Germany v Poland last night

[RP]

It was obvious the Poles were playing for a draw - the commentators said so, the Polish fans seemed happy with 0-0 and the players (notably the GK) were time-wasiting from a very early stage.

 

But for the life of me, I cannot work out why. They needed 3 points.

 

What am I missing?

[Knox_Harrington]

It was obvious the Poles were playing for a draw - the commentators said so, the Polish fans seemed happy with 0-0 and the players (notably the GK) were time-wasiting from a very early stage.

 

But for the life of me, I cannot work out why. They needed 3 points.

 

What am I missing?

Couldn't agree more with that. It bemused me totally.

[StevieC]

Maybe they were content with the fact that this time they got to kick off first.

[Gilps]

Buggered if I know. The draw would've left them needing Ecuador to lose to both CR and ermany but them to beat CR. A combined set of results that seems unlikely.

 

Now for what I'm missing - can anyone explain why Germany haven't technically qualified for the next round yet. Wouldn't the result against Costa Rica be decisive if they both ended on 6 points?

[Boca]

If they had managed a draw and Costa Rica beat Equador they would still have a chance at qualifying. In the last games they would be favourites to beat Costa Rica and then if Germany beat Equador, Poland would have gone through.... I think

[Roscoe]

some desperate hope that the other results would suit them and they might still squeeze through? Bizzare it was though...but I don't know enough about their, ahem, sporting rivalry to know whether the Poles would have greeted a draw with rapture and gone home happy...?

[John am Rhein]

It was obvious the Poles were playing for a draw - the commentators said so, the Polish fans seemed happy with 0-0 and the players (notably the GK) were time-wasiting from a very early stage.

 

But for the life of me, I cannot work out why. They needed 3 points.

 

What am I missing?

 

Looked that was to me as well. Perhaps they'd all bet on a 0-0 ;-)

 

Assuming they were actually interested in reaching the 'eighth-final' (sic) they must have been banking on beating Costa Rica which would have given them 4 points. A win for Ecuador this afternoon (quite likely) would than have knocked them out.

 

Or perhaps they expect Ecuador to beat Germany

 

Daft!

 

If they had managed a draw and Costa Rica beat Equador

 

They'd be better of hoping Ecuador field an ineligible player.

[Ostrich Man]

their defences heldout for a bit longer than in 1939....so thats some improvement

[Stevie H]

their defences heldout for a bit longer than in 1939....so thats some improvement

[Des]

their defences heldout for a bit longer than in 1939....so thats some improvement

 

*Family Fortunes noise*

[Ostrich Man]

dey bombed our chippy der fockers

[jimmylibel]

 

Now for what I'm missing - can anyone explain why Germany haven't technically qualified for the next round yet. Wouldn't the result against Costa Rica be decisive if they both ended on 6 points?

 

If say Costa Rica beat Ecuador and Poland and Ecuador beat Germany in the last match that would leave all three on 6 points. You're right in saying that Germany having the better 'head to head' record against Costa Rica should be the main criteria in qualifying, but in that scenario Costa Rica would have the better 'head to head' against Ecuador and Ecuador would have the better 'head to head' against Germany.

 

Effectively the 'head to head' criteria would be null and void, which means it would come down to goal difference.

 

It was obvious the Poles were playing for a draw - the commentators said so, the Polish fans seemed happy with 0-0 and the players (notably the GK) were time-wasiting from a very early stage.

 

But for the life of me, I cannot work out why. They needed 3 points.

 

What am I missing?

 

Was thinking the same thing last night. What they'd actually be relying on would be Ecuador to win both of their remaining matches against Costa Rica and Germany.

 

Was quite bizarre to be honest. They deserve to be the first team out of the competition.