World Cup 2022

[Мастер]

Anyone wathced it?

I wathced the second half at the Irish pub around the corner. The final score was the same as the half-time score, but there were some rather tense moments.

Perhaps Ms Ivana Knoll will deliver proportionately with her team's performance.

The bar workers mostly seemed to be on the side of good in tomorrow's battle against evil.

[Richard A]

I missed the Morocco - Croatia match as well as we were out doing Christmas shopping. (Well, some of it!) It would have been good to see Morocco return as 3rd place holders, but my Croatian colleague will be pleased with the result, so fair enough.

I agree with Arneb's ambivalence over whom to support in the final. I have the same views of Argentina and 1986 as Arneb - and the entire German nation - have about England and 1966. France - yeah, I see Arneb's points entirely. But at the same time, given how insulting my government has been towards France, I feel I kind of owe it to Les Bleus to support them. So France it is.

[Arneb]

Aah, come on, Les Frogs can afford to lose one. Poor Argentina have lost a WC Final twice in a row now , it's their turn.

[Мастер]

Ok, that’s one for Argentina!

[Arneb]

Messiiiiiiiii!

[Мастер]

Messiiiiiiiii!

If one is good, two are better!

[Arneb]

Wow, what a counter. Messi the decisive man again.

2 - 0

[Мастер]

The Forces of Darkness are not going quietly.

[Мастер]

End of second half, the Forces of Darkness have caught up.

[Richard A]

Argentina have indeed been stellar. But also, France have not been the team they were in earlier games. Until now.

[Arneb]

In the first half of ET. Looks like Argentina can be happy to survive into penalties.

[Lianachan]

When Argentina were 2-0 up I did say to those assembled here that it would be good if France “did a Netherlands” to get get it back to 2-2 and then ultimately lost, just for the spectacle of it.

[Arneb]

Let's see about the second part....

[Мастер]

When Argentina were 2-0 up I did say to those assembled here that it would be good if France “did a Netherlands” to get get it back to 2-2 and then ultimately lost, just for the spectacle of it.

Playing with fire . . .

[Мастер]

[Arneb]

Messiiiiiiiiiiii again.

[Arneb]

Oh dear!

3 all

[Мастер]

Feckin’ Frenchies

[Arneb]

Happy happy penalties!

[Мастер]

Ok, Forces of Light prevailing so far.

[Arneb]

AR. GEN. TINA!

[Мастер]

The Forces of Darkness vanquished!

[Lianachan]

AR. GEN. TINA!

I’ve been saying that all along

[Arneb]

And they thoroughly deserve this one, dominating France (I mean France) for 80 min. and always coming back. It was a riveting final. I think in football terms, the level was higher than in '14 (not to mention '18), although '14 for me will always be the definition of Noche Mágica.

Boy were those two teams good!

[Richard A]

Weren’t they just! And Arneb made a good point. Mbappe can, probably will, be back in 2026 (although Italy and Sweden have taught us not to bet on anything). But Messi won’t. This was Argentina’s moment. But it also turned, at the end, into one hell of a game.