Pixie Trix Comix & Hiveworks Community

Ouf, Netherlands goes on ! The team who actually tried to score continues the adventure, good.
I wouldn't dismiss Argentina. They played poorly, but save for Belgium, all of their opponents were very defensive teams. Having to face Netherlands may paradoxically be good news for them.

Except that I guess it was 50/50 whether France or Germany would make it.

Stats before France/Germany
France : 3 victories, 1 draw, 10 goals scored, 2 conceded
Germany: 3 victories, 1 draw, 9 goals scored, 3 conceded
It's difficult to have closer teams.

It's interesting how the group phase had multiple upsets (especially Spain getting kicked out, but also England, Portugal, Italy...), whereas the elimination phase so far has been very predictable.

Indeed. I wondered several times if it wouldn't be better now to have a second group phase rather than knockouts. Until 1990 finals and semi-finals were great games, then only quarter-finals. Since 2002, only the round of 16 produces interesting games in the knockout phase. 1982 had a 2nd round group phase, and it had 2,81 goals per match. Granted, there was New Zealand and Salvador, but why not.
On a related subjetc, I think allowing 24 rather than 16 teams in the next Euro is a mistake for me. With best 3rd again able to qualify, defensive teams will once again have an advantage. sigh.


EDIT: Fun fact: Costa Rica becomes member of the Club of countries knocked out of a World Cup with a clean sheet (i.e. no defeat).

Germany, I am dissapoint. Not to ZERO???

What, what, what, What, what, what, what just happenned ?
Finally, losing 0-1 wasn't so bad.

Haven't been watching but I saw this on tumblr and it made me laugh

Brazil:we came out to have a good time and hones-[Germany scores again]

Funny, Brazil doesn't look like Poland.

You would think that the German team would take it easier on the Boys From Brazil .......

Wow... That's a fairly obscure literary reference.

Don Alexander wrote:

Germany, I am dissapoint. Not to ZERO???

its made from brazilian tears, so you have to savor it.

Engy wrote:It's been a while since we last nearly had a war break out between our countries, no?

Looks like we'll be waiting on that for quite a while longer, though.

Yep. Maybe in two years.

Anyway, despite Robben pissing all over the game for third place, I still hope you kick the Brazilian's ass a second time. ;)

Awww. Pityless indeed.
I vote for a draw with Brazil losing at penalty kicks.

Congratulations Germany ! The best and most entertaining team won !

Really, Argentina hadn't been this boring since 1990.

EDIT: CNN write-up.

I think I lost a few lives during the game. Kroos heading it right in front of Higuain's feet, Höwedes slamming it into the post just seconds before the end of the first half...

The referee started well but became worse and worse. There was one totally mysterious error against Argentina (where Neuer checked an attacker - and Germany got a free kick?? ), but all the rest of the major mistakes were against Germany (Kramer being knocked out, which should have gotten a penalty kick; and two Argentine players who clearly deserved yellow-red cards late in the game...). But fuck you, we're Germany!

The combination of Schürrle's run, pass to Götze, and his goal kick. A FUCKING DREAM!!!! I have rarely ever seen a more beautiful goal. It was basically an impossible combination and shot, yet it was executed perfectly.

And then the Argentine side gets this last free kick near the German goal, and we are all just seeing it, Messi manages to score, and there it is, penalty shootout.... It seemed almost scripted, an inevitability! And he fires it horribly wide! Reminded me of David Beckham's kick in the penalty shootout at Euro 2004 vs. Portugal...

By this time, the 2 minutes injury time had long passed, but the referee did not end the match! It continued for like another 90 seconds which seemed totally crazy....

....before it really was over and the fireworks began!

Huzzah, Germany!