OT: France - Portugal

[RU848789]

Surprised no thread on this. Nil-nil in the 79th minute. Sadly, Ronaldo had to leave 25 minutes in with a knee injury (in tears - anyone who thinks he didn't want this is nuts) and France has dominated most of the match but hasn't been able to score, partly due to several excellent saves by Patricio, and partly due to an unexpected miss by Griezmann on a free header 8 yards out, hitting it just over the crossbar with the goal wide open. Portugal now really playing for a 0-0 tie, making it a less than exciting game. Please don't let this end in PKs...

 

[ArminRU]

Pretty crappy game really

 

[Tango Two]

Go RU!

 

[Mr_Twister]

Do they add on playing time for time spent doing video replay checks of officials' calls?

 

[onesimus]

Wanted France to win but seeing Ronaldo leave this way is sad. Either way, think Portugal has decided to park the bus and hope for penalties.

 

[RU848789]

Do they add on playing time for time spent doing video replay checks of officials' calls?

Not sure if serious, but if it is, there are no replay checks of official calls, so there's no need to add time for it.

 

[RU848789]

France really should've scored at least one goal (especially Griezmann's header), so if they blow it on PK's, they're going to so disappointed. Wow, so close for Portugal on the free kick form 25 yards out hitting the underside of the crossbar, although it was on a missed hand ball call, which really hit the Portugal player's hand.

 

[RU848789]

And right after that Portugal scores - had been seeing Portugal finally starting to play better. The French defender really failed to close that one down. France has 10 minutes left...

 

[MadRU]

My friend at work, who is from Spain told me at the start of the tourney to watch out for Portugal. I didn't believe him. Guess he was right.

 

[ClassOf02]

France is gonna be kicking themselves if they don't get an equalizer in the last 4 minutes. I think the announcer said earlier Portugal only won one game and had six draws?

 

[RU848789]

Oh well. Ugly game. Hats off to Portugal for winning the only way they really could, by defending the hell out of the ball and waiting for an opportunity to score. Patricio, the keeper, was clearly the man of the match. Really thought France was going to win the tournament from the get-go and especially once they got past Germany.

 

[RU848789]

France is gonna be kicking themselves if they don't get an equalizer in the last 4 minutes. I think the announcer said earlier Portugal only won one game and had six draws?

In past years, only 16 made it to the tourney, so only the top 2 from each group made it to the quarters, whereas there were 24 teams this year and the top 16, including four 3rd place teams - including Portugal - made it to the elimination round, i.e., in past years, Portugal wouldn't have made it out of the group stage.

Feel bad for Griezmann, who played brilliantly the whole tourney, leading in goals, but he really blew that open header that he scores on 95% of the time.

 

[RuSnp]

In past years, only 16 made it to the tourney, so only the top 2 from each group made it to the quarters, whereas there were 24 teams this year and the top 16, including four 3rd place teams - including Portugal - made it to the elimination round, i.e., in past years, Portugal wouldn't have made it out of the group stage.

Feel bad for Griezmann, who played brilliantly the whole tourney, leading in goals, but he really blew that open header that he scores on 95% of the time.

Yes third place teams in groups wouldn't have advanced in the past but Portugal did win their qualifying group. Doing that would unquestionably get you IN the tournament under the old format. And with 16 teams who knows maybe Portugal would do the unthinkable under that old format too.

Anyway, Portugal were very fortunate to fall on the "right" side of the bracket back in reality but that said they didn't lose a match the entire tournament. That counts for something. France is a better team than them but Germany was better than France. It happens in this game. There are simply no great teams at the moment.

 

[RUMcMahon]

Finally !! PORTUGAL BABY! .

 

[RUMcMahon]

Wow, what sour grapes by ESPN panel. This is payback for 2004 lose to Greece . Forca Portugal!

 

[RU848789]

Yes third place teams in groups wouldn't have advanced in the past but Portugal did win their qualifying group. Doing that would unquestionably get you IN the tournament under the old format. And with 16 teams who knows maybe Portugal would do the unthinkable under that old format too.

Anyway, Portugal were very fortunate to fall on the "right" side of the bracket back in reality but that said they didn't lose a match the entire tournament. That counts for something. France is a better team than them but Germany was better than France. It happens in this game. There are simply no great teams at the moment.

Agree with everything you said, except Germany being better than France - thought they were about even, as was their match, for the most part, with France obviously converting better to win.

 

[RuSnp]

Agree with everything you said, except Germany being better than France - thought they were about even, as was their match, for the most part, with France obviously converting better to win.

Fair enough each his own. Another thing, the new format allowed a team like Iceland in so that's a definite positive. And a team like the Dutch couldn't even make the knockout qualifying phase, so it's not a charity format either.

All that said, I preferred the 16 team format.

 

[rutgersguy1]

I was rooting for Portugal in this game after Germany got the boot. Wasn't the funnest of games to watch but if you're a Portugal fan who cares. The W is all that counts. I think the commentators put too much emphasis on style points. What good is style if you lose.

For spectators I agree it's not fun but just like the NCAA tourney survive and advance and that's really all that matters. Italy's style of play isn't particularly appealing but it works for them. If you want to break that style, then score a goal and they'll have no choice but to come out of their shell. On top of which they were without their top player for most of the game. They also created some good chances in the extra time as well so it's not as if it was some complete fluke.

 

[RUBand]

I'm happy they won, many of my former students and colleagues are Portuguese (just retired), and big soccer fans.

 

[RUMcMahon]

I was rooting for Portugal in this game after Germany got the boot. Wasn't the funnest of games to watch but if you're a Portugal fan who cares. The W is all that counts. I think the commentators put too much emphasis on style points. What good is style if you lose.

For spectators I agree it's not fun but just like the NCAA tourney survive and advance and that's really all that matters. Italy's style of play isn't particularly appealing but it works for them. If you want to break that style, then score a goal and they'll have no choice but to come out of their shell. On top of which they were without their top player for most of the game. They also created some good chances in the extra time as well so it's not as if it was some complete fluke.

To have the mental toughness to beat France after losing the best player in the world , was simply fantastic .

 

[snowboarder]

happiest day of of my sporting life
Sempre Forte
Portugal

 

[T2Kplus10]

Surprised no thread on this. Nil-nil in the 79th minute. Sadly, Ronaldo had to leave 25 minutes in with a knee injury (in tears - anyone who thinks he didn't want this is nuts) and France has dominated most of the match but hasn't been able to score, partly due to several excellent saves by Patricio, and partly due to an unexpected miss by Griezmann on a free header 8 yards out, hitting it just over the crossbar with the goal wide open. Portugal now really playing for a 0-0 tie, making it a less than exciting game. Please don't let this end in PKs...

What a boring game. I tried to watch it for a while, but then turning on the Paint Drying Network, which was much more exciting. A 1-0 game, shocking.

 

[Beancounter88]

Unpredictable end to an unpredictable tournament. France will be skewered in their own country for losing to an inferior team (without their best player) on their home soil and missing golden opportunity. i think the tourney showed a lack of attacking creativity overall - play making goes in cycles and it felt like the end of a cycle with no Dutch, stale Spain, old Ibra, stupid England, old Germany, defensive Italy, selfish Belgium, etc. No team really distinguished themselves besides Wales and Iceland.

If they matched Copa winner Chile v Euro winner Portugal, who wins? I'd take Chile - surprised they wouldn't play each other.

 

[ron313]

What a boring game. I tried to watch it for a while, but then turning on the Paint Drying Network, which was much more exciting. A 1-0 game, shocking.

It was fairly boring. The latter part of the second half and the overtime was good though.

 

[rutger80]

Sort of ironic that Ronaldo gets his first international trophy, while on the bench.

 

[ron313]

My friend at work, who is from Spain told me at the start of the tourney to watch out for Portugal. I didn't believe him. Guess he was right.

Watching them play their earlier knockout matches, you could tell they had world class players and good strategy, but they couldn't put together anything creative on offense or even send a decent cross in. They did pretty well when they had to though. Really no dominant team this year. A few world class teams had a shot like Germany, Italy and France, but nobody stood out.

 

[wcfan10]

Portugal won by parking the bus in this and just about in every game they played...If this is what soccer is going to be like ? Other teams are likely to emulate the park the bus style of play... I'd rather sleep than watch this boring crap.... and soccer is my fav sport.

France were not great in this game, and they were quite lucky to get by Germany, but they deserved to win tonite's game by far... At least they tried to score... wrong team won this game....

 

[cgd284]

ESPN really put Portugal down after that game. Shameful.

The reality is that they were the only unbeaten team in the tournament and won the games they had to win. They beat France, Wales, Croacia and Poland. Easier side of the bracket maybe, but whom did France beat besides Germany? Nobody.

As far as the parking the bus argument, Portugal played the style they had to. They don't have a striker and have not had one for years. Their game has always been play defense and fast counter. if its that easy to do and win doing, then everybody would be doing it.

 

[RuSnp]

ESPN really put Portugal down after that game. Shameful.

The reality is that they were the only unbeaten team in the tournament and won the games they had to win. They beat France, Wales, Croacia and Poland. Easier side of the bracket maybe, but whom did France beat besides Germany? Nobody.

As far as the parking the bus argument, Portugal played the style they had to. They don't have a striker and have not had one for years. Their game has always been play defense and fast counter. if its that easy to do and win doing, then everybody would be doing it.

These are good points. I think Portugal suffers from the fact that they have "Portugal" on the front of their jerseys. People expect a certain style based on teams/players from yesterday. You saw the same reaction when the Dutch played so negatively against Spain in that final a few years back.

The truth is Portugal has been a counterattacking team for at least the last decade.

If you put Iceland or Wales or Ireland or even Poland, had the exact same results and style as this Portuguese side, the pundits would be hailing their courage, conviction, toughness etc.

 

[dvb91]

These are good points. I think Portugal suffers from the fact that they have "Portugal" on the front of their jerseys. People expect a certain style based on teams/players from yesterday. You saw the same reaction when the Dutch played so negatively against Spain in that final a few years back.

The truth is Portugal has been a counterattacking team for at least the last decade.

If you put Iceland or Wales or Ireland or even Poland, had the exact same results and style as this Portuguese side, the pundits would be hailing their courage, conviction, toughness etc.

No complaints from me. TBH, it was the best use of their resources, as putting a striker with Ronaldo & Nani would've been pointless & probably makes them unbalanced. That the players bought into the team defense is what mades it work (i.e. TEAMWORK). Sure they looked negative in yesterday's game, but that's what happens when the focal point of your attack is lost. They probably would've looked more dangerous on the quick counter if CR7 was fit, but they went into a shell afterward, looking for a lucky strike. Towards the end, it seemed to work when Eder was put in, giving them another focal point in which to funnel their attack while France seemed to fade. In the last 40 mins, they were the more likely to score (except for Gignac hitting the post).

 

[miketd1]

When one team decides to play defense & counter (Portugal) and the other team isn't particularly creative offensively (France) you get this game...

Soccer can be beautiful to watch when a team plays to win (Germany) or the other team is full of creative individuals (Brazil).

It's also fun to watch regardless if you have a rooting interest (which I didn't in this game).

 

[cgd284]

i was lucky enough to be in Portugal for the Wales - Portugal game. Unreal scene in the streets after they won. Great party

 

[NotInRHouse]

The Portugal bashing was pathetic by ESPN. They didn't deserve it? They won the frickin thing, without their best player! They beat a massively underrated Iceland and solid France team. The game was not controversial in the slightest.

Does Portugal have some B1G tie that we don't know about to explain the senseless bashing?

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

Party in IronBound. Sangria for everyone..