On the Eve of the new Season...

It's not confusing. It's mainly at this point based on goal differential. From ESPN, here's the breakdown on what needs to happen for the US to advance:

Simplest Scenarios

- Germany: Advance with win/draw vs. USA
- United States: Advance with win/draw vs. GER
- Portugal: Advance with win vs. GHA and GER/USA do not tie, IF POR wins tiebreak with loser (see below)
- Ghana: Advance with win vs. POR and GER/USA do not tie, IF GHA wins tiebreak with loser (see below)

U.S. Scenarios

- Win/draw vs. Germany
- Loss and Portugal-Ghana draw
- Loss and win tiebreaker vs. Portugal-Ghana winner

Tiebreakers

If the United States loses, Ghana would qualify instead if either game is decided by a margin of two goals or more. If the U.S. loses by one goal, Ghana would need to win by two goals or be involved in a higher-scoring one-goal win. For instance, a 1-0 scoreline in both games would put the United States through on head-to-head. So, if the U.S. loses 1-0, then Ghana must win 2-1 to qualify on goals scored.

To surpass the U.S., Portugal will need a goal-difference swing of five (head-to-head is level). So for instance, Portugal would need to win 3-0 and U.S. lose 2-0, among other equivalent scorelines. The teams will draw lots if goal difference is identical (this would happen with a 3-0 U.S. defeat and a 2-0 Portugal win, for example).

What kind of sport draws lots to see who advances?  First off they shouldn't have these stupid ties.  Play until someone wins.  You have this once every four years can't you do it right?  If there was an absolute tie they could have a day between group stages and knock out round where the teams could play a game to decide who advances.  No wonder Americans don't like soccer.  Ties? Unamerican.

So, if the US loses to Germany by multiple goals, its likely they're out of the tournament and people will stop pretending like they give a shit about this glorified version of kick the can for another four years, right? Viva Germany.

Julian, wrote:
So, if the US loses to Germany by multiple goals, its likely they're out of the tournament and people will stop pretending like they give a shit about this glorified version of kick the can for another four years, right? Viva Germany.

Deutchland Uber Alles

atomic wrote:

Julian, wrote:
So, if the US loses to Germany by multiple goals, its likely they're out of the tournament and people will stop pretending like they give a shit about this glorified version of kick the can for another four years, right? Viva Germany.

Deutchland Uber Alles

these guys, agree, with you

atomic wrote:
What kind of sport draws lots to see who advances?  First off they shouldn't have these stupid ties.  Play until someone wins.  You have this once every four years can't you do it right?  If there was an absolute tie they could have a day between group stages and knock out round where the teams could play a game to decide who advances.  No wonder Americans don't like soccer.  Ties? Unamerican.

Julian, wrote:
So, if the US loses to Germany by multiple goals, its likely they're out of the tournament and people will stop pretending like they give a shit about this glorified version of kick the can for another four years, right? Viva Germany.

You don't have to like soccer. That's fine. We get it.

But on behalf of those of us that are excited, I kindly ask, from one boardie to another, that if you're only coming in here to find a reason to bash the sport, then please don't post in this thread.

:)

+1
haters gonna hate…just keep it to the various random thoughts thread

betao wrote:

atomic wrote:
What kind of sport draws lots to see who advances?  First off they shouldn't have these stupid ties.  Play until someone wins.  You have this once every four years can't you do it right?  If there was an absolute tie they could have a day between group stages and knock out round where the teams could play a game to decide who advances.  No wonder Americans don't like soccer.  Ties? Unamerican.

Julian, wrote:
So, if the US loses to Germany by multiple goals, its likely they're out of the tournament and people will stop pretending like they give a shit about this glorified version of kick the can for another four years, right? Viva Germany.

You don't have to like soccer. That's fine. We get it.

But on behalf of those of us that are excited, I kindly ask, from one boardie to another, that if you're only coming in here to find a reason to bash the sport, then please don't post in this thread.

It means you don't like soccer to complain about how all the stupid things they do in the world cup?  You are trying to tell me you like it when they draw names to see whom advance to the next stage? 

Fair enough - I don't agree with some of the alleged practices of players, i.e. diving and stuff, but in reading the past few pages of this thread, you've said alot of things that could be taken negatively towards the sports ("No one cares about the World Cup in America" and "soccer players are such babies"). You may have your opinions, I'll disagree with them, and that's fine and all, but it does come off as negative because some of us that are excited about the sport and want to see the sport grow in America. I grew up hearing these comments when I was younger and played the game was genuinely excited MLS games, EPL, and International matches. I always had to try to fight these comments off. You've been watching some matches, so I assume you like the sport itself and like me think it's absolutely exciting when two teams are truly playing the game. But yeah - that's why I came off as defensive.

Soccer is plenty popular in the US - is it as big of a deal as the NFL or the MLB? No way. But that's fine. In all honestly, I think what fans of the sport here in America want is for the sport to grow to a competitive level against the rest of the world rather than to just be the biggest thing in the country.

Anyhow, back to the discussion at hand :)

What does FIFA mean by drawing lots? No way they just "randomly" select a winner if it comes down to a legit tie. I've never seen that happen

betao wrote:
Fair enough - I don't agree with some of the alleged practices of players, i.e. diving and stuff, but in reading the past few pages of this thread, you've said alot of things that could be taken negatively towards the sports ("No one cares about the World Cup in America" and "soccer players are such babies"). You may have your opinions, I'll disagree with them, and that's fine and all, but it does come off as negative because some of us that are excited about the sport and want to see the sport grow in America. I grew up hearing these comments when I was younger and played the game was genuinely excited MLS games, EPL, and International matches. I always had to try to fight these comments off. You've been watching some matches, so I assume you like the sport itself and like me think it's absolutely exciting when two teams are truly playing the game. But yeah - that's why I came off as defensive.

Soccer is plenty popular in the US - is it as big of a deal as the NFL or the MLB? No way. But that's fine. In all honestly, I think what fans of the sport here in America want is for the sport to grow to a competitive level against the rest of the world rather than to just be the biggest thing in the country.

Anyhow, back to the discussion at hand :)

What does FIFA mean by drawing lots? No way they just "randomly" select a winner if it comes down to a legit tie. I've never seen that happen

I want Germany to crush the US because I have been a Germany supporter all along.  Also, I would like for a country that actually cares about soccer to win.  You say people here care.  I bet before the world cup started most people didn't know any players on the team.  

atomic wrote:
I want Germany to crush the US because I have been a Germany supporter all along.  Also, I would like for a country that actually cares about soccer to win.  You say people here care.  I bet before the world cup started most people didn't know any players on the team.  

Ahh, yes. If only sports were about the fans that care the most and Faith No More wins EVERYTHING!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1g9PFtSCKw

For what it's worth, I can name 5 German players. Before the cup, I could only name two US players.

was one of them Jürgen Klinsmann

more feeding the troll who pretends to hate soccer but seems to watch every game…oh and he is an american who cheers for germany

if anybody wants advice on what games to watch when they are going on at the same time feel free to ask me! :)

the mexico croatia second half was great!!!!!!!

mexico-netherlands
brazil-chile

are going to be great round of 16 games…

yes they will. Brazil v Chile will be heated.

Croatia played with pure anger today when down by 3. It got them a goal but it also got them a red card.

betao wrote:
yes they will. Brazil v Chile will be heated.

Croatia played with pure anger today when down by 3. It got them a goal but it also got them a red card.

Brazil/referee/FIFA v Chile, if you ask me

hutch wrote:
the mexico croatia second half was great!!!!!!!

mexico-netherlands
brazil-chile

are going to be great round of 16 games…

I hope Netherlands destroys Mexico.