Belgium vs USA 9pm / Tue 1st

Dav

The final game of the second round is Belgium vs The United States at 9pm on Tuesday.

Panthro

Sure tis only Friday for Jayyyyyyysus sake!

H'on the USA. (my head says Belgium, but for the shyts n giggles I want USA to win)

pickarooney

Where are the tables and the icons and the team lists and the write-ups, Dav? This will simply not do!

Paully D

It might be just me, but Belgium have bored me to tears this World Cup. I'd love to see a USA win here, but Belgium should do enough to get through.

MagicIRL

No pictures? No tables, Four days early...

Tut tut Dav. Tut tut.

alchemist33

Worst

Match

Thread

OP

Ever

ArmaniJeanss

Little bit of effort maybe show the group tables as to how they qualified, players to watch, any injuries or suspensions, what ground the match is in and who the conditions might favour.

I assume you are doing it for the widget buts it a little bit shoddy really.
A good OP will actually grab peoples attention.

xtal191

USA to just edge this one, hopefully!

chopperbyrne

Who can the winner of this play?

xtal191

Argentina or Switzerland

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Going to see this game myself. Salvador has yet to see a game with less than four goals, so hopefully this trend will continue.

SantryRed

I honestly think this is where we're gonna see the biggest upset of the last 16. USA have all the tools to frustrate an impotent Belgian attack. USA to nick it 1-0 from a set piece.

GLaDOS

Wouldn't be surprised at all to see USA win this, really impressed with their attitiude

wonga77

Belgium have been desperately boring so far, id like to see the us advancing

Panthro

What I like about USA is their attitude thus far.
A tackle comes in on a USA player, he's not fannying about on the floor like he's been hit by a bullet, he's up on his feet and ready to play ball.
Let the ref decide if the tackle committed merits action against or not.

I thoroughly enjoyed their first two games, only seen the second half against Germany but I think they've deserved their place.
And fair focks to them.

iDave

Come on Belgium










My support is based purely on the fact I have them in the work sweep

Umadbrah?

I reckon USA should take this. Their defence looks solid and belgium have been **** so far

meathstevie

Considering that Belgium has displayed about 20 mins of decent football spread out over three games and has conceded only one goal I reckon that the team has the ability to sufficiently control a game and finish it. The US tends to play open attacking football but I reckon they're not going to the job against a mix of players plying their trade in the top European leagues.

pickarooney

Panthro wrote: »

What I like about USA is their attitude thus far.
A tackle comes in on a USA player, he's not fannying about on the floor like he's been hit by a bullet, he's up on his feet and ready to play ball.
Let the ref decide if the tackle committed merits action against or not.

I thoroughly enjoyed their first two ogames, only seen the second half against Germany but I think they've deserved their place.
And fair focks to them.

I always thought this but I read a report earlier where they analysed the amount of time spent on the floor for injuries not requiring a substitution and the US had the fourth highest figure of all teams while Italy and Portugal were in the bottom four.

Panthro

pickarooney wrote: »

I always thought this but I read a report earlier where they analysed the amount of time spent on the floor for injuries not requiring a substitution and the US had the fourth highest figure of all teams while Italy and Portugal were in the bottom four.

really? have to say I;m surprised by that tbh.
Bar Dempsey getting that knock to the nose, I can't think of many instances that took up time.

Ulysses Gaze

Panthro wrote: »

really? have to say I;m surprised by that tbh.
Bar Dempsey getting that knock to the nose, I can't think of many instances that took up time.

Maybe Jermaine Jones against Germany? He took a blow to the face and was treated on the pitch initially.

Jelle1880

This is gonna be more difficult for us than the group stage, but I hope against a footballing side like the US we'll get more freedom too.

FatherTed

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Maybe Jermaine Jones against Germany? He took a blow to the face and was treated on the pitch initially.

Dempsey was down for 4-5 minutes, Jones got a broken nose when he clashed with Bedoya against Germany, Besler was down for a few minutes with his hammy against Ghana and was eventually substituted at half time. So yes they have been down with injuries but not much acting like others teams.

In any case, none of their games have been easy but I think they match up well with Belgium so I think they hqve a decent chance of getting to the quarters.

Rhys Essien

alchemist33

The US have a great team ethic and are more than the sum of their parts. It'll be close, but I think the extra bit of flair Belgium have (which they haven't shown yet) will just shade it for them.

Brussels Sprout

Le Bron James was tweeting about James Rodriguez last night. When the most high profile sportsman in the USA is drawing attention to a match that the USA aren't even involved in then you know that 'soccer' has finally turned the corner in the states.

Ken Early on Second Captains says be careful what you wish for though, pointing out that football is one of the only world sports where the Americans can be seen as plucky underdogs and that their fans can be fairly obnoxious when they're successful in other sports.

NotASheeple

Rooting for the USA and I wouldn't be surprised if they beat Belgium.

FatherTed

Brussels Sprout wrote: »

Le Bron James was tweeting about James Rodriguez last night. When the most high profile sportsman in the USA is drawing attention to a match that the USA aren't even involved in then you know that 'soccer' has finally turned the corner in the states.

Ken Early on Second Captains says be careful what you wish for though, pointing out that football is one of the only world sports where the Americans can be seen as plucky underdogs and that their fans can be fairly obnoxious when they're successful in other sports.

Most fans at the WC other than Brazil. Record TV numbers in the US, yes it is definitely growing. World Cup fever has hit, e.g. they are opening Soldier Field in Chicago to show the game to large crowds. But it might die down a bit after the WC.

Son Of A Vidic

I wouldn't begrudge either of these teams a win. But if I had to choose, I probably like to see the USA win.

SantryRed

Altidore passed fit for this one. Big boost for the US if he could start.

Invertpyramid

USA winning would be good for the game.

And Belgium will come again. It wont effect football in Belgium much...but it could be huge for the sport in America.

Lucas Hood

Lukaku dropped.
Belgium XI: Courtois; Alderweireld, van Buyten, Kompany, Vertonghen; Witsel, Fellaini, De Bruyne; Mertens, Origi, Hazard

Hazys

Invertpyramid wrote: »

USA winning would be good for the game.

And Belgium will come again. It wont effect football in Belgium much...but it could be huge for the sport in America.

True, the World Cup has 100x more hype over here than it did 4 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOh4pXHbwmU

Hazys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaTmXuQr0LA

Invertpyramid

Hazys wrote: »

True, the World Cup has 100x more hype over here than it did 4 years ago.

It sounds silly at first but I think a lot of it has to do with the increased sales of the FIFA football game.

A lot more yanks are playing it which means they understand the game more. It's also more enjoyable for them because they know who the players are and they get to see them play in real life for a change.

wonga77

Surely of all the games this is nailed on for a 0 -0?
Belgium good at the back but a bit slow to get going up front, USA have also been fairly good at the back but bar Dempsey dont look a huge threat going forward. Add in that both teams will be cautious and the longer it goes on wont be willing to risk much going forward.
I say a dour 0 - 0

Step forward a 4 - 3 thriller :pac:

cintec

Rayne Wooney

USA USA USA

Washington Irving

Belgium 2-0.

Would be glorious if the US could knock out Argentina in the QF so for that reason I'm going to be cheering them on today.

Mr.Crinklewood

Tin Tin does not like football.

Francie Barrett

Belgium to shock everyone and win fairly comfortably.

xtal191

I'll be rooting for the Americans, so thats a guaranteed victory for Belgium.

GreNoLi

C'mon Belgium, although USA have had great tournament.

Professional Griefer

Pls Belgium.

LordAwesome

Who the hell put Kenny in between Brad and Didi?

He's out of his element!

LordAwesome

"No goalkeeper has been perfect."

"Oh, I disagree!"

FFS, Kenny!

A Primal Nut

Kenny's ready for a row with Brad! Brad's like "who the hell is this guy"?

ProudDUB

The Yanks are deffo into this World Cup, big time. But three out of their four main sports (NFL, basketball and ice hockey) are all on summer hiatus right now, so that boosts interest in the World Cup. It and baseball are the only things that are on live.

But once the World Cup is over, interest in soccer will die out, just as it does for the Olympic Games sports, that they also only take an interest in once every four years. There just isn't the year in year out interest in soccer, the way that other countries have, or the TV viewing audience.

Ranchu

Is this Belgiums first late kick off?

I have a feeling the US are in for the first hiding of the knock out stages.

Nuri Sahin

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Belgium to shock everyone and win fairly comfortably.

Hardly a shock when they're such heavy favourites with the books and punters. Talent wise they should win, but talent isn't the be all to end all.

Headshot

Kenny with his serial killer stare