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2022 FIFA World Cup of Marketing (with soccer tournament)


Hongbit

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Fox Sports Australia: Match fixing, bribery claim rocks opening World Cup game between Qatar and Ecuador

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The opening game of the 2022 Qatar World Cup is set to take place under a cloud of controversy after allegations of match-fixing emerged.

The host nation, Qatar, will start the tournament against Ecuador at 3am (AEDT) at Al Bayt Stadium, following the opening ceremony.

Qatar is ranked 50th in the world, and pundits do not expect it to challenge for the top two positions in Group A, with the Netherlands heavily favoured to win the group and Ecuador and Senegal fighting for second place.

The lead-up to the tournament has been marred by various controversies, particularly the country’s treatment of migrant workers and intolerance towards homosexuality.

In this latest potential scandal, author and political affairs expert Amjad Taha alleges Qatar has bribed multiple Ecuadorian players to lose the opening match on purpose, using a total sum of $US7.4 million ($11.1 million).

Taha claims to have confirmed the scheme’s existence with “insiders” in both camps, and says it would involve a 1-0 scoreline, with the goal coming in the second half.

 

What a disgrace this entire thing has been. I refuse to watch the World Cup this year.

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1-1 tie is a fantastic result for USA because they played like complete dogshit.    So ugly.

Sloppy on defense along with a complete inability to generate any offense.   Every cross into the box was easily defended by Wales.   Hopefully this was just nerves from young side but they need to figure a lot of things out in a short time.   

Edited by Hongbit
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US has been much better in this game.  but, they were good in the first half of the wales game until wales made an adjustment at halftime to bring in a striker and play long ball and the us couldnt cope.

will england make an adjustment?  dont know.  i dont know why they arent pressing our centerbacks when they have the ball.  the us tries to play out of the back and cant, but even our terrible centerbacks can make a pass when they have no pressure.  i expect england to press more in the second half.

same for the us.  england's weakness is harry maguire and john stones on the ball.  theyve been doing a good job so far in preventing bellingham and rice from getting the ball and moving forward.  let's see if they get more aggressive in the press.

gio is the us's most skilled player and he hasnt played a minute yet.  id like to see him come on later.  maybe a second half sub for wright to add another body in midfield.

i doubt one american player would make this english team so being tied with them at the break is a great job by the us.  and they were the better team for much of the half.

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I don't care for soccer. No offense to those who do. The skill and endurance required is extremely impressive, it's just not for me.

I really just want to see England lose to the US in a sport they care about 10-fold more than us. It'd be like England beating us in American football, though maybe not quite as extreme.

Scoreboard since 1776, bitches.

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3 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

Isn't that sort of like saying, "It only takes one earthquake to level the town" Doesn't mean it's particular fun to sit up on the hill and watch the city all day long waiting for it.....

:classic_rolleyes:

no, its not like that at all.

there's a lot of tension in a game where one score means everything.  and there's always something happening - unlike american sports where the most common event during the game is a commercial.

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I always think the World Cup is a funny experience in the US, where everyone who doesn't watch a lick of soccer comes out of the woodwork every four (.... or eight) years pounding their chest while chanting "USA" and suddenly knows everything there is to know. They challenge every officials call (who has been working these games for 30+ years), and thinks they could do a better job than X, Y, or Z. When in fact we have no idea what the hell we are talking about. If I actually understood the sport and was passionate about it, I'd probably hate us all too... And despite saying I wouldn't watch this year, I tuned in for today, so clearly they're doing something right.

Like I said, I respect the game a lot, it's just not for me. I was a bit imprudent in my "inferior" comment earlier. Hopefully my comments come off in the ironic and self-deprecating way they are intended, and not as a shot at those who genuinely enjoy the game.

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A much better match from USA yesterday.  I liked Gregg making the formation adjustment.   The defense was excellent and they even managed to overcome their 2nd Zimmerman moment in as many games.  I’m still confused how this team is going to score goals.   The haven’t figured out to effectively connect and finish on any crosses.  Pulisic continues to serve great balls into the right places but nobody can get a head or leg on it.     This is more than just bad luck as they are lacking players that can finish.   

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half of france's team is hurt.  denmark isnt a bad side and could nick points off them.

i dont know which one would be sweeter: watching mexico lose or watching the argies go home early in "messi's last world cup."

who am i kidding, the answer is always "watching mexico lose."

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france only really need a point to advance so 0-0 could be in the cards.

but this is france.  theyre just as likely to fall asleep and give up a goal and then chase the game.  plus they are down to their 3rd choices om defense if varane is still out.

fortunately they have the deepest team in the world other than brazil.

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