Big Ibou took centre stage in Qatar for his third appearance at the finals, while away from the World Cup there’s yet more midfield transfer talk for Liverpool.
Today at the World Cup
Be honest, how many of you were googling how group stage teams were separated if goal difference and goals scored were level?
- Australia broke all kinds of their own World Cup records to see off Denmark and qualify for the last 16
- That result rendered Tunisia beating France sadly irrelevant for the Africans, who thought they had scaled the mountain for all of two minutes
- Lionel Messi missed a penalty but Argentina still had enough to beat an utterly shocking Poland
- But the Poles still just about made it through despite Mexico finally getting their shooting boots sent to Qatar and beating Saudi Arabia
In some ways, the very last goal of the night was the most important and remedying, while in other ways that same goal was totally irrelevant.
Until Saudi Arabia’s consolation in the 2-1 defeat, Mexico were below Poland in Group C on the very weird and frankly wrong-feeling criteria of having had fewer yellow cards, with each of points, goal difference, goals scored and head to head all level.
Given Poland were as passive, defensive-minded, utterly useless and non committal in that final fixture as any team has been all the way through the tournament, a lack of aggression feels a dismal way to decide.
Enzo Fernandez had himself a good game, mind.
Thankfully, the Saudi consolation meant a more reasonable goal difference separated the sides.
Anyway, earlier in the day it was history for the Socceroos as they made it through to the knockouts, with Denmark as bad at 3pm as Poland were at 7pm, or indeed as bad as Belgium have been all month.
Fair play Tunisia for doing what they could, but they go home as well.
LFC today
Liverpool want an AC Milan midfielder, AC Milan want two of Liverpool’s midfielders.
Our ones are not so tough to decide; they were linked with Naby Keita last summer and that’s still the case now, with the Rossoneri hoping they can land him on a free.
But they also want Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for free, say Italian outlet Calciomercato.
Also in Italy, and somewhat more reputably, Corriere dello Sport say Jurgen Klopp is very keen to sign Ismael Bennacer, with the suggestion we’ve already offered a proposal.
He has 18 months left and the Reds are among the teams keen – but the report also says we place Jude Bellingham higher.
Latest Liverpool FC news
- Sven Mislintat, the former Dortmund and Arsenal DoF, is the first big name in the frame linked with the Reds’ soon-to-be-vacant sporting director role
- Ibou Konate was hailed as the “only good thing” in France’s performance after they lost to Tunisia – and he set a World Cup record along the way for good measure
- And the Reds have announced an expansion of 4,300 rail seats in the Kop after a successful first trial last season
Something you may have missed…
History is set to be made on Thursday! ?
There will be an all-female refereeing trio taking charge for the first time at a men's #FIFAWorldCup in the match between Costa Rica and Germany.
Referee Stéphanie Frappart will be joined by assistants Neuza Back and Karen Diaz. ? pic.twitter.com/fgHfh2DICK
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 30, 2022
Congrats, football and FIFA.
It has only taken just shy of a century to take the big, difficult and painful step from having men referee men’s games and have them be consistently pretty poor, to finally allowing a woman to referee one having proven herself better than most over a long, long, long, long, long period of time.
What cause for celebration.
What immense inclusivity.
What on earth have they been watching for the last 20 years and more, that it took until now for this change to take effect?
Stephanie Frappart will make history on Thursday, in charge of Costa Rica and Germany.
Thursday’s matches and LFC aspects
- 3pm: Croatia vs Belgium
- 3pm: Canada vs Morocco
- 7pm: Japan vs Spain
- 7pm: Costa Rica vs Germany
Not much in the way of Reds to look forward to on Thursday but Lovren and Minamino are there as former players. We were also linked with Sofyan Amrabat this week, who will be in midfield for Morocco.
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