Euro 2020 and Copa America Football Tournaments.

I almost had a heart attack. OH MY GOD!
I couldn't watch overtime. I was too nervous and fast-forwarded, then I watched the penalty series. Locatelli almost killed me when he missed the first one. Great Donnarumma, great Jorginho!
Wow! We are in the final.
I will watch overtime now that I know that we won.

 

You know, for all the dominance (65% possession), Spain only shot 4 times on target. Do you know how many times did Italy shoot on target? 4, too. Like I said, we also had our opportunities. Possession doesn't win games.
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That was a cool penalty by Jorginho.
Cool, calm, and collected!

 

Argentina leading 1-0 despite Colombia actually playing much better - Colombia had multiple opportunities to score an equalizer, but they haven't managed to do it, yet. 43 minutes.

 

Spain's midfielder Sergio Busquets said, "we demonstrated we were superior to them.”

Usually classy gentlemen praise the competitors (which Mancini did). Idiotic arrogant Busquets did the opposite.

Here is what I have to say to him:

No, Busquets, you didn't demonstrate that you were superior to us. You demonstrated that you had more possession (which doesn't win games), and just as many shots on target (4 for each team) and just as many goals (1 for each team) but only 2 PKs scored versus our 4. You demonstrated that you are going back home and we are staying in London. You demonstrated that you lost and we won. You demonstrated that you are not in the final, and we are.

By the way, judging by your criteria, Switzerland played better than you, despite having 10 men and having Embolo lost to injury. And we handled Switzerland 3-0, with Embolo, and with 11 men. So, no, you haven't demonstrated any superiority. You lost. L. O. S. T. Lost. Get it?

There. It's been corrected for you, Busquets. You're welcome.

 

Argentina - Columbia is a barn burner.

Italy Spain not to bad. Italy showed some serious weakness, got away with it.
Spain's goalie and his Neuer imitations, looked lost to often and during the goal had no clue, very strange performance, great of the line, but than......

 

The Better Team lost. Italy did not play good. Was completly out of it in OT and most of the second half. Spain's goalie lost the game for them. That ball he just watched, thought it would go wide.

 

Colombia is an animal, they throw everything in. Argentina is in a serious fight.

 

1:1 what a finish

 

No. A team that played more possession today lost. I'm not sure if Spain is a better team than Italy (defense counts, too). And no, actually we had the biggest opportunity in OT.

Spain had a good game. But then, they didn't against a weakened Switzerland, while we easily handled a full-force Switzerland.

Overall we had a better Euro than Spain, so I fail to see how "the better team" lost.

We are fully deserving finalists.

 

Yes, incredible.
Given that they don't have OT in Copa America, if the Argentine ball doesn't go in, then it's PK series.

 

Wow. Colombia vs. Argentina, grinding game, South American style.
1-1 full time.
Penalty shootout now.

 

Soot out
What agame

 

That was a game, the best I have seen for a long time

 

Yes, excellent game, by far the best Copa America game.
A real semi-final.
Brazil also got some heat from Peru.
After a lukewarm tournament, the semis were good.

 

Hollllllllly cow the Argentine goalie.


Argentinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

Argentina prevails on PKs.
The final everybody wanted to see is set: Argentina vs. Brazil.

 

That will be a game Saturday

What a battle horse Messi is. He wants it so bad, blood sweat and tears. Never expected that of him.

 

The fight of the giants.

HA

 

If anyone is going to beat England I'd want it to be Denmark.

 

I suggest Italy.

 

I'm not that sure that Brazil is better than Argentina. It's sufficient for Messy to hit one of those signature free kicks and Brazil is in trouble. I think the odds for each team are rather 50-50. Brazil has the home field advantage but this is pretty meaningless in an empty stadium. And it does seem like Argentina is way more motivated than Brazil.

Even though I root for Brazil, I'm starting to respect Messi's effort and feel like it will be indeed a pity if in 10 attempts to win a trophy with his national team, he doesn't get it done (so far he is zero for nine). In terms of a historic perspective in soccer, most likely all neutral fans in the world want Messi to accomplish it. I still want Brazil to win, but I guess, it's hard not to feel good for Messi if he gets it done, so this would be the silver lining for even Brazilian fans in case Argentina wins it, in case they can get passed the rivalry and pay respect to one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

Most likely it will be the rare Brazilian fan who will feel this way, due to the intense rivalry, but those whose love for the game is similar to their love for the country may find in their hearts some consolation, based on the privilege of witnessing History in the fact of seeing a great player finally succeed with his national team. You know, telling their grandkids, "I saw the great Lionel Messi lift a trophy for his national team."

 

This is probably too politically charged but if Brazil really wants this trophy, they should put some fans on the stands. Maracanã is huge so this could be accomplished with safety. Say, like it was done for the Super Bowl, donate tickets to vaccinated healthcare workers and get them spaced out with good social distancing. Get another section for families in the same household, fully vaccinated, and with large distances between one family cluster and the next. Just look at the energy at the Euros. It's very different when your team feeds upon the hearts and minds of fans who attend the game in person.

Or do it with fully vaccinated healthcare workers only, as a way of thanking them. Even the political opponents who called the government irresponsible for accepting to host Copa America in the middle of the pandemic would have trouble criticizing this move.

 

I could live with that, but....

 

I wish Messi had more help around him but he doesn't, and that's why my crystal ball sez Argentina is going to lose to Brazil.

 

They could put fans in the stands and your proposal is more than reasonable, imo.

Consider that there were 22,500 people at the Super Bowl on February 7th - 1/3 the capacity of Raymond James Stadium - and more out tailgating, etc., and despite the fact everyone wasn't vaccinated the game and surrounding events didn't cause a spike in cases - they actually continued to drop in the Tampa area after the Supe. Of course, there were safety protocols in place - people were required to wear masks and social distance and there were designated areas for some fans, but they pulled it off without it turning into the "super spreader" that many people predicted.