The goalies effort on the first goal makes it look like they are cool with losing.

VIKINGS RETALIATE!

Norwegian B team having fun

Enrico Pallazzo said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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Enrico Pallazzo said:

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Ref Magua from last night should call the Norway game instead. He's into fixing games

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For someone convinced the referees fix matches in the WC, you sure are watching a lot of them.

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I mean, Magua is actually banned in his home country under suspicion of match fixing. I do hope last night was his last WC appearance

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You realize it's Africa and CAF right? The whole freaking confederation is crooked and every time some nation doesn't like the outcome or some team doesn't like the outcome they claim it's fixed by the referee. Hell, CAF literally fixed the final of AFCON both during and after the results. They make Greece look tame and serene and that league is basically run by the Greek mafia.

Now Italy? They have issues. They have had refs fixing matches and have issues now with the head of officials who allegedly was assigning referees to Juve in a very underhanded way. Allegedly.

Ghorbal is likely done, mostly because he's not very good. That's why he was on the match last night. It was a dead rubber and how good or bad he was made no difference. Same reason Katia Garcia magically got NED v TUN yesterday. She's not very good but it was almost a dead rubber and the game was going to be played at walking speed.

only reason he might stay is they need bodies. There are 24 R32 and R16 games. They need a ton of refs and the good ones can't work every game.

That really was a sweet move. And how badass is a last name like Aasgaard

Neither teams wants to play defense.

How are world cup refs selected? I feel like a lot of the familiar UEFA CL refs aren't here this time that would have been helpful with the expanded tournament

wangus12 said:

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That really was a sweet move. And how badass is a last name like Aasgaard

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Who knew this little guy could play?

I think FIFA wants proportional representation across the confederations, so that's a big factor.

wangus12 said:

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How are world cup refs selected? I feel like a lot of the familiar UEFA CL refs aren't here this time that would have been helpful with the expanded tournament

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Every confed gets so many slots just like they do with teams. Confeds nominate refs and FIFA (it's a panel headed by Collina) selects them. Problem is the best refs are in UEFA and they have more good refs than slots. And it's a lot of politics. CONCACAF got Oshane Nation in as one of theirs. Fortunately he got nominated as a reserve (4th O ) and won't touch a field. Katia Garcia was the same but politics and FMF magically got her a game.

Figured as much.

Its gonna take an insane defensive performance by someone to shut down this French attack

deadbq03 said:

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I think FIFA wants proportional representation across the confederations, so that's a big factor.

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Supposedly it is a multi year evaluation process. Here is the List. I find it hard to trust the process though when a ref suspended for poor officiating in his domestic league last season makes the cut. Plus Ivan Barton is atrocious. There is obviously too much politics in the process.

Heck both Taylor and Oliver from England have both had some very controversial calls in the Premier League and most fans do not like either.

wangus12 said:

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Its gonna take an insane defensive performance by someone to shut down this French attack

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They're straight up terrifying...

Dembele is a better footballer than Mbappe. Fight me!

It takes a special kind of defense to force Dembele onto his strong left foot 3x in a half

Norway win an early penalty

And don't take the opportunity. Poor penalty

Senegal 2-0

wangus12 said:

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Haaland would have a hat trick with the opportunities Norway has had.

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I feel like Norway would have had a chance had they not waved the white flag before kickoff. France has had some shaky moments in defense.

Does anything change for Scotland if Senegal beats Iraq 10-0 lol? This is an ass whipping

Enrico Pallazzo said:

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Does anything change for Scotland if Senegal beats Iraq 10-0 lol? This is an ass whipping

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No. Senegal just needed a win. Scotland is out.

wangus12 said:

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Enrico Pallazzo said:

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Does anything change for Scotland if Senegal beats Iraq 10-0 lol? This is an ass whipping

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No. Senegal just needed a win. Scotland is out.

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How in the actual **** did Norway not score there?!

I'll be honest - I don't think this is a particularly glowing French performance. Great Dembele performance for sure, and I understand they slowed down on purpose, but even in the first half… this Norway B team was able to make some good attacking moves against this French D. They've created all the chances they would've needed to get a result. They're actually leading on xG (thanks largely to the fact that those Dembele goals were long-range rockets).

To be fair, they get .8xG from the penalty. But id do agree that France's defense hasn't been all that great

France defeated Norway 4-1.

France looks like a machine right now

France cruise all 9 points and win Group I. Norway rested everyone and finished 2nd. Senegal hammered Iraq to move to a mostly comfortable spot in the 3rd place table. Iraq is eliminated and heads home

FINAL Group I Standings:
-----------------------Pld---W---D---L---GD----Pts
France-----------------3---3---0---0___+8----9
Norway---------------3---2---0---1___+1----6
Senegal----------------3---1---0---2___+2----3
Iraq----------------------3---0---0---3___-11---0


Match Day 1 Results:
France 3 : Senegal 1
Iraq 1 : Norway 4

Match Day 2 Results:
France 3 : Iraq 0
Norway 3 : Senegal 2

Match Day 3 Results:
Norway 1 : France 4
Senegal 5 : Iraq 0