became aware of this after he assumed the Presidency thanks to a one-on-one meeting with AG Deval Patrick in early January, and that he told him to continue with the investigation without telling Cuomo, it is still a headache. Republicans in Congress start to talk about a familiar sight - subpoenaing the Clintons and administration officials to find out what was known and when. Continued slow growth remains an issue. Megadonor Sheldon Adelson passes away just as donations to various outside groups start ramping up before the fall campaign.

August 2022 (continued): Austria holds elections and for the first time, FPO comes in first, ahead of second-place SPO and third-place OVP, whose leader Mitterlehner resigns. No party agrees to form government with the FPO out of fear of EU sanctions, and the FPO's followers protest violently in the streets after the SPO and OVP cut another familiar deal, installing Gerald Klug as Chancellor. The pact is expected to be very weak. Demonstrations continue in Edinburgh against the Osborne government, and polls suggest Osborne is the most unpopular PM in Scotland since Thatcher, perhaps even more so.

The other shoe drops in Cuba as Diaz-Canel must flee the country after paramilitary units loyal to him are caught on camera teargassing and beating unarmed protesters. The Cuban military intervenes to form a temporary government as a solution is hashed out, with the "Mojito Revolutionaries" refusing to leave the streets until elections are held. There is a scramble to sort out potential candidates, as Communists have not been banned from the polls. In Korea, the warring factions continue to cause a massive refugee crisis. Chinese soldiers get into shooting matches with enemy units. Heinrich and Ahn start to discuss a potential buffer zone in the South modelled on the one formed by China, particularly to avoid China-backed paramilitaries from running the country. Certain rival groups start selling pilfered military-grade weapons on the black market as the country continues to descend into anarchy.

And now, for Sports: Tottenham continues its terrific luck in the UEFA Super Cup, defeating Man U 2-0.

[KingSweden]

September 2022: Heinrich announces Kasim Reed, former Mayor of Atlanta, as his next HUD Secretary. The campaigns continue to ratchet up as the midterms head into their home stretch - prognosticators estimate that Republicans will win between 4 and 6 Senate seats, thus retaking the chamber with a slim majority, thanks to terrific campaigns by vulnerable Midwestern Democrats, and that the GOP will pick up between 10 to 15 House seats under the less favorable new maps. It is not looking like a repeat of 2014, when Democrats were wiped out across the country, but the "succession boost" Heinrich saw the first four or five months of his Presidency has all but vanished.

September 2022 (continued): The Social Democrats in Sweden are blown out in their worst election loss in party history, falling from most seats to third-most, behind the Alliance and Sweden Democrats. The Alliance, without enough seats to form a majority on its own, invites the Greens to form a government in return for policy concessions, once again to keep the Sweden Democrats out. Peter Danielsson, who took over the Moderate Party after their milquetoast 2018 performance, becomes PM under this arrangement. Scottish MPs announce that they will sponsor a new independence referendum, which Osborne confidently states he will never recognize. Sturgeon/Salmond are arraigned in Spain, inflaming the situation even more. Conspiracy theories start to spread that Osborne is colluding with Spanish authorities to keep them in prison in return for support against Catalonia, where the situation has quieted down from the events of the past year.

The SEAL teams in North Korea have successfully secured the country's known nuclear stockpile and are airlifted out mere days before they are captured by enemy forces. The stockpiles were secured by South Korean intelligence working with friendly North Korean factions to prevent the warheads from being sold, like other heavy weapons from the conflict have been. Per an unspoken agreement with China, the United States and South Korea begin targeting forces that attack civilian populations and move to secure a ten-mile buffer zone beyond the DMZ, nearly reaching Pyongyang in the process. Seven US soldiers are killed in a grenade attack that day, and public opinion starts to worry about a protracted conflict as the peninsula unravels. Sporadic guerilla attacks continue in Cuba, but nothing on the scale or ferocity of Venezuela.

[KingSweden]

October 2022: Reed is passed nearly unanimously by the Senate as the new HUD Secretary. As the midterms come down to the final days, polls for Governor and Senate races indicate bad news for Democrats in the South, while they should hold on decently in the Midwest and Northeast. House races seem to still favor Republicans, though a massive break towards the GOP late in the campaign like in 2010 or 2014 does not appear in the offing. In New Jersey, Tom Kean announces the centerpiece of his reform program - expanding the number of elective, rather than appointed, offices. Under Kean's new plan, New Jersey will join most other states in electing an Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer and State Insurance Commissioner. The program also includes shifting every county to a County Executive-Freeholder Council style of government, capping appointed county positions to a maximum of two five-year terms that must be renewed by local officials, stricter ethics reporting requirements, and an end to local party organizations controlling ballot line placement. It is one of the most ambitious government overhaul programs in decades.

October 2022 (continued): After time served and a hefty fine, Sturgeon and Salmond are released from Spanish jail and return to Scotland, where they excoriate Osborne for not helping their release. The independence question in Scotland and the UK is now extremely polarized, but polling indicates that there is not a majority in favor of leaving the UK. In a move that has scary shades of the Venezuelan conflict, UN peacekeepers are sent to the North Korean buffer zones after China and Russia accept the move, with the refugee crisis getting worse each month and more and more people fleeing into the South, Russia and China. Heinrich has high-level meetings in Beijing with Ahn, Xi, Kishida and Lavrov to chart out a plan for containing the threat. Two mortar attacks by paramilitary forces in North Korea kill 17 in Seoul near the end of the month, even as China makes a concerted effort to move heavy weapons captured in fighting out of the country. Near the end of October, Heinrich and Xi agree that Pyongyang will need to be secured.

And now, for Sports: The Houston Astros win their first World Series in their third try when they defeat the New York Mets in six games, winning the last one on the road at Shea Stadium.

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2022

It's midterms time! Again, we go coast to coast. If there are any states any budding mapmakers want to take a crack at, PM it to me. Most of the maps I'll go off of otherwise are Muon2's and Torie's rough projections (thank you again, Muon and Torie, for letting me use these for the TL).

Maine

ME Gov: Chellie Pingree is initially thought to be in trouble when Senator Scott Cyrway enters the race to challenge her. As the campaign goes on, though, Pingree never trails in polls and her moderate, centrist record in the state helps carry her to a comfortable but not dominating 51-44 win, with a third-party independent taking votes from both candidates.

(Maine's two districts remain mostly the same, with some precincts shifting at the margins to ME-2, particularly in the northeastern part of the district).

ME-2: Troy Jackson once again faces a challenge, this time from term-limited Sen. Eric Brakey. Jackson narrowly hangs on, 50-48, against a stubborn challenge from Brakey.

ME Legislature: Despite a mass of term-limited GOP Senators resulting in open seats, Democrats are unable to flip the chamber, which stays at 18-17. Democrats lose six seats in the House, going to 78-71-2 (one of their seats was lost to an independent).

[CapoteMonster]

October 2022: Reed is passed nearly unanimously by the Senate as the new HUD Secretary. As the midterms come down to the final days, polls for Governor and Senate races indicate bad news for Democrats in the South, while they should hold on decently in the Midwest and Northeast. House races seem to still favor Republicans, though a massive break towards the GOP late in the campaign like in 2010 or 2014 does not appear in the offing. In New Jersey, Tom Kean announces the centerpiece of his reform program - expanding the number of elective, rather than appointed, offices. Under Kean's new plan, New Jersey will join most other states in electing an Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer and State Insurance Commissioner. The program also includes shifting every county to a County Executive-Freeholder Council style of government, capping appointed county positions to a maximum of two five-year terms that must be renewed by local officials, stricter ethics reporting requirements, and an end to local party organizations controlling ballot line placement. It is one of the most ambitious government overhaul programs in decades.

October 2022 (continued): After time served and a hefty fine, Sturgeon and Salmond are released from Spanish jail and return to Scotland, where they excoriate Osborne for not helping their release. The independence question in Scotland and the UK is now extremely polarized, but polling indicates that there is not a majority in favor of leaving the UK. In a move that has scary shades of the Venezuelan conflict, UN peacekeepers are sent to the North Korean buffer zones after China and Russia accept the move, with the refugee crisis getting worse each month and more and more people fleeing into the South, Russia and China. Heinrich has high-level meetings in Beijing with Ahn, Xi, Kishida and Lavrov to chart out a plan for containing the threat. Two mortar attacks by paramilitary forces in North Korea kill 17 in Seoul near the end of the month, even as China makes a concerted effort to move heavy weapons captured in fighting out of the country. Near the end of October, Heinrich and Xi agree that Pyongyang will need to be secured.

And now, for Sports: The Houston Astros win their first World Series in their third try when they defeat the New York Mets in six games, winning the last one on the road at Shea Stadium.

The Mets play at Citi Field. They haven't played at Shea since 2008.

[KingSweden]

October 2022: Reed is passed nearly unanimously by the Senate as the new HUD Secretary. As the midterms come down to the final days, polls for Governor and Senate races indicate bad news for Democrats in the South, while they should hold on decently in the Midwest and Northeast. House races seem to still favor Republicans, though a massive break towards the GOP late in the campaign like in 2010 or 2014 does not appear in the offing. In New Jersey, Tom Kean announces the centerpiece of his reform program - expanding the number of elective, rather than appointed, offices. Under Kean's new plan, New Jersey will join most other states in electing an Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer and State Insurance Commissioner. The program also includes shifting every county to a County Executive-Freeholder Council style of government, capping appointed county positions to a maximum of two five-year terms that must be renewed by local officials, stricter ethics reporting requirements, and an end to local party organizations controlling ballot line placement. It is one of the most ambitious government overhaul programs in decades.

October 2022 (continued): After time served and a hefty fine, Sturgeon and Salmond are released from Spanish jail and return to Scotland, where they excoriate Osborne for not helping their release. The independence question in Scotland and the UK is now extremely polarized, but polling indicates that there is not a majority in favor of leaving the UK. In a move that has scary shades of the Venezuelan conflict, UN peacekeepers are sent to the North Korean buffer zones after China and Russia accept the move, with the refugee crisis getting worse each month and more and more people fleeing into the South, Russia and China. Heinrich has high-level meetings in Beijing with Ahn, Xi, Kishida and Lavrov to chart out a plan for containing the threat. Two mortar attacks by paramilitary forces in North Korea kill 17 in Seoul near the end of the month, even as China makes a concerted effort to move heavy weapons captured in fighting out of the country. Near the end of October, Heinrich and Xi agree that Pyongyang will need to be secured.

And now, for Sports: The Houston Astros win their first World Series in their third try when they defeat the New York Mets in six games, winning the last one on the road at Shea Stadium.

The Mets play at Citi Field. They haven't played at Shea since 2008.

The sad thing is that I actually looked this up beforehand and still got it wrong. *sigh*

[KingSweden]

Catch up:

I forgot to include the election results from some important October results in my excitement to get to midterms.

Brazil, Presidential: President Aecio Neves (Brazil Renewal) is reelected in the first round after strong economic growth and a turn to the center in the South American nation.

Ontario: Christine Elliott's Tory government is returned, once again with a majority. They earn 58 seats to 30 for the Liberals and 19 for the NDP.

Nova Scotia: Liberals get a bit of good news after their disaster a year earlier here - Steven McNeil's majority is returned for a third government.

New Brunswick: With steady if unspectacular economic growth, Trevor Holder's majority is returned in NB, this time with 31 seats.

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2022

New Hampshire

NH-Governor: Kuster, after a fairly uneventful first term, seeks reelection and faces Andrew Hemingway, running for Governor a third time. Despite the midterm environment and downticket races (more on that in a second) seeming to favor his run, Kuster dispatches him surprisingly easily, 54-44.

NH-Senate: A problem for Democrats when in January of 2022 Maggie Hassan announces that she will not run for reelection, citing her frustration and disillusionment with Washington. Despite months of Democrats trying to get her to reconsider, Hassan makes the announcement and the newspapers in New Hampshire run the headline, "Hassan Hates Washington!" Donna Soucy runs for the Democrats in an effort to keep the seat, while NH political scion Chris Sununu finally has the opportunity he has been waiting for. Sununu, once easily out of a primary featuring a bunch of warm bodies, runs aggressively towards the middle, promising to be a Senator in the tradition of Judd Gregg and his older brother, John, first elected to the Senate exactly twenty years earlier. Soucy runs on Hassan's popularity, but despite her energetic campaign, Sununu's good name in the state, outstanding campaign, and moderate image help narrowly push him over the line, 49-47. R Gain.

(Districts mostly unchanged, with NH-2 taking up slightly more land area due to stronger population growth in NH-1).

NH-1: Soucy leaves this seat open, and Democrats scramble to find a replacement. Coming off of his narrow Senate loss in 2020 and initially eyeing the governor's race, Chuck Morse jumps into this seat instead, becoming the instant frontrunner. Democrats recruit Manchester State Rep. Jean Jeudy, who would be New Hampshire's first modern black Representative if elected, to run. Though Jeudy proves a surprisingly able campaigner, Morse narrowly beats him in New England's most competitive House race, 51-45. R+1.

NH Legislature: GOP gains one seat in the Senate to go to 14-10. Democrats lose the State House of Representatives after having held it outright or with independent support for six years, with the GOP taking a 201-190-9 advantage, defeating multiple independent candidates in the process too. John Fothergill becomes the new Republican Speaker.

Vermont

VT-Gov: No serious Democrat wants to take on the popular Phil Scott in a "six-year itch" election, and so he cruises to a 68-29 win over a gadfly Montpelier city councilor.

VT-Senate: Patrick Leahy is reelected in a landslide over a no-name Republican businessman. If he finishes his term, he will be the longest-serving Senator in history.

VT Legislature: No net change in the chamber - Democrats maintain their advantage along with the Progressives.

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2022

Massachusetts

MA Gov: Charlie Baker honors his campaign pledge to serve only two terms and leaves office as one of the more successful GOP figures in Massachusetts, with a higher popularity than Mitt Romney or Paul Cellucci, and on his own terms, unlike Scott Brown. However, his popularity atrophied in his second term after an ugly fight with the MTA union and with massive cost overruns and snafus with the Boston Olympics, handicapping his chosen successor, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. Democrats have a wide-ranging primary, with Attorney General Maura Healey the first to jump into the race. After Mike Capuano, retiring from Congress, declines to enter the race, Healey's main competition is Seth Moulton, who has been eyeing this office for years. Though Healey starts as a narrow favorite having won statewide twice, Moulton's energetic campaign helps him to a surprisingly decisive primary victory. Despite running to reclaim a Republican seat in a bad environment for Democrats, Moulton knocks out Healey, 53-45, to retake the Governor's Mansion for Team D. D Gain.

MA AG: With the slot of attorney general now open, State Senator Brian Joyce is elected to replace Healey as a capstone to his long MA political career. All other row officers reelected.

(Mostly minor changes in House districts in MA as the districts all shift slightly in the direction of Boston, the main growth engine in the state.)

MA-1: Richard Neal retires after 34 years in Congress, citing health issues and fatigue. After a wide-open primary, 37-year old Senator Eric Lesser emerges to replace him.

MA-6: With Moulton retiring from Congress to run for Governor, that leaves an open seat on the North Shore. Brendan Crighton wins the primary, tantamount to election despite competitive elections here in the past.

MA-7: Capuano retires after 24 years in Congress, initially to run for Governor but eventually deciding to stay retired and take up a position as a Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government. The victor in the Democratic primary is 28-year old City Councilman Josh Zakim, who runs unopposed in the general election.

With Lesser and Zakim winning, that adds two Jewish Congressmen to Massachusetts' Congressional delegation.

MA Legislature: Seat counts remain static in both Houses.

Connecticut

CT Sen: House Minority Leader Melissa Ziobron challenges incumbent Dick Blumenthal, who crushes her 65-35 en route to a third - and what he declares is his final - term in the Senate.

CT Gov: Tong faces former Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele, who runs an abysmal campaign against the already-favored Tong, who cruises to a surprisingly easy 57-40 win.

(Connecticut's congressional boundaries remain almost completely unchanged, with a few precincts being shifted around).

CT-4: Jim Himes has a surprise scare, as State Senator Tony Hwang nearly defeats him in this district, with Himes winning only 50-48.

CT-5: State Senator Clark Chapin is the man who finally defeats Elizabeth Esty, winning by 71 votes in a narrowly 49-48 contest with turnout low in this corner of Connecticut. Esty's loss and the narrow win by Himes come as national surprises, particularly with the massive margins being carried higher up the ticket by Blumenthal and Tong. R+1.

CT Legislature: Democrats lose four seats in the House and one in the Senate, their worst result in years. Again, surprising due to the wipeout wins by Blumenthal and Tong.

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2022

Rhode Island

RI Gov: David Cicilline, now without a House district, runs for Governor. He faces Republican Senate Minority Leader Dennis Algiere and Independent Ken Block, who once ran the now-defunct Moderate Party. Cicilline, still carrying a decade's worth of baggage in issues from his mayoral days in Providence, ethics issues in the US House and a confrontational attitude against the more laid-back Algiere and Block, struggles in his quest to win the Governor's Mansion. A leaked memo from his campaign reveals that he views the Governor's mansion as a "stepping stone" to a run in 2028 to become America's first gay President, which both Algiere and Block manage to swing to their benefit, portraying Cicilline as nakedly ambitious. In the last debate before the election, as Algiere and Cicilline snipe at each other, Block smiles and, to borrow a line from a long-past Canadian election, states, "Here you can see exactly why nothing ever gets done in the state of Rhode Island." It is seen as his "big moment" and Block pulls narrowly into the lead going into election day. On election night, Block wins 34-31-29, with Algiere taking up the rear. I gain.

(Rhode Island now has one at-large district).

RI-AL: Langevin, now Congressman for the whole state, is easily elected over no-name opposition.

RI Legislature: Republicans net one seat in Senate, three in the House.

[Horsemask]

Just wanted to pop in and say I've been reading this since it started, but just registered today. Absolutely love the timeline. Keep up the great work!