FTFY. Belgium shamelessly pressed in every tall person in their roster in attack after they conceded twice lol. Both equalising goals and almost every on target shot coming from headers.Amazing game. Sad for Japan because they played a really good match and only lost because they areweakershorter
What undone them was the physical disadvantage though. Japan knew they had no more gas left in the tank and momentum was with Belgium. Pity they don't have the real world Tsubasa who never loses a match ever (besides the grade school game)FTFY. Belgium shamelessly pressed in every tall person in their roster in attack after they conceded twice lol. Both equalising goals and almost every on target shot coming from headers.
It is prudent to remember that by the end of it they never did really manage to beat Japan on the the ground (until the final breakaway but that was an all-in final minute scenario). In a WC filled with bullies and drama queens, at show was a real clinic in disciplined, concentrated defending. Motherfuckers were doing full on steals and sliding tackles and barely conceded a foul in the back hot damn. I was left deeply impressed by how consistently Japan managed to punch above their weight, never losing their nerve and constantly making sharp piercing attacks even after losing the miracle lead no one expected them to have in the first place.
If they keep up this attitude and find a way to compete in the air we might have a breakaway contender in 2022.
It's ironic to see this kind of complaint from an english boy after the England simulations in today's game.Can someone please knock out Brazil, can't stand Neymar
They lost their playmaker in James and has no other gameplan.As an England fan I would have been so angry if we went out. I can't see how anyone could deny Barrios deserved a red, and I can't understand why VAR didn't tell the ref to have a look at it - if the ref goes to see the screen he surely would have given red. Colombia were so dirty, and I'm glad they went out. Watched them vs Poland and they were a joy to watch, but they clearly decided to rely on breaking up the play with fouls and trying to wind England up without Rodriguez.
On another note, England need to do better in the final 3rd. We get into good positions but Alli/Lingard/Sterling aren't performing in the final third, making wrong decisions or just messing it up. I think Sweden should be a much more comfortable match than Colombia but we need to improve.
I have a simpler thought experiment. Imagine if Brazil hadn't scored an own goal in the opening minutes of the match.Imagine if Douglas Costa started the match, things might have actually been different