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WCAD 4-21: Qat-are who we though they were
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Amit and Austin cover all the action from Thursday at the World Cup: Low-event Mexico pounce on another mistake to secure their spot atop Group A, Canada thrash a Qatar side that looked more like the team we've seen in Asian qualifying, Switzerland get it right (eventually) and Czechia & South Africa both let a big opportunity slip.
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Transcript
World Cup Knockout Stage Takes Shape
00:00:01
Speaker
It's always fun when a bracket starts to take shape in the knockout round. And that's what we have at the World Cup. A first team officially through to the round of 32. And with their spot in the bracket reserved, it's Group A winners, Mexico.
00:00:18
Speaker
Only 31 more to
Introduction to World Cup After Dark Podcast
00:00:20
Speaker
go. My name is Austin Miller. On the other end of the line is Amit Malik. This is the World Cup After Dark podcast recording in the morning. And with the help of a little bit of caffeine, it's what you got to do.
00:00:31
Speaker
Yeah, can't be ah going through the alarms like the last podcast, in Austin. But ah we got a little surprise today of Duncan. Yeah, America runs on Duncan.
Podcast Schedule and Upcoming Matches
00:00:40
Speaker
I'm not actually a massive Duncan fan, but I had to do it for the bit. A big America game coming up later today against Australia. If you can't tell, I'm a little buzzed this Friday morning. I need some energy for the for the long day ahead. We're going to have some more World Cup after dark in about, what is it, 16 hours or so? There's a lot of podcasts on the agenda today. That is all i will say. So a bit
Recap of Previous Day's Games
00:01:00
Speaker
yesterday's action. We had four, I think, fairly predictable results, right? I think Mexico Korea was was a bit in the middle, but we're starting to see things take shape and we're starting to see results condition how teams play.
00:01:15
Speaker
Yeah, that's the best way to put it. I think after we saw everyone play once, we were
Mexico vs South Korea Match Analysis
00:01:20
Speaker
kind of getting a baseline where everyone was at. And now the second time around, it does feel like it's going to take a lot for someone to markedly move off of where we think they are. I don't think we we really felt that way after these four games. And to your point, now it's a lot of...
00:01:37
Speaker
Maybe the fun of information about the teams, learning about the teams
South Korea's Defensive Strategies
00:01:40
Speaker
isn't quite there, but it's now the fun of jockeying for positions in the group, in the bracket. And I think that was was good for this day of action. Look, I think out of all the shows we've done, out of all the days we've had of the World Cup, this might have been the least exciting. Two minutes of the podcast, we could toss that out there. But I think there was a lot of interesting stuff we learned that
Mexico's Journey to Knockout Stages
00:02:00
Speaker
is going to make the bracket interesting going forward. And listen, that's part of the game in the second round, third round.
00:02:06
Speaker
Not every game in a group can be the most fun. Sometimes the less interesting teams have to play the less interesting teams. And perhaps most importantly for the trajectory of this podcast, I begged eight and a half hours of sleep last night. So a less exciting day means more time
Key Moments: Mexico vs South Korea
00:02:20
Speaker
in bed for me. I'll take that as a two thumbs up. Let's start with Mexico. South Korea was the last game of the night of it, but I think it was the most interesting game on paper.
00:02:28
Speaker
A winner in this game was going to win the group. Obviously the new world cup tiebreakers mean that if you beat a team head to head and they are then the only team that can catch you on points, you win regardless of what happens in goal differential.
00:02:41
Speaker
That's what we saw here. A one nil win for Mexico. L3 haven't been the most impressive team that we've seen, but they've been pretty resolute. They've been difficult to break down. They're kind of flying under the radar in this 48 team tournament and they're doing exactly what they need to do.
00:03:00
Speaker
I think Javier Aguirre is getting exactly what he wants from his team. And now after this result, this 1-0 win, they are in line to have two home games in Mexico, right? If they you know win the round of 32, we'll have a round of 16 game at home. And you go back to the predictions
Switzerland's Substitutes Shine
00:03:20
Speaker
and we're like, well, who's going to be the host that makes a quarterfinal?
00:03:23
Speaker
Maybe there'll be multiple, but it's looking really good for Mexico right now. We'll see how that all unfolds after this. Look, I thought this game felt like a pseudo round of 32, round of 32 play in. And look, I think Cree are going to get in. We'll see. They're not 100% in.
00:03:40
Speaker
But this just had that feeling of very cagey, two teams that are solid but not elite, basically saying to each other, We're not going to beat ourselves. Who's going to who's going to make the mistake? Well, one team does in this game. That's Korea on the goal. But it had a very tense cagey feel. And I think part of that is the altitude in Mexico at home and the way Gray wants to play.
00:04:01
Speaker
And I think that's exactly what Mexico did. That was the approach that they had. They said, we're not going to beat ourselves. We're going to trust that you are going to beat yourself. And that's what happened here. The first half just blocks on blocks on blocks. It felt like ah we went to the Lego museum, right? We're just blocking all over the place in the midfield. There's not a lot happening here. Quinones looks dangerous. Leaking in looks dangerous, but everything is just kind of not getting through it's fairly sleepy hyungman sun has a good chance for a chip this first half felt very knockout stage in why do things until we have to do things it was a bit frustrating as the neutral to to watch two good teams kind of sit back in two blocks of five and just not support their strikers uh hyungman sun was isolated or he met as was isolated and then also you know i think
00:04:53
Speaker
that first game we saw Quinones and Lee Kang in really have a lot of joy. And it was the teams were like, you don't get to do that again.
Canada's Dominant Win Over Qatar
00:05:00
Speaker
We're going to make other people kind of beat you. It was really stalemate and lot of long balls, a lot of settled possession at the center backs.
00:05:08
Speaker
um Yeah, I mean, sure, you could get into some interesting stuff with the blocks, but it really wasn't that interesting. It was kind of just sitting around waiting for something to happen. And then something happens in the 50th minute. Kim Sung-Yoo, the South Korea goalkeeper, comes off his line to try to play across. He's interfered with by his own defender, and he just spills the ball. He should have absolutely caught it, and he doesn't. It's a pop fly. He drops it. And Luis Romo is right there. The net is empty, and he stabs it into the back of the net.
00:05:35
Speaker
This was the mistake that Mexico were waiting for. This was the goal that this game probably deserved. It's a tough, tough situation for South Korea and Kim Sung-Yoo. It's a bummer. Like Kim Sung-gu was good in this game. He's been solid for South Korea. But when you're a team in this level of of World Cup, like your goalkeeper just cannot be handing away three points, handing away mistakes. it It is such a problem. And it's exactly what Mexico wants, right?
00:06:05
Speaker
Like, yeah. It's really frustrating. I don't know how else to put it. He's got to grab this ball. He's got to grab this ball or he has to stay on his line. And it's just like Mexico. I'm going to put in air quotes, getting away with doing nothing. Like they just crossed it. And Luis Romero was just there. i think was actually very clever from him. A lot of players might not have...
00:06:26
Speaker
poked this on the first touch. It's like just really, really aware moment. There's not a lot of other ways to spin it. Like Korea's defense in this game, I think was always going to have a disadvantage when Mexico gone to space. You see Raul
Team Tactics and Group Stage Challenges
00:06:40
Speaker
Jimenez, Quinones, the link up there is dangerous. But generally, they had played Mexico into like pretty...
00:06:48
Speaker
stalemate frustration it was working i thought korea's defense was up for this battle and then as soon as this happens you could kind of see that the whole day was mexico playing for a point or korea playing for a point and once that's gone like the limitations of this team are exposed when your team built to play in good game states you just absolutely cannot have goalkeeper errors Yeah, this was what South Korea, like you said, they're playing for the point and trusting we'll play South Africa on the final day. and we think we can put more goals past them than Mexico can put past Czechia. Yeah, Korea, I thought were very organized. I thought the defense worked.
00:07:22
Speaker
I thought they did what they needed to do. They kept Mexico out of the dangerous spaces. and Yeah, like you said, when that's your game plan, this just can't be the goal that you give up. Hyeong-Mung-bo, I thought reacted well, made the attacking substitutions. Oh, comes on for Sun. Sun in the altitude is just not quite clicking.
00:07:39
Speaker
It's tough. We saw this. We identify this in the preview pod because we had a little glimpse of it in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, right? When LAFC comes to to play. And...
00:07:51
Speaker
and so much of his game is predicated on his speed and his movement over the top. And this is also something we've highlighted. i think to be fair to South Korea, Lee Kang-in is kind of their star. They're funneling it through him.
00:08:06
Speaker
But really, when especially when you're playing five in the back and you need your striker as a release valve, he just doesn't have that... consistent energy to do it over and over again. Okay, that's one thing. How many strikers can actually do that at altitude? It's hard.
Preview of Key Upcoming Matches
00:08:20
Speaker
You you don't you can't just be blasting long balls.
00:08:22
Speaker
But defensively, he he's really not offering much and he's not getting support for for shots, right? I don't want to say he's washed completely, but ah do think you have to really consider...
00:08:38
Speaker
do you give him 45 or does he need to be a sub instead? i don't think he's not, I don't think he's going to play. it ah He's going to sit a whole game, right? I think you, you want 45 minutes of Youngman son. I thought the 56 minute sub was as aggressive as it gets. Like it could have been halftime, but that's Youngman bow basically saying like, Nope, they scored time to get them off. Like it's pretty, pretty sharp compared to what Bobby Martinez did with Cristiano Ronaldo. Right. um so It's an interesting one. And they're going to have a game after this against South Africa where, you know, I think you you probably start him again. But mean, I'll throw it on you. It's the round of 32. Are you starting him or not?
00:09:20
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's there's a little bit of an advantage to him maybe running against more tired defenders, right? Like maybe that's the type of situation you're trying to get into. This wasn't a surprising substitution. Like I think that's the the top point to make. It's also the substitution that they made in the first game, right? Like this is a a pretty clear plan for Hong and Bo.
00:09:37
Speaker
And I think you can look and you see the names like, oh, they're taking off Sun. Wow. And it's like, no, it's really not like this is what they needed to do. It's part of the career approach. Like Hwang Hee-chan also comes on same subs as the first game. It just kind of helps their legs a lot, right? yeah And is just a a true number nine. He's always making that run across the defender on the back post.
00:09:59
Speaker
Sun is trying to drop in to get the ball, and then he'll only make that run if it's like the balls on the wing. But usually it's not there when he's on the field because he's not ah enabling a setup for the ball to get there.
00:10:10
Speaker
And I think it's it's it's evident, right, in that the best chance that South Korea created and what's left of this match is, oh, right, it finally feels like it comes together. It's been mucky in the middle for Mexico. South Korea i have all these attackers on the field, but Mexico is just making it difficult to get anywhere. They finally get to a spot.
00:10:26
Speaker
It's two on two on the back post. O rises. He has this perfect header. And it's like, all right, I finally did it. It's the sequence. But Raul Arangel at home in Guadalajara, show-stopping save, right? So he tracks the initial header back across his body.
00:10:39
Speaker
Great hand save. And then the ball bounces back to O, who stabs. And from the ground, Arangel sticks his hand up and then saves it and gets barged into. So two absolutely huge saves from Arangel. This was the one chance that South Korea were going to get. And it's the Mexico goalkeeper who comes up best.
00:10:56
Speaker
It felt like for the the whole last 20, 30 minutes, like Korea weren't going to get anything. Like Mexico was doing a really good job defending. But listen, there's enough quality there for this is a great cross to O. Like as the ball's in the air, you could see everyone in the stadium on the broadcast you're watching, you're thinking they've done it. They've done it.
00:11:14
Speaker
I mean, what is what a save by Raul Ranjel. That is the stuff that puts you in in the in the history books, stuff of legend. And look, Mexico, I think, love this kind of moment from a goalkeeper, right? Like, yeah, it it was almost too good to be true for Javier Gurria to get through two games without like really sweating at all.
00:11:33
Speaker
They had to sweat once. They needed a moment. They need a star moment. Like, yeah, I'm not going to call what Luis Romo did a star moment. He needed a moment somewhere. Well, sometimes your goalkeeper saves you the three points. Is that the first time we've kind of had that this tournament? And it's kind of fitting that it was a Mexico player at home in his own stadium.
00:11:50
Speaker
Yeah, it was it was the moment of of this match. One more chance for Owen Stoppage time. Vasquez makes the block on the header. Look, this wasn't super pretty, but Mexico's physicality, their lack of mistakes, and they've just kind of waited out their opponents to make mistakes the first two games. South Africa did it a lot easier, I think, than South Korea did, but South Korea gave it to, well, six points for Mexico. They topped the group with a game to spare.
00:12:12
Speaker
That means we're getting Mexico memo in the third game. I think that is absolutely on the cards, right? It's a dead rubber for Mexico. This is the memo Ochoa moment against Czechia in that last game. Look, this it's it's as good of a start as they could have hoped for.
00:12:24
Speaker
good of a start as they could have hoped for. They're getting to now do some vibing. Great. I think the whole country is kind of really now enjoying this moment. Something we talked about with John Arnold on the and the preview pod a while back in this group. Really, how was this going to going to work out?
00:12:40
Speaker
it It couldn't have gone better, right? We're we're both in agreement here. That was a lot of excitement. I think from the one thing you you're thinking about as this team is... Do we really feel any better about the ceiling?
00:12:50
Speaker
The answer is probably not, but does it matter? right you just You just put yourself in the position you need to. And I think this is what the best case was for this Mexico team. I think they're going to be favored in the round of 32 because of the draw. We will see when we in another week or so. And look, if it is England in the round of 16, think you're going to make them sweat as much as they can. And there's a long way to go before we get there. But um listen, this altitude we've always known, you and I especially have always known how much of a home field advantage it is.
00:13:24
Speaker
But I think it's it's very clear. It's very clear how it's manifested in two games. You're also seeing it with teams that are just not accustomed to it at all, right? And so we see the numbers for Mexico City for Guadalajara, and we compare it to our prior, which is right, El Alto and Bolivia. And you're like, ah, it's altitude, but it's not that much. But then you realize that South Korea, South Africa, the Europeans, they have absolutely no prior experience playing at altitude. They have no sense of what it's like.
00:13:49
Speaker
I think it matters. And look, for Mexico to be able to say our path to the quarterfinals, which we have said was a spot on. That's our goal. That's a success at this tournament. It goes through Mexico City. It's exactly what they wanted. That's exactly what they're looking for.
00:14:02
Speaker
And yeah, if it is England in the round of 16, I don't know going to make them sweat, but they're going to make right? And that's kind of what we're looking for at this point. For South Korea, admit, I didn't think they were terrible in this game. Hungry Bo, I think, did this well. think playing for a point wasn't the worst case scenario. It just didn't quite work out. They're still in a really good spot to go through the round of 32. That matchup could be against Switzerland. It could be against probably Switzerland is probably what they're looking for.
00:14:28
Speaker
Feels like two fairly similar profile teams in the round of 32, if that's what we get. Yeah, they're going to be a slight underdog, but have a very winnable round of 32. And I think all things considered, that's a win for this team. i think they've maybe impressed us a little bit more than we thought, just They're a bit organized than I expect, yeah. Yeah, their their defense has been good. And then also, I think there's enough around Sun, but he's not quite there.
00:14:55
Speaker
And their limitation is still they're still only really getting four really good guys in attack. And even then really good is not stars. Right. It's the it's the collective and the defense really needs to be there. But everyone else in the out of 32 is going to have that. So listen, I think it's a winnable game. We'll see how how it works. I think if you're a South Korea fan, you're probably maybe a little frustrated, but you're not going to like feel that this team can't do what it needs to do.
00:15:20
Speaker
To be clear on South Korea, they are going to need a point in their last game, right? It's head to head against South Africa. If they were to lose that game, they would be in a difficult spot, especially, obviously, if Czechia were to beat Mexico. So they do have something to play for. It's not that they're abundantly clearly through, but a point against South Africa should be enough to get them through. And if they win the game, they will obviously go through in second. But if they lose, could get interesting. We'll get more on South Africa in a minute.
00:15:44
Speaker
Bosnia and Switzerland in the afternoon of it. It was the Johan Manzambi show. Why did he only play 20 minutes? Well, you and I don't have the answer for that. It's got to be a question we have to ask. me yakin But this was a game of before and after.
00:15:58
Speaker
Pretty much before it looked like Bosnia really getting stuck in doing the Bosnia thing, the thing that worked against Italy, the thing that works against Canada and Switzerland doing the, Hey, we're better than you, but we're not really gonna ask too many questions with the ball. Breland Bolo is on an Island. Doesn't have a lot of help.
00:16:16
Speaker
Dan and do is dribbling sometimes dangerously. And it was pretty uninspiring, right? I think Bosnia was, was kind of hanging fine. Johan Manzami comes on. So does Ruben Vargas. And this is somehow now a fun Switzerland team. I didn't think this team was supposed to be fun.
00:16:35
Speaker
It completely changed. So in the in the first like three quarters of this game, right? Nothing pretty much gets created for Switzerland. Like you said, Ndoy did some things. Their best chance is an overhead kick from Dan Ndoy that was actually offside. it was a great save by Vasil, but it was offside.
00:16:49
Speaker
Second half drinks break come. Switzerland makes those changes. You mentioned Vargas. Manzami comes on. So also comes on. And then this game just completely changes. The first goal for Switzerland, Manzami starts and finishes it. It's a great run from Vargas. It's the two substitutes combining. Memich, the Bosnian defender, makes a clearing header that just was not clearing. It was a header, but it wasn't clearing.
00:17:08
Speaker
Puts it right back into the danger area, and Manzami is right there. Rifles it in 1-0, and that just starts the Johan Manzami show. First of all, the finish is really good, right? From 12 yards out on his side foot volley to get enough power on the ball for it to be goal. And look, this is the one thing when you're Bosnia, you're defending, you're defending, you get backed up.
00:17:31
Speaker
when your This is goes for all teams. When you're clearing like from your own six, you've got to get it out of the box. It's hard, right? You can't say like he's on his own back line. Where is he supposed to go? But ah generally, I would not head it to the other team at the the penalty spot for an offensive rebound. It's still a great finish for Manzabi. And something about that, it's like... in yeah I'm going to use the analogy here of 2K, the NBA basketball game. It's like the sixth man guy. You bring in a guy off the bench, he gets one good contribution. And then it's like, oh, the bad shows up. He's hot. It's like, you can't do anything wrong. And then from here, he just he takes over. Right. He he ah gets involved. and He's on the right wing, ah but he's basically allowed to go wherever he wants. Right. And so Bosnia now need to chase the game. They're open. And Switzerland so far have not really had a lot of open to work with. Right.
00:18:20
Speaker
As soon as the team looks open, Manzambi is shredding them. He cuts inside in a moment of transition, gets a 10-yard just straight pass from, I think, Granitjaka, turns around and plays a perfect through ball um to Mbolo, who now looks like he can move a lot better off a back line with the guy feeding him. Everything looks better.
00:18:39
Speaker
Muharimovich dives in, takes out Mbolo from behind. It's a red card and a free kick. it was right on the borderline. So now within like five minutes, he's gotten a player sent off and scored. and it doesn't stop from there.
00:18:52
Speaker
And then he gets a hockey assist on the second goal, right? He's the player who starts the play. And it's another one of the subs who makes the impact. It's Vargas who gets the goal for two nil. Manzambi involved again, as is Mbola, who, as you said, of it he looked like a completely different player once these guys came on. It's two nil. And then Manzambi does it again for the three nil goal. So for those keeping track at home, right? You you got your scorecard out here. He scores the first goal.
00:19:15
Speaker
plays the pass that leads to the red card. It's a hockey assist on the second goal and then scores the third goal. Switzerland would eventually get a penalty after this game was You've got to let him take the hat trick, right? But no, they let Granit Xhaka score for 4-1. This was incredible from Manzami. This is why there's so much promise around this player.
00:19:32
Speaker
don't know why he's not playing from the start, but you have to think when Switzerland get into a game that they absolutely have to have, which will probably come in the round of 32, he has to be on the pitch for 90 minutes. I think so. He's a really unique kind of player, just thinking about him. and he's got size and athleticism in the wing spot.
00:19:51
Speaker
But he moves like sometimes he moves like a striker. Sometimes he moves like a winger. It's a really, really interesting prospect. And then you start adding what he can finish, too. And I think other teams are are really in trouble. And he's got a lot of gravity now that he opens up for everyone in Switzerland. So I think one thing we're seeing with these managers is they're kind of not necessarily knowing exactly what their best squads are and using the group stage to find that.
00:20:15
Speaker
ah Listen, I think the Switzerland team is a bit safe in the back six. Now, can you get a front three that involves Monsambi, Endoy, and Bolo, and Vargas to help?
00:20:31
Speaker
Then, if you could even get four of these guys on the field at the same time when you need it, I think there's a little bit more here to really threaten a big team on the counter. Right. And that's what Switzerland want to do is their proof of concept. They're going to try to get to a quarterfinal. That's our better a win around 16 game. And I feel a lot better if Monsambi is there because he must be accounted for at all times. Think about, you know, the game we're going to get to in another round is Switzerland, Canada.
00:20:57
Speaker
Can you play Red Bull soccer when Monsambi is looking on the other side? I'd be quite scared to do that. And I think it's interesting. Vargas was also really good. Like Manzabi is obviously going to get all the headlines, but Vargas was another big change for the Switzerland team that gave them another element.
00:21:10
Speaker
Bosnia have worked great here. You kind of knew what the game plan was. And when Switzerland brought on fresh legs and fresh, really good legs against his Bosnia defense, it was kind of over. Sied Kolasinac has unfortunately been really bad for Bosnia in two games. He's a great story. Great talismanic type player. He just hasn't been very good.
00:21:27
Speaker
That said, ah the goal here for Bosnia was ridiculous, right? First touch of the match and you're putting it right into the back of the net. How about that? It was a perfect finish. The spin on that ball was excellent coming through. There was before the penalty kick, there was like two minutes where it was like that goal might save Bosnia on goal differential.
00:21:47
Speaker
And then not quite because the penalty happens right after. Look, obviously, after red, everyone looks worse. But the fact that that red happened, the fact that Bosnia was that open speaks to how tight the margins were for them just to be hanging on in a game like this.
00:22:03
Speaker
Mamacit was with the goal for Bosnia. The goal differential is not great, but as we'll get to in a second for them, the path forward is pretty easy. They just have to beat Qatar and they're probably going to the round of 32. Switzerland, Canada, we'll touch on that in a second. Let's talk about Canada amid six. Yes, six nil winners against Qatar.
00:22:21
Speaker
Qatar maybe fooled us for one game. Right. They maybe fooled Switzerland for one game popped up out of nowhere with a late equalizer after having done nothing all game. First ever World Cup point. The vibes are good. You flip on the television. You go to Vancouver. I think you can classify this as an away game for Qatar.
00:22:38
Speaker
We saw away Qatar for the Asian qualifiers in this one. Yikes. You could tell like five minutes in there's like eight guys within the box. And it's very clear that Qatar are just hanging on for for dear life against Canada. And I think you give you got to give a lot of credit to Jesse Marsh in this game. And let's talk about he knows the result before.
00:22:59
Speaker
He sees that Switzerland have won by three and he's thinking, well, if we want to get out of this group in first, we can beat Switzerland on the last day, but we could also put ourselves in the driver's seat of using the advantage to play for a draw against Switzerland. If we are better than them on goal differential and look,
00:23:18
Speaker
I think Switzerland and Marat Yakin made a mistake against Qatar in not just pumping them silly. You look at the 6-0 scoreline, what were they doing? Why was Manzambi not starting? And I think ah it's early. It's early. But that could be like the kind of small thing that ends up being really, really detrimental to Switzerland's overall campaign.
00:23:40
Speaker
We could look dumb. Switzerland could absolutely pace Canada in the third game. But i you got to a lot of credit to Marsh. And even regardless of him looking at the exact goal differential or not, he starts two strikers in this game. He gets Kyle Aaron and Jonathan David on the field at the same time. He knows exactly what it's going to be. Qatar are backed in.
00:23:59
Speaker
It's not even like Red Bull soccer. This is just one way battering Ram. Qatar is giving you space up until the box. It was pretty poor from Qatar from the start. And it just went worse and worse and worse from there.
00:24:12
Speaker
I think the decision to start Laren and David was really good from Marsh, right? So Laren was the guy who kind of brought some verve off the bench. Obviously, obviously Ali Ahmed got in the starting lineup as well. He was another one of the substitutes that had an impact against Bosnia. So Laren is kind of our safe hands. We know he's going to be involved. We think he can get get involved in in a goal play.
00:24:30
Speaker
And David was the guy they had to get going. right You need Jonathan David to be at a high level if you have any hopes of going far in this tournament. So I think starting those two was pretty smart from Jesse Marsh. And it looks smart. Obviously, Qatar are helping here, but they both score in the first half an hour. So the first goal, Alistair Johnson on the side plays a cutback. Jonathan David has a shot saved really well by Albonada.
00:24:51
Speaker
But Kyle Lahren is there to pelt on the rebound. And this is just like not a play that you see in a high level game because Kyle Lahren should be offside on this. rub yeah Right. So David takes the shot. Lahren is just kind of lurking.
00:25:02
Speaker
Against a high level defense, Laren is offside, but the Qatar defense is not a high level defense. And so the defenders are just kind of doing whatever. And so the ball isn't close to them. so like, ah I'm fine. I don't have to do anything. Look, the shot's coming in from deep. I don't have to do anything. But no, they needed to have stepped up to play Laren offside. It's a really good save for Mabonada, who again was pretty good here for Qatar, despite the fact that he ate six goals and Laren pokes through the rebound. This was the exact type of situation that you're putting Laren in the game to score. It's the goal that he scored.
00:25:29
Speaker
This is why sometimes you play two number nines. And it was, as we we said, we can't give enough credit to Marsh for this move. Look, I think the other thing in this game that was good for Canada, despite the result being not that interesting to analyze, is he got Larray and Johnson up the field on both sides. He knew what kind of game it was. They just spammed the ball in the box. It was not like we need to do what Portugal did against DRC and like...
00:25:55
Speaker
or Or Spain versus Cape Verde. Like sometimes I think teams should do this more when you're not afraid of the threat. And sure, Qatar really offered no threat. It was like Akram Afiv one on one, one on two against ah the the defenders the other way. And there was one yellow card, I think, for for Canada. But outside of that, it was pretty comfortable. Right. And so this is what the the model can look like when it works.
00:26:18
Speaker
Qatar were pinned in and there was really no way out. And it felt pretty inevitable. It did. And then the third, the second goal comes from Jonathan David. It's this great volley finish. Jesse Marsh is probably looking at that and just saying like, yes, yes, yes. That's what I need from this guy.
00:26:33
Speaker
If he's got both of them going and they're feeling confident, then you can actually, when it's time to play the Red Bull game style model in a tight game, feel that they can just steal that half chance. That's what we've always said is needed for Canada. And look, then from there, the,
00:26:49
Speaker
There's a red card. It's pretty tough. It's a free kick. And then there's another red card and a really tough injury on Ismael Kone. I think that is the one thing from this game in the second half that really, really stinks for Canada. I think after the game, kind of they made up, not made up about it. The player who got the red card for Qatar apologized and said...
00:27:08
Speaker
you know It was just a hard tackle, but he's really a secret key to this Canada engine in the midfield. think they're really going to miss him. Yeah, I think they'll find a way around it, but that is is a bummer. um I don't know. like that This kind of stinks in in a sense. I don't want to like doom over everything, but it it was like a perfect day for Canada, but...
00:27:30
Speaker
Yeah, and they got the goals that they needed. They ended up playing against 10-man Qatar for most of the first half. David gets the third goal. Then you mentioned the challenge for Madivo. It's just an unfortunate. It's like he's obviously not trying. like You could very clearly tell by his reaction. He's not trying to go into the challenge and break the guy's leg. like He's very distraught over the fact that this is what happened. Then there's just kind of these weird like vibes-y afters where Madivo is like very clearly upset about it, but the Qatari players and managing coaching staff are like kind of getting into it with Canada.
00:27:58
Speaker
Jesse Marsh never won to not get into it with anybody is also getting into it. And then from there, it's three nil. There's a nine man Qatar side. And as you said, Canada know that they need to get four goals. They get four and they get five. And then Jonathan David finishes off his hat trick for six. The result here wasn't ever really in question, particularly once Canada scored the first goal.
00:28:18
Speaker
but this was definitely the type of feel good performance that they needed. Again, the Kona injury is definitely a damper on things, particularly projecting forward because he's such a huge player in the midfield, but this was what Canada needed on the results. They are definitely probably going to go through. I just said, definitely, probably they're going to go through on four points. We have to let the math play out before we can Firmly say that four points is enough to go through, but it's going to be enough to go through.
00:28:42
Speaker
And now they had the opportunity to play for a draw against Switzerland to win this group and stay in Canada. But even if they lose, they're still probably going to finish second. They're in a good spot here.
00:28:53
Speaker
Even the second place game that spits out of group B isn't horrible, right? So um yeah, job well done from Canada. I think what we had said the day before was, look, the other two host countries have kind of had their cathartic moments. Well, this was Canada's and what a great day, you know, in Vancouver at BC place.
00:29:09
Speaker
A good day to have Qatar on the menu for a road trip. I think it really outside of the Coney injury, it couldn't have been better for Canada. And now let's see, i think you've got a very good situation where if you lose to Switzerland,
00:29:22
Speaker
doesn't, you know, kill you, but you could really set yourself up here for a very winnable home round of 16 game. You're saying Mexico gets to stay in Mexico City.
00:29:34
Speaker
USA is obviously going to have a, you know, a decent game if they get through. And can Canada like now set themselves up to join the party and really make it feel like three hosts all flying? And that round is like, so Canada win the group, they get spat out into Vancouver. That matchup would be a third place team. The round of 16 matchup is the group K winner, which is Portugal. We haven't seen Portugal look great. That could not be Portugal depending on what happens in that group. And again, playing on home soil in Vancouver, back to the quarterfinals would be right there, but that's only if they can draw or beat Switzerland. That's going really interesting game.
00:30:05
Speaker
The other interesting game in this group of it is going to be Qatar, Bosnia, because they each have a point in their back pocket. looked terrible the goal differential situation is not good doesn't matter Qatar Bosnia is a winner goes through game and might be the worst team they're on a 32 I think so that's a great World Cup after dark special like two of like the worst teams in the 48 in terms of how they got there maybe on talent too man I mean Qatar are just salivating for you think we're so dead you think we're so so dead and we could still get through um I don't even know like
00:30:36
Speaker
It's the call the ambulance meme, right? Like, guitar here like ah call the ambulance. Call him. But for you, I don't know. That game is going to be stupid. Like, it just has to be Qatar running out of players. But Akram, if he can hurt people, Bosnia, I've been ugly. And in Dzeko played in the game that we saw for them, didn't do. I haven't seen the Bosnian wingers as as forward as I would have liked to have seen so far.
00:30:57
Speaker
It's going to be funny, but it's going to be a must win situation. No draws allowed. Yeah, and it's ah ah a great managing off of Sergey Barbaras versus Julian Lopetegui, who can cover themselves in a shred of dignity after two tough games. And look, I think Barbaras, we thought, was a good manager, and I think he's done OK.
00:31:17
Speaker
Lopetegui has not done OK, but like it's all there, right? You can hang your hat on a big win if you get your team through. So it'll be interesting to see who kind of wants to go take it.
00:31:29
Speaker
Speaking of taking it, that was what was on the table for South Africa and checking it in the day's first game. A winner would have had a pretty clear path to the round of 32. Instead, it finished as a one one draw.
00:31:41
Speaker
a it I I don't really even know where to go with this game. This was not played at a high level. This didn't feel like a World Cup game. It was a World Cup game. Feels like what it was was a big old missed opportunity for both these teams.
00:31:54
Speaker
I think so. Czechia start off ah brightly. They're picking the ball around the field. Look, Czechia have very direct tactics. They get the ball, they play it long to the wings, and they cross it back towards the middle for Schick and runners. And it was working.
00:32:07
Speaker
And that was a very bad sign for South Africa that Czech's very basic soccer was working. They score five minutes in. It's way too easy. This is actually ah a long throw-in from around midfield, thrown 40 yards into the corner. Adam Hlozek, who's starting today for Czechia,
00:32:23
Speaker
gets on the end of it a really good run crosses it across the face of goal ball should not get across uncontested all the way to the back post it's one pass it's a goal um for Sojka uh South Africa kind of really scrambled I thought South Africa's press was quite poor in this game i thought their progression was quite poor in this game and to the point of the level is that that's where South Africa was in Czechia from minute five to minute whatever, could not put in a second. They had plenty of chances to do so. And you just saw over and over again, their timing in the box was quite poor.
00:32:57
Speaker
and don't really have a lot to say about South Africa from minute five into their goal. They had, what was their idea to score a goal in this game? Their idea was, ah, that ball, it moves. We're going to shoot it from 30 yards every chance we get. South Africa have like almost vaguely competent progression, right? They're moving it forward. They're getting this space. They're right, this could be something. And then a guy just picks up his head and is like, no, you're 35 yards from goal and he shoots. No, you're 30 yards from goal and he shoots. And that was basically what they did in this game. And then back the other way, like you said, if Czechia weren't wide open in the box, the crosses weren't really getting into anywhere dangerous. And so it looks like this is just going to fizzle out into a one nil Czechia win that doesn't impress anybody.
00:33:39
Speaker
But then South Africa's take pot shot strategy. It was all a long con. I've been fooled. They knew exactly what they were doing because one of those long shots hits the arm of Pavel Sooch. It's not below my Seiko shot hits the arm of Pavel Sooch and they win a penalty.
00:33:54
Speaker
It's in the box and Moquena who had gotten a yellow card in this game, which means going to miss their third and final match steps up. And I have to tell you a bit, Moquena looked like a guy who was going to miss penalty. Like he's not looking at the ball. He's kind of doing this closed eyes things. Hugo Bruce, the manager is sat resolute on the bench and is like leaning back in his chair. and You're like, he doesn't think he's making it.
00:34:14
Speaker
I didn't think Moquina thought he was making it, but to his credit, he stepped up and scored. It's a big goal for South Africa. It keeps them alive. It did. It it was a very funny scene from the penalty to the moment it was taken. Brewers looked like he had been shot on the bench. He's like, I can't I can't watch. But um yeah, I mean, this is like straight out of calf where your entire strategy is to play for a head ball. Yeah. Like you just get the ball the box. Maybe it'll hit someone's hand and it worked. And you're like, how did South Africa get past calf qualifying? Well, you've seen it.
00:34:45
Speaker
You've seen it. It got Trekkia. And look here in the last 10 minutes, I think South Africa tries to take the initiative, but I'm quite disappointed in both teams. I think someone here had to go try to take this game. And obviously the issue is if you sell out too much, you lose. You don't want to lose the game.
00:35:02
Speaker
But you'd rather, i think, go out in these 10 minutes trying to score than what happens next. And to me, this analogy is when you're down by maybe 10 points in football, right? And you have the ball and you're maybe in the in in the goal line, goal to go situation. Let's say it's maybe fourth and five.
00:35:18
Speaker
i don't know. If you don't watch a lot of football, this this analogy might sound dumb. And then you kick the field goal and you're like, now you're punting the ball back to their team. Maybe you have your timeouts. The issue is you are probably not going to get back to a play as high of getting seven. You need seven at some point. Then you're fourth and five yards out. You might not even get the ball back.
00:35:39
Speaker
you might Even if you do get the ball back, you might have a fourth and six somewhere earlier in the drive. And we see this a lot is that managers in all sports play to extend your chances. There's actually a lot of more you know analogies to that in football, but I think it's a very clear example of Managers play to just keep it alive instead of doing the best thing for your ultimate objective probability. In that case, it's to get through.
00:36:04
Speaker
You have 10 minutes against the other worst team in the group. If you're South Africa, it's Czechia. If it's if you're Czechia, it's South Africa. Now you have to get a result against...
00:36:17
Speaker
Who? Mexico and Korea? Now, Mexico might not be you know playing 100%, right? if you're cze ah If you're South Africa, South Korea need a result. Would you rather have 10 minutes at 1-1 against Czechia or 90 minutes where you need to beat Korea who are invested?
00:36:32
Speaker
i i just don't understand. i really It's something I don't understand. Actually, i understand completely, but I do think this is just a really, really missed opportunity. Yes, there's like one really good chance for South Africa. They get the ball in the box. They finally don't take a pot shot.
00:36:45
Speaker
But neither of these teams really did anything. It was way too casual. i I truly think, you know, given the amount of math we have in football analytics that now says when teams should be aggressive, that in soccer, when you're tied one one you need this.
00:37:00
Speaker
This is it. This is your best chance also in somewhat of a tactics free zone to go get that winner. It's the context too, right? Like you said, it is these 10 minutes are as good of a chance as you're going to have to put players forward and score a goal in a situation that's favorable to you. I agree 100% with everything that you've put out. I think these two teams should have gone for it more.
00:37:18
Speaker
I think we're also really expecting a lot of two teams that are just not very good, right? like Yes. And also with 10 minutes left, their legs were like pretty, pretty done. Yeah. So I think all of that kind of puts us into the situation where it ends up here. But yes, it's going to be hard for these two teams, I think, to get the result that's necessary in the final game.
00:37:36
Speaker
I do love that somehow, some way on this podcast, everything circles back to being an indictment of Nigeria's calf qualifying campaign, right? Because this South Africa team was the team that Nigeria had to beat to get to the World Cup. Nigeria, this team loaded full of stars, could not beat this South Africa team that have just gone to the World Cup and put on a pretty poor display through two games. Again, everything on World Cup after dark circles back to Nigeria, missing their opportunities and being bad. So the situation amit in this group is both of these teams now play the top two teams in this group. on the last day, right? We mentioned that Mexico on six points have already won the group. It's going to be a rotated Mexico side against Czechia. I still think they're going play open though. I'm like, I think Mexico might even be a little bit more difficult for Czechia because a Mexico kind of no event game state could work in Czechia's favor to where they just pop a long throw goal like they did against South Korea.
00:38:28
Speaker
I would imagine we'll see a more open Mexico. So we'll see that. South Africa now have a situation where if they can beat South Korea, they're going to go through. But if they don't, they're not going through. And South Korea are very invested in that game and know that they need to at least get a point from it.
00:38:42
Speaker
It's a difficult situation for these two teams. There's still hope, but it's a must win because two points in third place is just not going to be enough. Correct. And to be fair, neither of these teams knew what the result in Mexico, South Korea would be. But generally, like if you're South Africa, now you're really regretting that Czechia has the game against the the onin uninvested dead rubber Mexico. Right. So.
00:39:05
Speaker
We'll see how it goes. i think, you know, i have no idea to, to what to expect from Czechia versus rotate Mexico. I think you're probably right that it may be actually Mexico's trying things. Cause those guys in the field, they're just going to want to have some, some fun. Check it. Not really good when games get fun. um And could have just ended that at check. Yeah. Not really good, but yeah's sure yeah. And I think South Africa, Korea, I mean, it'd be really surprising, right. For Korea being as solid as we've seen for South Africa's bit of take pot shots to work.
00:39:39
Speaker
We'll see. We'll see. Right. It'll be interesting. I think we're probably going to get a lot of really fun situations in the last match day in these groups. I don't know that this group is going to be one, but look with it being, nobody can be eliminated through two games. Everybody's going to go into that third game with some sort of result that gets them through. Yeah, but let's see what happens. All right, a bit ah on this big, massive Friday, we've got the U.S. taking on Australia, Morocco, Scotland, Brazil, Haiti, Paraguay, Turkey. Let's put the U.S. Australia game to the side. We're going record a Patreon only show for our Patreon subscribers with a bit of a preview of that U.S. Australia game.
00:40:12
Speaker
So if you're looking for that, be sure to check that out. Patreon.com slash WCAD. Become one of our subscribers. You can get access to that. Of these other three games, what intrigues you here? I think Paraguay, Turkey is the place to go, right? There's a lot of pressure on Turkey after a really disappointing display. There's a lot of pressure on Paraguay after a really disappointing display. I think both of these teams have more to show than what they showed in their opening days.
00:40:37
Speaker
But both of these teams have clear, clear limitations. Paraguay, you know, are going to muck it up. yeah, perhaps they weren't as effective in Australia. Turkey has a striker problem. think that really plays into Paraguay's hands. And Paraguay, you know, maybe they're not as dynamic as Australia, but you just saw Turkey's backline be really exposed on the counter. Can Gustavo Alfaro find a way to get transitional moments the way Australia did? Can he find a way to frustrate?
00:41:03
Speaker
I think Turkey's body language, the entire vibes of it were really poor. i think that team really expected... just to kind of walk through Australia. i don't think i think they were I think they were drinking their own Kool-Aid that they were going to get kind of get through this group a bit easy or or or be in a good spot to get through. Now Turkey has ah pressure that they could get dumped out of this group. there is ah This is a really, really nervy game. And look, we big-upped Paraguay before game one. Didn't didn't quite work.
00:41:30
Speaker
we We were maybe missing on what the USA is like... A plus punch from the start was there is there is the moment in this World Cup where Gustavo Alfaro is going to have you in hell. And this is this this could be where Vincenzo Mantella, you know, kind of maybe is is missing the moment here.
00:41:47
Speaker
i don't want to big up the twice and have them fail, but like I think this is a really compelling game. Well, it's so interesting because one of the biggest reasons why Paraguay got smoked by the U.S. was the play of Flo Balogun from the nine position. like the the dynamics the the The way he was able to be dynamic in that game.
00:42:03
Speaker
Turkey don't necessarily have that, right? like I don't think we're expecting that from Turkey. So that could make it difficult for them to give Paraguay problems. But yeah, you said it. And Cicel, Almiron, they have to find space back the other way on the break. I think Morocco, Scotland is pretty interesting. Scotland are the team that are in the first place in this group, right? that They're going to, we know the game state of this game. We know it's going to be Morocco looking to do silky things. We know it's going to be Scotland whacking it long, hoping for set cases to try and get Scott McTominay up.
00:42:29
Speaker
I think that's going to be a really good game. Yeah, I think we've seen enough from Scotland and from teams in games like this that i don't think Morocco are going to walk through them. We all know Morocco are the better team, but like think Scotland will make it a pretty good game. And I think Morocco will have to get to some of their better gears, not necessarily their best gears, but something approximating good, very good liquid football. Like think of the moments Columbia needed to to kind of get that goal in the last game.
00:42:56
Speaker
Similar type of level, right? So it if Morocco do it, I think it'll be a really good, good pieces of attacking play. I think that's a great game. We've seen Scotland succeed in open game states as well, right? Like you look back to how they got through in European qualifying. Those were the types of situations they took advantage of. There's a lot of pressure on Brazil in that other game, right? Like Haiti is far and away the worst team in this group. It's a massive opportunity for Brazil. They need to make sure they get the three points. That's obviously objective number one, but they could also really use just a good solid three, four, five goal win over Haiti to kind of get the vibes back.
00:43:27
Speaker
Neymar is not going to play. Wow, big surprise. Who could have suspected that after seeing him walk before their last game? But this is a big opportunity. Brazil absolutely have to have it. And look, 80 are fearless. We've said it all along. They're not go to walk away scared of Brazil.
00:43:39
Speaker
So it should be fun. All right. Another great day of World Cup After Dark action. We hope that you guys like us because we're going to be back again tonight after today's action. We'll have full recap of that US-Australia game plus these other three games. So be sure to check that out either tonight before you go to bed or tomorrow Saturday morning when you wake up.
00:43:56
Speaker
And again, as we said, we've got a Patreon subscriber show that's going to drop here in just a bit with a US Australia preview, plus some other big picture takes from this World Cup. If you want to support us, you can do that at patreon.com slash WCAD. You can also subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, anywhere that you get your podcasts. We are there. That's it for a bit. And I, for now, we will see you guys much, much later today. Hope you've got your Duncan. Hope you've got your caffeine. It's going to be a late one. Take care.