For eight consecutive days, the football that is the World Cup hasn’t faltered at regular intervals, each match staggered to give it utmost prominence, and a full 90 minutes of extravaganza – plus an eon of stoppage time – took place on the world stage without interfering. From others games.
Even if unrest abounded, there was still some sort of orderliness in the proceedings: for most of those eight days there were four matches, scheduled three hours in, one after the other. It was glorious and satisfying, and for those of us who crave order, it was rather life-affirming.
Now, as of Tuesday, the Hulk is on a short hiatus. Dear reader, get ready to mess up.
Starting with the Group A matches at 10 a.m. ET, over the next four days each of the eight groups will stage their final round of matches simultaneously.
Qatar will start against the Netherlands on Tuesday at the same time that Ecuador does the same against Senegal. After a period of rest, the United States’ confrontation with Iran in Group Two is scheduled to start at 2 pm, precisely when England’s match with Wales begins.
The change in schedule creates the closest conditions for competitive balance and fair play, ensuring that teams do not know the score required to reach the knockout stage before they enter the stadium. It discourages teams from improving paths in class by influencing results with tactics such as manipulating goal difference or not playing to win. It also prevents match-fixing.
Politics goes back to a deeply embarrassing moment for international football – which it did One or two or nine – that it deserves a kind of abbreviation: the shame of Gijón. or, in Germany, the Nichtangriffspakt von Gijón (Gijón Non-Aggression Pact).
West Germany and Austria at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, on their way to their final match in group play, knew that a West German win by one or two goals would enable both teams to advance – thus eliminating upstart Algeria, which, after finishing. Group play a day earlier, he needed an Austria win or a draw to move forward.
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the game George V
In the 11th minute, Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany. Then turbidity, laziness, boredom and yawning. For the rest of the match, Georg Vesey wrote in The New York Times, “West Germany kicked more backwards than forwards”. The arrangement ensured passage for both teams.
In his book on the rise of African football,feet of chameleonIan Hook wrote that the Algerian fans waved banknotes to the players, and that German television called it “the most shameful day in the history of our Football Association”.
Algeria complained to FIFA, but no penalty would be imposed. Instead, FIFA responded by amending its rules: starting with the 1986 World Cup, all final matches in a group would be played concurrently. So, they are now.
Enjoy the mess. Embrace the absurd.
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