FIFA World Cup 2022

[Baddar]

Has it been established if there's been less time wasting/not as many injuries leading to long stoppages in the past week or so, or have they just toned down the added time a bit?

And the one game tipped to go all the way has indeed gone to extra time.

[Szumi]

Croatia taking off both Modric and Kovacic is a pretty big gamble 

[Adam]

Jermaine Jenas there, saying extra time "should be looked at" as if it's a problem.

Did anyone have a problem with the 2010 or 2014 Finals ending in extra time? Or even 1966? Football tournaments should be decided by football games as far as possible, not lotteries.

[gunnar hendershow]

Extra time should be looked at in that teams are sometimes all to willing to take it to penalities instead of even trying to win. But it's a vastly superior way to determine matches than any other option.

[Colly]

Jermaine Jenas needs looking at.

[Adam]

7 minutes ago, damhausen said:

Extra time should be looked at in that teams are sometimes all to willing to take it to penalities instead of even trying to win. But it's a vastly superior way to determine matches than any other option.

I don't see any better alternatives, they've tried everything else. Replays are too much, penalties only too little. Golden/Silver goal didn't catch on when they tried it either, and I say that as the supporter of a team who got promoted by Golden Goal once upon a time.

[Szumi]

I miss Golden Gold extra time, but I think you're going to get a lot of incredibly boring extra times no matter what.

[Chris2K]

Ah the neutral penalty shoot out, one of the simple joys of life.

[Bobfoc]

That was a poor first penalty.

[Chris2K]

Horror one to start. Both the penalty, and that God-forsaken FIFA penalty angle.

Oh Japan, not like this.

[Bobfoc]

I can't see Croatia throwing this away now.

[Szumi]

Minamino took a terrible penalty. Can't use tired legs as an excuse there either.

Livakovic coming up huge!!

[Captain Kirk]

What are those penalties about? Shocking.

Just now, Szumi - A Polack said:

Minamino took a terrible penalty. Can't use tired legs as an excuse there either.

Livakovic coming up huge!!

Need power or accuracy they chose neither. All over for Japan I’m afraid.

[Chris2K]

Terrible penalty? Croatia says hold my non-alcoholic beer.

And then Japan takes that beer back. This has been dreadful.

[Szumi]

What a weird ass penalty 

[GoGo Yubari]

I don't know if I've seen a national team take penalties this collectively bad before. What a shame.

[Baddar]

They were some very poor Japanese penalties. 

[Captain Kirk]

Just now, Chris2K said:

Terrible penalty? Croatia says hold my non-alcoholic beer.

And then Japan takes that beer back. This has been dreadful.

They can afford the executive seats so they get the real stuff.

[Bobfoc]

That's a shame for Japan. They were one of the most fun teams to watch at this year's competition.

Credit to Croatia, though. For a nation with under four million people and a team that only started playing international football in 1994, they have a very impressive World Cup record.

[Chris2K]

I do feel sorry for Japan, but all of those penalties deserved nothing. Even the one that went in was nowhere near a corner and at perfect saving height if the keeper went the right way.

Classy Perisic going to commiserate the Japan players first.