it's not surprising because the last time Germany failed to get out of the group was 1938.

This Germany are awful in defence, though. And it really should have been 2-0 because Sweden should have had a penalty.

This is the worst German side I've ever seen.

Last gasp dramatic winner from Herr Kroos.

This is crazy. We could still wind up with 3 countries with 6 points (Mex, Ger, Swe) and Kor with 0. Or we could wind up with 3 countries with 3 points (Ger, Swe, Kor) and Mex with 9.

Assuming Germany will beat Korea by a few, if Sweden beat Mexico 1-0, both Sweden and Mexico would have identical records: 6 points, and 3-2 goal difference.

I'm assuming the next tie breaker is head-to-head, favouring Sweden but is it? Anybody know? Fair play table?

Last edited Sun Jun 24, 2018, 07:48 AM - Edit history (1)

(I can't see how 3,4 and 5 are different. If you win, you win them all; if you draw, you draw them all. Maybe it's a leftover from the qualifying stages when there were home and away meetings that could be different, between 3 and 4 anyway)

Which is good news for Belgium, having scored 8 in their first 2 matches. That means England need to beat Panama 6-1 to draw level with them down to "fair play points", or 6-0 to go ahead. 5-0 and we'd still be behind, and needing to beat Belgium to win the group. On the plus side, they say there's no 'must avoid' team from Group H, so winning the group isn't that important.

But then ... with England 5-0 ahead at half time against Panama, suddenly it looks like England can pull ahead of Belgium.

Which will make for a very gentlemanlike England-Belgium, or amusingly, attempts by both sides to lose in order to wind up on the easier half of the draw.

so they'll have the chance to take second if they'd rather. I suspect it'll be impossible to work out what would be worth it - there are possibilities of Brazil or Germany in the quarter finals. I looks quite possible those 2 could meet in the group of 16 round.

The crowd went completely and totally bananas at the Kroos goal. It was a fun train ride home, lots of singing and drinking.