We had it, then – the most crazy, stressful and changeable day of the group stage. Group E brought the madness and Liverpool news could yet yield similar uncertainty if it comes to pass.
Today at the World Cup
Disallowed goals, non-disallowed goals, raging pundits, furious Germans and dismal Belgians. What a day.
- Early kick-off blues for Belgium, or perhaps just the fact they have been an abomination. 0-0 with Croatia and home they go
- Morocco meanwhile made all kinds of history and are the first African side to top a World Cup group since 1998, beating Canada in Group F
- Later, EVERYTHING CHANGED A LOT. In the end, Costa Rica who were fourth favourites and started the day third were at one stage second and yet somehow ended up last. Germany were losing, again, yet won 4-2 and still went out
- Japan, meanwhile, came from behind to beat Spain and top the group – Spain finish second in one of the strangest group outcomes which could have been imagined. Well, at some stages of the evening, anyway
Where on earth do we begin? Let’s start at the bottom: Belgium. There, that’s done. They were truly, truly atrocious and are deservedly going home.
Morocco, on the other hand, have played the group stage perfectly. On they go to face Spain as a reward for winning the group, somehow.
Croatia almost fluffed it, Germany did fluff it, winning but going out while Spain lost and go through.
Got it? Good.
Oh, and congratulations Japan.
LFC today
Looking increasingly as though Liverpool could be partially sold with an investor taking a minority stake, rather than full control.
One major name out of Boston says so at least, with the Boston Globe reporting that a new investor buying a quantity of the club off FSG is “more likely” than an outright sale to new owners.
That report also suggests that while some potential buyers have been dismissed, there has also been a lack of a truly “compelling offer” for an outright buy of the entirety of LFC.
Clearly, there’s a while to go yet and we should anticipate twists and turns along the way, particularly since Man United are also on the market and on a wider scale, anything could yet happen with Juventus in Italy given the unrest at senior level of the club and pending UEFA investigations.
Latest Liverpool FC news
- The Jude Bellingham charm offensive is well and truly on with Trent’s friendship with the midfielder on full show in Qatar – though Dortmund say there will be no gifts for the Reds despite a strong relationship between the clubs
- Julian Ward is on his way out of Liverpool this summer but the rest of the Reds hierarchy still expect it to be a case of a “consistent” approach when it comes to transfers and off-field matters
- Another backroom staff member at Anfield is set to depart and head for Rangers, with Michael Beale plundering Merseyside as well as QPR for those he has previously worked with
Something you may have missed…
Let’s be clear to start: there’s no absolute evidence right at this moment. But my word, is there one hell of a debate raging.
The whole of the ball over the whole of the line. Everyone knows that. That's it. But goodness that's tight. pic.twitter.com/dWIDyl2wqM
— Nick Harris (@sportingintel) December 1, 2022
Germany went out because, in effect, this wasn’t given as out of play. Japan’s second sent them top, but without it they would have been out entirely.
Obviously, people around the world have mixed feelings to this.
The point Souness is missing while he complains about Japan’s second goal, is that if the ball did go out and that eliminated Germany, that makes it even funnier
— Matthew Stanger (@MatthewStanger) December 1, 2022
But because the original call was in, and there’s no definitive way of showing it was out, the goal stands. Japan through, Germany go home.
Ok seems the angle from above shows it’s in play. Fair enough!
Amazing that it all came down to the curvature of the ball. Well done Japan! https://t.co/WHyj524CXi
— Adrian Clarke (@adrianjclarke) December 1, 2022
FIFA, as ever, in the mud for not clearing up how decisions were reached.
Friday’s matches and LFC aspects
- 3am: South Korea vs Portugal
- 3pm: Ghana vs Uruguay
- 7pm: Cameroon vs Brazil
- 7pm: Serbia vs Switzerland
From an LFC perspective, Alisson could be rested and Fabinho might get a run out, with the Selecao already through. The big focus, though, is the earlier kick-off and a decade-old grudge match.
Darwin Nunez will surely start for Uruguay and boy do they need a goal or two from him, and a win, as they look to overcome Ghana who are still full of fury and hatred toward ex-Red Luis Suarez for his 2010 handball antics.
That game could be the most back-and-forth and incident filled yet, which is saying something after Thursday.
A draw will do it for Ghana; elsewhere Serbia need a decent win over Shaqiri and the Swiss to stand a chance to progress.
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