World Cup: QF: Russia vs. Croatia, 7/7/2018

[kovacro]

How ? 1998. team toyed with Germany and this team needed SO to beat solid yet nothing special teams like Denmark and Russia. 1998. team would have been European champion in 1996. if not for obvious bias ref in quarters against Germans (1:2). They also won U21 World Cup in Chile in 1987.
Those are just their player qualities/achivements, yet they were much more loveable among fans and had way more patriotic charge than these "we have more luck than average cat lifes" guys.

Recall, in that 1998 QF versus Germany the Germans had a sending off and they played with 10-men for a good chunk of the game.

I would say, the 98’ starting 11 was better, by how much, tough to say. They had class at each position. Boban, Suker, Jarni, Prosinecki, etc.

Boksic missed out unfortunately.

I might give this teams bench an advantage.

I remember even Ladic, who was poor in the qualifiers leading up to France 98’ had a real strong tournament.

 

[Live in the Now]

No player in this sport ever gets caught for doping, hardly just Russians who don't get caught.

And frankly, we've seen players do so many superhuman things over the last few years, such as playing 70 games in a year, that it would be foolish to think doping starts with Russia. I also don't think their players really overperformed. I thought they were quite lucky in some instances, like with the draw, like with playing a Spain team that changed manager. In others they benefited from players missing chances. They did their best but I don't think this was a case of South Korea where they did overperform even though the ref helped them get from a draw to a victory. It is also simply easier to play at home.

 

[Islesfan22]

Gotta love Modric he showed so much heart and determination. He was everywhere the second half. Hopefully Croatia has something left in there legs for England.

 

[c9777666]

I'll say this for Russia- they certainly didn't lose for a lack of effort.

Unlike the last WC host nation, they can hold their heads up high.

 

[Fantomas]

They’re limited players who have over performed. I don’t know why. I know the crowds. But I also have no problem saying that there always will be some suspicions about a country who has a known doping program that has been banned from the Olympics.

They did a great job, but some of the players were much better than they ever have been. All I’m asking and wondering is if it is just down to the fan support, or if anyone else wonders if some of the suspicions are more than just rumor mongering. I mean, when their best player has to come out and deny his dads statements that he was doping, it’s a bit suspicious. In the end, it doesn’t really matter, but they’ve over performed by a large margin that has to raise some suspicions. Russia is not this good.

Japan almost made the final 8. It happens.

 

[filip85]

1998 team lost in group stage. This Croatia on the other hand did not. In 1996 they lost to an amazing team, and there was no ref bias really, Bilic should have been given a red card.

Which counted for nothing as we already secured next round and Ćiro decided to rest some key (with yellow cards) players.

 

[Live in the Now]

Japan almost made the final 8. It happens.

There's nothing Russian players did that other players aren't doing. I will leave my thoughts at that.

Still, they played very hard, had a wondergoal today, and deserved to be in this position.

 

[ViD]

Proud of the team. Great effort.

Good luck to Croatia. Consider our 2007 debt for you beating England for us paid.

 

[Ivan13]

So happy right now, couldn't force myself to watch the penalties, **** me this feels good, the city will burn tonight, and I can't even think what'll happen if we beat the jolly ol' England.

 

[kovacro]

Proud of the team. Great effort.

Good luck to Croatia. Consider our 2007 debt for you beating England for us paid.

 

[filip85]

Proud of the team. Great effort.

Good luck to Croatia. Consider our 2007 debt for you beating England for us paid.

Best organised WC ever, best atmosphere, great fans, not single incident, beautiful (russian mostly) girls. Great job by Russians !!

 

[kovacro]

So happy right now, couldn't force myself to watch the penalties, **** me this feels good, the city will burn tonight, and I can't even think what'll happen if we beat the jolly ol' England.

Yes brother! Take it all in and enjoy it.

 

[booyakasha]

Gotta love Modric he showed so much heart and determination. He was everywhere the second half. Hopefully Croatia has something left in there legs for England.

if Cr

 

[The Moose]

This team is better, which fits one of my criteria for a hopeful winner. I do ultimately prefer that a team that wins does so with their best ever team and best ever player. Belgium-Croatia would be nice in that regard, but I'm sure it will be France vs. Croatia.

I wasn't that impressed with Croatia after the group stage. They squeezed by mostly on luck against lower ranked teams. I can't see how they were better than England. The winner of France vs Belgium should probably win the WC.

 

[Kap-the-Head]

My daughter's challenge bracket... I'd say pretty impressive for a 12 year old...

 

[The Moose]

How ? 1998. team toyed with Germany and this team needed SO to beat solid yet nothing special teams like Denmark and Russia. 1998. team would have been European champion in 1996. if not for obvious bias ref in quarters against Germans (1:2). They also won U21 World Cup in Chile in 1987.
Those are just their player qualities/achivements, yet they were much more loveable among fans and had way more patriotic charge than these "we have more luck than average cat lifes" guys.

Yes, but before that they parked the bus after scoring on a PK against Romania. Not an impressive win really.

 

[Jussi]

Carl Lewis doped. And he's no russian.

 

[MaxV]

Akinfeev will see that near penalty save vs Modric in his nightmares.

 

[Kap-the-Head]

What will Smolov see with his "show off" shot?

 

[Evilo]

You have no idea what you're saying, right?
Something is worse? Nope.
Initial claim? I did since Chimarea was trying to discredit Russia as dopers, and LITN was saying all nations dope.
I gave an example.

Now, what DO you bring to the discussion? Nothing but trolling, as usual.

 

[kovacro]

Yes, but before that they parked the bus after scoring on a PK against Romania. Not an impressive win really.

Ok bud, we get it you don’t like Croatia.

We were lucky in 98’ and now.

Croatia - all luck, no skill.

 

[Jussi]

You have no idea what you're saying, right?
Something is worse? Nope.
Initial claim? I did since Chimarea was trying to discredit Russia as dopers, and LITN was saying all nations dope.
I gave an example.

Now, what DO you bring to the discussion? Nothing but trolling, as usual.

Tryin to pick out Carl Lewis as an example of state tun doping is kind of a bad example.

 

[gary69]

By all means, praise a higher power for your goal, Vida. But one of these days you'll be wishing he'd sent a burning bush to warn you against that haircut.

(Will a goal that scrappy win it? It's too apt to believe.)

Nah, don't you know his real name is Demigod, he's on good terms with the gods.

 

[Evilo]

Doping in general.
And he's a damn good example, celebrated by America as a winner for years. Lance Armstrong is another. Hundreds of posters defended him to no end here on HFBoards.

 

[Live in the Now]

Tryin to pick out Carl Lewis as an example of state tun doping is kind of a bad example.

Does it matter if it's state run? Not really. You should read about the way these federations take tests and just ignore them. The US Olympic Committee ignored at least 100 positive doping tests and kept the documentation of guys like Carl Lewis getting caught doping.

When was the last time a notable footballer was exposed as a doper? Its been ages. Meanwhile there's been stories about Juve doping, Operation Puerto, you guys have to be really naive to think all your heroes are going out there clean as a sheet just to play football like when they were kids.

All that being said, I think there are good reasons not to expose doping and I really don't care. When sports become like cycling and the UFC, that's it, doesn't matter how fun they are. It's basically over.