DJHazey

Round of 16 - Part 1 Netherlands 0-1 United States Argentina 2-1 Australia England 1-2 Senegal France 4-0 Poland

Mexico have put in 2, which puts pressure on Poland, another goals against them or if Mexico scores again, then the group standings change in mexico's favor.

True, but this time would have the added drama of France being defending champs and Messi's last hurrah!

If Group C holds the current standings (which I think is possible if Poland/Argentina draw and Mexico beats Saudi Arabia by less than four goals or Mexico/Saudi Arabia ends in a draw) then we get France/Argentina in the Round of 16!

Denmark's disappointment is on par with some of the most puzzling in the history of the tournament. I actually thought they might win the group, going in. Not finish with 1 point and 1 goal.

Way to go Socceroos!

Denmark has to score two late goals as it stands.

There you go, Tunisia.

As far as I know it was originally thought to be 16 groups of three, which is a mess but that 12 groups of four have been considered, not finalized as of yet. It should have just stayed 32 teams, with USA-Mexico-Canada all qualifying as co-hosts and a fourth CONCACAF team getting a bid, with a fifth going to intercontinental playoffs.

They've been playing really well the past couple years and should be favored over us, but they certainly aren't as scary as the Sneijder-Robben-Van Persie days. It's winnable.

LET'S GOOOOO!

So far so good, Senegal winning against the controversial Ecuador and Netherlands destroying Qatar.

What's been great so far is depending on how Brazil/Switzerland and Portugal/Uruguay go, only France will have qualified to the knockout stages after a full set of two matches. That makes all of the third matches more meaningful than in the past.

Round 3 of Group Stage Ecuador 1-2 Senegal Netherlands 3-0 Qatar Iran 1-2 United States Wales 0-2 England Australia 1-2 Denmark Tunisia 1-2 France Poland 2-1 Argentina Saudi Arabia 0-5 Mexico Canada 0-2 Morocco Croatia 1-1 Belgium Costa Rica 1-3 Germany Japan 0-1 Spain Ghana 1-1 Uruguay South Korea 1-0 Portugal Cameroon 0-3 Brazil Serbia 1-2 Switzerland

Don't think us Americans are happy with a point. That result was disappointing as England was there for the taking. We dominated at times. Gotta beat Iran!

2nd Round of Group Stage Netherlands 1-1 Ecuador England 1-0 United States Tunisia 1-1 Australia Poland 2-0 Saudi Arabia France 0-0 Denmark Argentina 2-0 Mexico Japan 3-0 Costa Rica Belgium 2-2 Morocco Croatia 2-1 Canada Spain 1-1 Germany Cameroon 3-4 Serbia South Korea 1-3 Ghana Brazil 1-1 Switzerland Portugal 1-2 Uruguay

Rest of the 1st Round: Morocco 1-1 Croatia Germany 3-1 Japan Spain 3-1 Costa Rica Belgium 2-0 Canada Switzerland 0-1 Cameroon Uruguay 2-1 South Korea Portugal 2-1 Ghana Brazil 1-0 Serbia

USA Squad (Announced last night) Goalkeepers: Matt Turner (Arsenal), Ethan Horvath (Luton Town), Sean Johnson (New York City FC) Defenders: Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Tim Ream (Fulham), Sergino Dest (AC Milan), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Shaq Morre (Nashville SC) Midfielders: Weston McKennie (Juventus), Tyler Adams (Leeds United), Kellyn Acosta (LAFC), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Yunus Musa (Valencia), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo) Forwards: Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Timothy Weah (Lille), Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United)

My group stage outlook. Group A Qatar draws with Ecuador Netherlands beats Senegal Senegal beats Qatar Netherlands draws with Ecuador Netherlands beats Qatar Ecuador beats Senegal Netherlands 7 Ecuador 5 Senegal 3 Qatar 1 Group B England beats Iran USA beats Wales Iran beats Wales England beats USA Wales draws with England USA beats Iran England 7 USA 6 Iran 3 Wales 1 Group C Argentina beats Saudi Arabia Mexico draws with Poland Poland beats Saudi Arabia Mexico beats Argentina Argentina beats Poland Saudi Arabia draws with Mexico Argentina 6 Mexico 5 Poland 4 Saudi Arabia 1 Group D Denmark beats Tunisia France draws with Australia Tunisia beats Australia France beats Denmark France beats Tunisia Denmark beats Australia France 7 Denmark 6 Tunisia 3 Australia 1 Group E Germany draws with Japan Spain beats Costa Rica Japan beats Costa Rica Germany beats Spain Spain beats Japan Costa Rica draws with Germany Spain 6 Germany 5 Japan 4 Costa Rica 1 Group F Morocco beats Croatia Belgium beats Canada Belgium beats Morocco Croatia draws with Canada Croatia beats Belgium Canada draws with Morocco Belgium 6 Croatia 4 Morocco 4 Canada 2 Group G Cameroon beats Switzerland Brazil draws with Serbia Serbia beats Cameroon Brazil draws with Switzerland Brazil beats Cameroon Switzerland beats Serbia Brazil 5 Switzerland 4 Serbia 4 Cameroon 3 Group H Uruguay beats South Korea Portugal draws with Ghana South Korea beats Ghana Portugal beats Uruguay Portugal beats South Korea Uruguay beats Ghana Portugal 7 Uruguay 6 South Korea 3 Ghana 1

ESPN FC Projected Starting XI for every team. Qatar (3-5-2): Al Sheeb; Al Rawi, Khoukhi, Hassan; Miguel, Hatem, Boudiaf, Al Haydos, ElAmin; Afif, Ali Netherlands (3-4-3): Cillessen; Ake, Van Dijk, Timber; Blind, De Jong, Koopmeiners, Dumfries; Gakpo, Memphis, Bergwijn Senegal (4-3-3): E Mendy; Ballo-Toure, Koulibaly, Diallo, Sabaly; Kouyate, N Mendy, Gueye; Mane, Dia, Sarr Ecuador (4-3-3): Dominguez; Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Franco, Gruezo, Caicedo; Mena, Estrada, Valencia USA (4-3-3): Steffen; Dest, Zimmerman, Long, Robinson; McKennie, Adams, Musah; Weah, Ferreira, Pulisic England (3-4-3): Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Bellingham, Rice, Shaw; Foden, Kane, Sterling Wales (3-4-3): Hennessey; Ampadu, Rodon, Davies; Roberts, Allen, Ramsey, Williams; Bale, Moore, James Iran (4-3-3): Beiranvand; Moharrami, Kanaani, Hosseini, Hajsafi; Ezatolahi, Amiri, Ansarifard; Jahanbakhsh, Taremi, Azmoun Mexico (4-3-3): Ochoa; Gallardo, Moreno, Montes, Sanchez; Alvarez, Guardado, Gutierrez; Lozano, Antuna, Jimenez Argentina (4-3-3): Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso; Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Di Maria Poland (3-4-2-1): Szczesny; Bednarek, Glik, Kiwior; Frankowski, Krychowiak, Linetty, Zalewski; Zielinski, Szymanski; Lewandowski Saudi Arabia (4-5-1): Al Owais; Abdulhamid, Al-Amri, Al-Bulaihi, Al-Shahrani; Al-Faraj, Al-Hassan, Al-Najei, Al-Dawsari, Bahebri; Al-Shehri France (3-4-1-2): Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Kimpembe; Pavard, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Theo Hernandez; Griezmann; Mbappe, Benzema Denmark (3-4-1-2): Schmeichel; Christensen, Kjaer, Andersen; Skov Olsen, Hojbjerg, Delaney, Maehle; Eriksen; Braithwaite, Poulsen Australia (4-1-4-1): Ryan; Behich, Souttar, Sainsbury, Karacic; Mooy; Irvine, Hrustic, Mabil, Boyle; Duke Tunisia (4-3-3): Dahmen; Drager, Talbi, Ifa, Maaloul; Laidouni, Skhiri, Sassi; Khazri, Jaziri, Msakni Spain (4-3-3): Simon; Carvajal, Laporte, Torres, Balde; Busquets, Gavi, Pedri; Ferran Torres, Ansu, Morata Germany (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kehrer, Sule, Rudiger, Raum; Kimmich, Gundogan; Muller, Musiala, Sane; Havertz Costa Rica (4-4-2): Navas; Oviedo, Calvo, Duarte, Fuller; Bennette, Tejeda, Borges, Torres; Contreras, Campbell Japan (4-3-3): Gonda; Sakai, Yoshida, Tomiyasu, Nagatomo; Endo, Morita, Tanaka; Ito, Minamino, Kamada Belgium (3-4-2-1): Courtois; Debast, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Meunier, Witsel, Tielemans, Carrasco; Hazard, De Bruyne; Lukaku Canada (3-5-2): Borjan; Johnston, Vitoria, Miller; Buchanan, Kaye, Hutchinson, Eustaquio, Davies; David, Larin Croatia (4-3-3): Livakovic; Juranovic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Vlasic, Livaja, Perisic Morocco (4-3-3): Bounou; Mazraoui, Saiss, Aguerd, Hakimi; Amallah, Amrabat, Ouanahi; Boufal, El-Kaabi, Ziyech Brazil (4-3-2-1): Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro; Fred, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta; Rafinha, Neymar; Richarlison Serbia (3-4-1-2): V. Milinkovic-Savic; Milenkovic, S. Mitrovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Lukic, S. Milinkovic-Savic, Kostic; Tadic; A. Mitrovic, Vlahovic Switzerland (4-2-3-1): Sommer; Widmer, Akanji, Elvedi, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Shaqiri, Sow, Okafor; Embolo Cameroon (4-3-3): Onana; Nouhou, Castelletto, Ngadeu-Ngadjui, Fai; Zambo Anguissa, Hongla, Ntcham; Toko Ekambi, Aboubakar, Ngamaleu Portugal (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa: Mendes, Dias, Danilo Pereira, Cancelo; Carvalho, Neves; Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo Ghana (4-2-3-1): Wollacott; Baba, Djiku, Amartey, Odoi; Iddrisu, Partey; A Ayew, Kudus, J Ayew; Williams Uruguay (4-3-3): Rochet; Suarez, Araujo, Gimenez, Olivera; Vecino, Bentancur, Valverde; Pellistri, Suarez, De Arrascaeta South Korea (4-2-3-1): Kim Seung-gyu; Kim Tae-hwan, Kim Min-jae, Kim Young-gwon, Kim Jin-su; Jung Woo-young, Hwang In-beom; Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung, Son Heung-min; Hwang Ui-jo

Give me 5.

Also in the discussion for worst moment for American fans. Literally seconds from getting a massive win versus Portugal and Ronaldo did this to us: RrnA6ceBB_w

Homer/biased opinions alert. Favourite World Cup moment: United States "Dos a Cero" over Mexico in the 2022 Round of 16. Still hold it over our rivals because they can't argue we didn't beat them in our only matchup on the world's biggest stage. The runner-up would be Landon Donovan's 90th minute goal versus Algeria in 2010 to put the us through to the Round of 16. Funniest World Cup moment: I could put it as shocking but when I remember people literally crying in the stands, I can't help but chuckle. I know, call me mean, but the 7-1 Germany over Brazil semifinal in 2014. Worst World Cup moment: For one I didn't see because I wasn't born yet it has to be "Disgrace of Gijón" in 1982 group stage between West Germany and Austria, preventing Algeria's improbable advancement to the knockout rounds. For one I did see, the 1998 World Cup when the Americans completed their disappointing group stage by losing to Iran 1-0. I think revenge is on order this time around. Shock of the World Cup: I still can't get over 2014's Group D, with World Cup champion nations Uruguay, England, and Italy, yet Costa Rica wins the group and knocks England and Italy right out. Controversial World Cup moment that you remember: Robben's penalty versus Mexico in the Round of 16 of 2014, Mexico was robbed.

With the latest FIFA Rankings, pots would be like this: Pot 1 Brazil Belgium Argentina France England Spain Netherlands Portugal Pot 2 Denmark Germany Croatia Mexico Uruguay Switzerland United States Senegal Pot 3 Wales Iran Serbia Morocco Japan Poland South Korea Tunisia Pot 4 Costa Rica Australia Canada Cameroon Ecuador Qatar Saudi Arabia Ghana

Brazil is the clear favorite, they've basically been unbeatable the past couple years, granted not in major tournament with European competition, but still. If you have a squad where someone like Gabriel Jesus might not even make the cut, enough said! After that I really like Netherlands to make a run and also consider Argentina as co-favorite. Denmark, Serbia, and Senegal as darkhorses. Among squads who are going to be deemed as filler and should be taken more seriously: Canada and Morocco (so look out Belgium and Croatia!)