The Round Ball Game - II

[jayne lee wilson]

I'd love to see Croatia win today, but after all that extra time, the physical and emotional drain, are there still enough tigers in the tank?

I've grown close to and very admiring of many of their players through watching the Champions league - especially Perisic, Mandzukic, Rakitic and the great Luka Modric. I love that combination of high skills and never-say-die determination. Very Liverpool.
I was heartbroken at our semi-final defeat but I had to admire the way Croatia went about recovering and then dominating the game...easy to talk about defensive lapses, but their goals were brilliantly taken.

They'll have to cope with Mbappé of course.... if anyone ever can....

[jayne lee wilson]

Hot stuff this isn't it? Terrific match. Penalty? Tough decision - could have gone either way... "deliberate movement of hand to the ball?" Hmmm...
Wonderful strike from Perisic - he does this for Inter all the time. Croatia upper hand, French defence look suspect, two lucky French goals, a lot left in this fascinating game.

Alan Tyldesley - "President Putin once again gracing us with his presence...light relief before the serious business of a meeting with President Trump tomorrow....or is it the other way round?" Excellent :...

"U boj! U boj!"
"Za narod svoj!

[Beef Oven!]

France have a very un-deserved 2-1 lead at half time. Croatia are dominating France. The penalty decision was a joke, and the penalty was Poorly placed. Even I knew he was going to put it to the keeper's right, why didn't the keeper? Don't they do their homework?

[jayne lee wilson]

ITV panel mostly agains the pen...Mark Clattenburg: "should not have been a penalty..."

[teamsaint]

The ref really cannot be sure that the hand to ball was deliberate.
He could reasonably think it might have been, but he can’t be sure. Bad decision.

Croatia still well in the game.

[Beef Oven!]

6 mins into 2nd half and Croatia are murdering France, but will it result in goals?

[Lat-Literal]

I suppose if nothing else this helps put Sterling's contribution in the match against Croatia into its rightful context.

Update - Man Utd have just scored.

[Beef Oven!]

Can't believe how lucky France are. Croatia have been disposseing France at will, Modric has been marshalling the whole park (all 5" 5' and 8 stone of him) and France get a break away against the slowest Croat on the Park.

[Beef Oven!]

The slow Croat is also a bit wanting in the thinking department too - Mbappe could have been closed down so, so easily.

Now it must be the greatest World Cup come-back of all time!

[Beef Oven!]

France aren't all bad, they clearly have a conscience - they have very gentlemanly gifted Croatia a consolation goal!!!

[Lat-Literal]

Update - two further goals.

Spurs' goalkeeper disorientated at his team not finishing 3rd or 4th.

[Bryn]

Update - two further goals.

.

And Croatia only need another 3 in the last 15 minutes or so to win.

[Beef Oven!]

And Croatia only need another 3 in the last 15 minutes or so to win.

No, they need two to force extra time. That's why that penalty decision was so bad.

[Lat-Literal]

Quiz:

How many squares and how many rectangles are there on the Croatian football shirt?

Congratulations to the Didiermen.

Imagine just how good they would be if they rather than Belgium had the hair bear.

The water carrier was born around the time that this hit France:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW18ZJOazm8

(Masses of French supporters in Paris currently clambering onto the roofs of cars and buses - however, the Daily Mail is choosing to describe this not as hooliganism but good natured)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-5939973/France-fans-swarm-Champs-Elysses-celebration-World-Cup-final.html

[Beef Oven!]

Hopefully this victory will calm the French rioters of Nantes. Maybe football can curb the historical French pastime of revolt and protest - but it just seems to run through a Frenchman's veins. Why they insist on smashing up their beautiful country is beyond me, but I guess after all these centuries they'll not change ......