Latest / Friends on Football / Ep. 16 - Group Stage Review, The Knockouts Begin and USMNT vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina Preview

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Ep. 16 - Group Stage Review, The Knockouts Begin and USMNT vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina Preview · Friends on Football

• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: Hello, friends, and welcome back to another episode of the Friends on Football Podcast.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: I am one of your hosts, Sean Boyle, and joining me as always is Mr.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: Brandon Johnson.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Brandon, how are you today?
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, I'm great.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's another great day.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Excited to dive into these knockout games with you.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to be a fun one.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the knockouts are underway.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: We already have one in the books.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: Canada, unfortunately, have clinched a berth in the round of 16.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: They're the first team to do so.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_01: We've got a lot to get to.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: We're going to do a quick group stage recap, kind of go through some of the best teams, some of the most disappointing teams.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_01: We'll touch on what we got right, what we got wrong throughout our previews of those group stages.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: Then we're going to dive into these knockouts.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: We're going to talk through all of the matchups in the round of 32.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: And then lastly, we will spend a little bit of extra time on the United States men's national team in their matchup with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night, which is going to be an exciting game.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: It's also going to be a nerve-wracking game.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll save the best for last and do a deep dive on the US MNT in just a bit.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: Brandon, we have to start here.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Mr.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_01: Infantino, you have been at every game in Philly.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: You're Mr.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: Philly, you're Mr.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: FIFA.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: Tell me about your experience at gigs this past week.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Sean.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: I don't appreciate the nickname, but I guess I'll I'll wear it at this point.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: You're not a bad operator.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: No, no, no.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: All in good faith, all in good health.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: So so we're happy with that.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I went to the two games here in Philly this week.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: We had Ivory Coast and Curacao and then Croatia Ghana.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: Ivory Coast Curacao, Sean, was an interesting one.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: Uh both teams didn't really have the largest fan groups, I would say.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Ivory Coast, I mean, they're dealing with a travel ban.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's a smaller country as is.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: And then Curacao is only a country of about 150,000 people total on the island.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: So smaller groups.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: So there was a large general population, if you will, just casual soccer fan, people bringing their kids, uh, which is great.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: You you love to see it.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: You love that people are able to get into a World Cup game and see it.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: So the atmosphere, I would say, is a little lower than the other games in Philly.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, the game itself, Ivory Coast, pretty much was on top from minute one, winning toot eventually.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: The other game, Sean, uh, Croatia Ghana was an interesting one.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: I think Croatia had a lot more people than I thought.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um I will put a hand up and say that I did not know much about the country, where it was in Europe, uh, their history.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't know much about it.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: So this podcast and some additional research, you know, in the car on the way to the game, uh, taught me a lot about them.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: But we decided to join the Croatia Fan March, which was something that we did a little differently.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: Most of the games we've been going to the bar next to the stadium to hang out and cheer there and get ready for the game there.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: This time we decided to meet with the Croatia fans and march with them through South Philly.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, incredible experience.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I don't know any Croatian, so there's I was a little lacking there, but it was such a fun, fun opportunity to get to do that.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: My wife and I were taking videos, we're walking.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: We actually got stopped by somebody and they said, like, how did you end up on this march?
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, because they could tell like we weren't we didn't fit in with them.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: But it was, I mean, Sean, it was it was a ton of fun being able to be part of that and and see that and feel that energy around the game.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: And then the game itself, uh, I and I will say, Ghana, they also showed up.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: This was probably the the closest to 50-50 I've seen the crowds.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: I definitely think Croatia had more, but uh very good, good atmosphere both ways, fans cheering on both sides.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: And then just a small note I wanted to add.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: There was a little boy sitting in front of me, Sean, who it was his first World Cup game.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: He and his family are from Connecticut.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, he was probably about eight or nine years old.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: And the joy this kid had just to be in the stadium, and we get to talk in.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: I found out find out his name's Owen.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: He's from Connecticut.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: They drove down for the weekend to watch the game.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: And he's talking to me, and it's so funny, Sean.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: He predicted two of the three goals.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: He literally said, I kid you not, Sean.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: At halftime, he's like, Croatia's gonna score in the, I think it was 72nd minute, and he's like, Ghana's gonna score, or other right around, Croatia's gonna score in the 82nd minute, and Ghana's gonna score in the 72nd minute.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I kid you not, he was on point for both of those moments.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: It was like the weirdest thing I'd I'd ever seen.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: And he was just so happy.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: I was happy.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: It was it was just great to see that joy and having somebody who's so young be in love with this game at that age because that's someone who you know you want to see grow and and potentially play soccer at a high level.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: So it was a great experience.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I'm done going to the games in Philly.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: I will not be at the game on the 4th of July.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: The budget does not allow for that one.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: But uh overall, I I Philly did a great job.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Like, shout out to everybody involved with the Philly planning and organization, uh, the fanfest as well, which is a little bit separate from the games, but that's going strong.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, just a just a big shout out to everybody in Philly for what they've done.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_01: Shout out Owen and and not too young to like and subscribe, Owen.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: I I love that.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_01: It sounds like he's well on his way to being much better at this than we are.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_01: We have I have not predicted a single goal correctly, especially down at the minute.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: So I can't even imagine that.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: I wanted to kind of backtrack on a couple things you touched on.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_01: While you were at the Ivory Coast Curacao game, I went to the Ivory Coast official watch party bar in the city, which was Lions Bar in the heart of Chinatown, which makes little to no sense.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll tell you this: there was not many Ivory Coast fans there.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_01: It was overrun by Ecuadorians because they played at the same time against Germany and they needed a win to move on into the knockouts.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_01: They got that win, and the eruption in the bar was second to none.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: They were dancing around with the flags over their shoulders.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: It was a cool scene.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't get to go to the matches, but I was in the city these days, and I can echo your sentiments about the Croatian supporters.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: They were running amok.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: They completely took over Khan Murphy's an Irish pub in Philly.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: They had Croatia, it looked like a Croatian pub by the time they got done decorating.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that was where they watched the match.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they were everywhere.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_01: I saw them crash a wedding next to Love Park City Hall.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_01: They just completely took over a giant Croatian flag flying overhead on some American couple's wedding day, which was cool to see.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, just really good vibes in the city, like you mentioned.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: It seemed like they did a great job hosting.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: I I couldn't recommend to anyone any more.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_01: I couldn't give a stronger recommendation to just go get amongst it.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: That's the term I would like to use.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: Whether you go down by the stadium and get amongst it there, whether you go in Center City and watch at a soccer bar, or if you go to Fan Fest, whatever you do, you're going to meet fans of all different teams from all different countries who just have a similar interest and just want to have a good time.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: So I think your experiences were very important to tell the listeners about because it's something everybody, I think, would enjoy experiencing once for themselves.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: I completely, completely agree with you, Sean.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: It was such an incredible experience, and you know, I'm so fortunate to be able to have done that.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted to give you one other little note.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I believe it was the Brazil game, the second game uh that happened in Philly.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: We were at the the bar next to the stadium before the game, and it was a Brazilian, basically a Brazilian pregame tailgate.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: They had the drums, the music, the the DJ, everything's going off.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: And to the side, I see this woman.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: She's dressed well, she's she's wearing a credential, and I can read the credential because the FIFA credentials are massive.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: But it says Meg Kane, and I know that name, Meg Kane, because she's basically the woman that's in charge of Philadelphia soccer.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: So she was hired a few years ago before any of this World Cup's talk even started, really, to basically be the person in charge of the Philadelphia Planning Committee.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I could see the joy that she had on her face because for her, I'm sure this was a great moment.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like she helped to, she was the architect of this.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: So I just wanted to give her a shout-out as well.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I saw her take a video on her phone and she was with some, I don't know if they were colleagues or friends, but you could see the joy on her face.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: And as someone who was involved, I guess, a little bit when I was working at my previous job about with the planning of the World Cup, to see her, who's at the very top level doing this and planning all of this and having a just a moment of enjoyment.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so just a big shout out to her because she's, I'm sure she's had some sleepless nights for the last few years.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: And to see it all come together, um, it's got to be a special feeling.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: So big shout out to to Meg and her team at the Philly Soccer 2026 group.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: That's well said, Brandon, because it's very easy for us to sit back and enjoy this.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's very hard for there to be this big thing on the horizon for several years, and to have one of your primary jobs be to making sure it goes successfully and for it to seemingly go off without a hitch in Philly has been great news.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, throughout the country, it's been pretty smooth sailing, and everybody's gotten to enjoy the tournament and let the football be the story.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: So let's get into the football because we've got a lot to get to in terms of what happened in the group stage.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: We've had some surprise exits, we've had some dominant performances.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: Let's start, Brandon, with the most impressive teams.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: I'll kick it over to you.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: We could just kind of go one by one, bouncing off each other, saying who impressed us the most.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: I think, and and maybe this is the obvious one, but France really impressed me.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: They had one bad half, I would say, in the first half against Senegal, but after that, it's been flying.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: And to have that game against Norway uh at the end of last week and Killian Mbappe doesn't score, he had two assists, so he still had a good game, of course.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: But Dembele Hattrick, Desiree Due comes off the bench and scores a goal.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: So if they're scoring in four and five goals a game and they don't even have their best player, arguably their best player scoring, that's dangerous.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: So that would be my first one.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_01: I had them first as well.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_01: They look unreal, especially in possession when they have the ball.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: Every time they go forward, it looks as though they will score.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: It's a frightening trio up top.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: You can even add in that attacking midfielder position to make it a foursome that's going forward, and anytime they get on the ball, it's just scary stuff.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_01: I did predict them to not make the semifinals.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: I wish I could walk that one back.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: We'll get into that in a bit with some stuff we got wrong.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, they've been dominant since that first half, like you mentioned against Senegal, since then just scoring comfortably.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: They scored 10 goals in the knockout or in the group stage, and they don't look like slowing down anytime soon.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_01: The next one for me, I think this one is another straightforward one.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_01: I would say Argentina.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: They're the defending champs.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: They had a lot of expectations coming in, but they were also tempered a bit due to the fact that nobody has repeated as champs in such a long time.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: And we kind of didn't know what we would see from Messi.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_01: He's 38, he's still great, but that's an old age to still be dominating and carrying the team in the World Cup.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_01: And what do you know?
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: He's got six goals in three matches.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_01: He can't stop scoring.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: We could get into what the goalkeeper was doing on that free kick that he scored because that was absolute shambles.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: I've never seen anything quite like that.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, no, Messi's been dominant.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_01: Argentina's defense, they look really difficult to play against.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: So I had France first and Argentina second in terms of who impressed me the most.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, they were also high on my list, Sean.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: I want to change, switch gears just a bit.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: Still most impressed with, but I would put Cabo Verde in there.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think before this World Cup, I mean, we've talked about it on this and offline.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like, we didn't know anything about this team, this country at all.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: And now I'm like, I want to take a trip.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: So Cabo Verde to advance to the knockouts, you know, maybe not the prettiest away, three ties, but hey, they finished second in their group, and that's all that matters.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: So they're through.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: But to to have those three standout performances, so it's not a fluke, you know what I mean?
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: You do it once, okay, twice, all right, let's let's be real, but three times, and and to score, to score multiple goals, it's not like they're all just zero-zero games.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I think unfortunately, they they come up against Argentina next in their 32 game, but you know, whatever happens in that game, you you you have to hold your heads up high and and you have to be proud of what they did in this World Cup.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: So so they're definitely on my my most impressive list.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: That's a good shout.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't actually have them on my list, but I should have.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: That was an omission by me.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, to get out of the group when they weren't not picked by basically anybody too, that's really, really impressive stuff.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: They do play Argentina, but hey, I mean, who's to say they can't shock the world one more time and force a tie?
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_01: Next thing you know, it's in penalties.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you never know what could happen in a knockout game.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_01: And from what we've seen from that, it doesn't seem like they're going to quit in any sort of match or situation.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_01: So I would not be surprised if they at least made it a little bit more difficult than people are expecting for Argentina.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_01: The other team I wanted to just shout out as the last really impressive team for me, and it was mostly because of two different things.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_01: It was their performance on the field was very high level, and then their fan support, and especially Miami, was unreal.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: But Colombia, they absolutely took over Miami against Portugal in the final group stage game.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_01: I was high on them coming in.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: I said the South American teams I was high on in general, and I thought a semifinal dark horse could be in play for Colombia, but I think they've even exceeded my expectations a bit.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: They just look very comfortable.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: They don't look like they're going to concede really at any point.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_01: They have several good attacks that they string together throughout the course of the game.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_01: They should have scored a goal and won that game against Portugal, if not for a toe being offside.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: So I've been impressed with Colombia.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know exactly how far the road will take them, but I don't exactly hate where they've been drawn in the bracket.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_01: So we can talk about that in a little bit too.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: But I think Colombia have been a team that have exceeded my expectations for them.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: I agree with you, Sean.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's a good, a good shout.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I think looking now switching to to the more disappointing teams, for me, number one is is Uruguay.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: I I just they they never put it together.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: They never it seemed to be very disjointed throughout the whole team.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we thought Bielsa would put them together.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: I know you're a Bielsa guy.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm a Bielsa guy as well.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: And unfortunately it didn't work, and they're going home.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: So for me, they're probably one of the largest disappointments in this World Cup.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: They were my number one as well.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_01: Just for a country that has such a rich history in international football to not make it out of the groups in a tournament where so many teams make it out of the group, it's tough.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_01: That's a bad look.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: It's a bad look for Bielsa.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: They just they had some horrendous goalkeeping from Muslera.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_01: He was downright awful, and I would say he cost them two matches, in my opinion.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_01: Which I and that's the thing in tournaments, it comes down to moments, as we talked about, and they did not capitalize in the moments that they needed to, and they're sent home because of it.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't feel bad for them at all.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: I think they just were a complete no-show in this tournament, just not good enough, not up to scratch.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: The other team I had in this category, and listen, they got through and they could they still have time to figure things out, but it's a team we've kind of been going back and forth on, and it's Portugal.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_01: I was very high on them coming in.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: I said, in spite of Cristiano, I still think they could win this World Cup.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: Then they looked horrible in their first match against the Congo.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_01: I said, okay, they're bad.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_01: Then in their second match, Cristiano looks good again, and then I flipped again.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_01: I said, okay, we're back up.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_01: But word out, we're back up.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_01: And then against Colombia, they were absolutely miserable again.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_01: Deserved to lose.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_01: They basically stunk for two out of the three games, and that's just not good enough.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_01: They have a chance now, if they win in the round of 32, they'll play Spain in the round of 16.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I have exactly zero confidence that they'll be able to beat a team of that magnitude at this point.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: I think they were on my list as well, Sean.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: I agree with you.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: I think one final one I'd like to add is South Korea.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: I think coming into this World Cup, I maybe expected a little bit more from them.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, our guy Sonny is the captain and leader of that team, but they they didn't look great.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: And Sonny didn't even actually start that third group siege game.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_00: They brought him off the bench.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I know he didn't have a great World Cup, and we did say it'll probably go as he goes, and he didn't go, but in that group, I still think they should have gotten through.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: And unfortunately didn't do that.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: So I I put them also on my my disappointment list.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I don't think you're out of bounds to do that whatsoever.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_01: They they were not good basically at all in this World Cup.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: So a deserved exit for them, I would say.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_01: And well, a quick transition, it serves me pretty well.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_01: Let's talk about I didn't get much right, Brandon, but one of the things I did get right was I did pick South Africa and to finish second in that group.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_01: So they have exited the tournament as the first loser of the round of 32, but they did at least make it out.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, they after that first game against Mexico where they were a complete disaster, they really did right the shit.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_01: And the second and third games of the group stage, they were pretty good in the knockout game against Canada.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: They fought hard in a couple goal-line clearances.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_01: I can't say they deserved anything out of that match, really.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_01: I thought Canada were the better side, but I I'm happy that the Bafana Bafana at least made it out.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_01: And that was one of the few things I could put my hand up and sell.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_01: But the other two that I think I was kind of correct about were Ivory Coast.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: I said I was going all in on these boys.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, if it wasn't for a late game collapse against Germany, they they win that group.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_01: And even with that still having happened, I still remain very high on them.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_01: Now, unfortunately, they've gotten a really, really tough draw, which we'll get into.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_01: But I I think they've been really good.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_01: And it's weird to see some of the discrepancies in these groups where you feel like there's such good football being played in some groups, and then other groups are just like, oh, there's one good team and three really, really mediocre ones.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_01: They will just they happen to be in a group with some really good teams.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_01: Because even as we saw on the last day, Ecuador, they seem to turn it around a bit too.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: They beat Germany to advance, and I don't think anybody would sign up to play Ecuador willingly in the knockout rounds.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's a really tough opponent as well.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_01: So some of the groups were loaded, some of them were not.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_01: Brandon, what were some of the things that you were right about in your predictions?
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I had a few, a few groups that I predicted that ended exactly as I predicted.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_00: Group B, Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia, Qatar, Group C, Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti, and group F, the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, those are probably easier groups to predict, which is probably why I got those all correct.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: But the other, I guess, thing I would say I think I did decently with most of my player pool players have been doing well.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: We've had some stinkers.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_00: We've had some absolute stinkers.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: But and and kudos to you as well, because I I would think you're probably in a similar boat as I am, where the top half of our teams are flying, absolutely flying.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: And then we have guys who are now at home watching that got us zero points.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: So we we we drafted well.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_00: So so that'll be fun to watch that play out over the next couple of weeks.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: I am excited to see that play out as well.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: I would, if I could right now, I would trade my team for yours.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_01: I think you're in a slightly better spot.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_01: The Raphemia injury killing me.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_01: Goku, he's going home for the birth of his kid.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_01: He missed a game with the fever.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: That's not great.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I would love a full, love a full roster of players if we could write the ship and get it together, boys.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, no, I don't think either of us embarrassed ourselves, which is a good thing.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_01: We've got some guys that are absolutely flying, like you said.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_01: So that's the good news.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_01: Some bad news.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_01: What do we get wrong?
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_01: Quite a bit.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_01: I I sat here on this last program.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: I said Japan will beat Sweden.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_01: Wrong.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: I did guarantee you goals from the French against Norway.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: You did.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: I should that one that was, I was right about that.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: Norway took the took the night off.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: They didn't have any interest in winning an important match.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know what deal with that was.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: Fucking awful.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: Erling needed some goals from you, buddy, but not good there.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh well, one of the big things I got wrong also was Portugal and how high I was on them.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_01: I touched on I thought they could win the World Cup.
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_01: I no longer think they could win the World Cup.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: So maybe that's a famous last words type thing where they figured out and I I'm wrong twice on the same team, which is true.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_01: But as of right now, I would much rather I I wish I said the things that I said about Portugal about France because that was a team I was lower on.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_01: I just thought they would run into some problems, and they still might in one of these matches where they play with their food a bit, and maybe it's just not all clicking in that attack, and some of those guys aren't the best at tracking back and playing out of possession.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_01: So that's where I kind of thought.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_01: But as of right now, they're absolutely flying.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_01: So I would say I would like to apologize for my takes on Portugal, France, and I would like to apologize about Belgium too.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_01: I bought into these guys as one last two raw.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_01: They they won the group, but they didn't deserve to.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_01: They they've been pretty poor.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, I'm not even worried.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: About them if the US gets them in around 16.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_01: Not to see the US will cakewalk through them.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_01: It's just not a team that scares me like Belgium once did.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: For me, Sean, I also had Portugal.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: I put them as a potential dark horse to win the World Cup.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't think that's going to happen.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_00: But again, could be famous last words.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_00: Bruno Fernandez, I thought he could be potentially the MVP of the World Cup with the way he sets the players in the season he came off of in the Premier League.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: That doesn't look very likely at the moment.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_00: Sonny in South Korea, not doing well.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_00: And then the biggest one for me, I would say, and hand up, like super hand, two hands up, because I did not know it was going to go this way.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: But the African teams, Sean, uh, Africa has nine out of their ten teams that qualified into the knockouts.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I, based on just quick numbers, just quick looking at my prediction, I probably only had about five or six.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: And for them to put nine out of ten in, uh, Tunisia was absolutely awful, and they are rightfully going home.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: But the the other nine teams to make it into the knockout stages is incredible.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it goes to show the quality of football on that continent continues to grow.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_00: I think we've always known about the Algerias, Morocco, sort of that northern African region, but now it seems to be that the whole continent is really coming along.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we had teams like Cameroon who didn't even make the World Cup, and Cameroon is is like a staple here.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_00: So I think to have nine out of 10 uh teams from the continent, you know, it's a great tribute to African soccer and something that I think we'll have to have some, me personally, especially, have better eyes on going forward.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_00: So I definitely got that one wrong.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, even like Nigeria, too.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: They're they're usually a power in Africa, and they didn't qualify for this World Cup either.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, the continent as a whole is, like you said, starting to produce more and more talent in this game, which I think is great to see.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_01: Should make for some even better AF Cons, which is one of my favorite tournaments to watch.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm excited about that.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: I do, Brandon, you reminded me of another hand up.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: I have to issue probably double hand up.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_01: Almost every breakout player I gave, they're not even playing.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: I'm in the same boat.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think how about this.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_01: We'll just say this.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: We weren't wrong.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_01: We were just early.
• 24:10
  unknown: Yeah.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: Just early.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_01: We're just it's like literally.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_01: So just go ahead and copy and paste those notes into our show doc for the 2030 World Cup.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll I'll guarantee I'm still supporting Endric, Nico Paz, all the boys, Kendrick Paez, yeah, all the guys that don't register minutes in this one.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna run it back to 2030.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_01: I'll sign off on it now.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, put put mine in there with yours because besides Jan, who probably had about, I would say, a game and a half of good football, the rest of mine not great.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm right with you, Sean.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_00: 2030.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_01: Not well, I'm just early.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_01: Just remember that.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_01: So the knockouts are here.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_01: We we've had one game in the books.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_01: Canada beat South Africa, as we alluded to.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_01: Broadly speaking, Brandon, just any initial reactions to the bracket.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: Here in America, listen, we love the bracket.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: We have the NCAA tournament, which is a bracket.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_01: Now college football has a bracket.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_01: A bracket, it helps even as simple minds like mine.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_01: It just there's something fixating about it.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_01: You get to mess around, pick teams to advance.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_01: It's nice to have it all laid out in front of you, and all these scenarios are gone.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_01: So we know what we're getting now.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_01: Anything immediately jump off the page to you?
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, a few, a few things.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_00: You'll probably have France-Germany on the 4th of July, which would be incredible around their 16 game.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_00: Very likely to happen, I would say.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: I think the bottom right region of the bracket, or at least the the version that I was looking at, where it's Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia, or Ghana, one of those teams is going to be in the the quarterfinals.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I know you're high on Colombia, and I know they're they're a solid team, but they kind of have a cakewalk to the semi to the quarterfinals.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: And and look, that's no disrespect to Switzerland, Algeria, or Ghana, but they win the they should they should be the best team out of that pot of four.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: And and to be able to get to the quarterfinals that easily, it's is is nice.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: Brazil also, I think, very easy to the quarter quarterfinals, and then they would potentially play England.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: That would be tough.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: But overall, yeah, I think there's a couple, we'll get into the round of 32 games.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: There's gonna be a couple juicy ones, but for the most part, we could probably pick.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: I would say there's 16 of these.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: We probably, I mean, I'll I'll put my hand I'll put a hand up next episode when we get them wrong.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: But I think we should probably get about 13, 14 out of these 16 correct.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: That's way, that's way more than I think.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_01: I think I'm really I think I would have struggled.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_01: Uh here's the thing, though.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a classic overthinker.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_01: That's what I do.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I am worried about you.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_01: Mentioned Brazil potentially having an easy path.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_01: I first, this is also biased because I hate that four of my teams are all playing each other.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_01: So between Dark Horses and my pick to win Brazil, I have Brazil playing Japan, who are like my favorite dark horse.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_01: That's in the round of 32.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_01: The other game that they play the winner of is the Ivory Coast of Norway, which were my other team's dark horses.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_01: So they're playing each other.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_01: That's brutal, brutal stuff.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_01: But I think both Japan, if listen, Brazil is going to be heavily favored to beat Japan.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_01: We'll get to that.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_01: But I don't think Japan's a joke.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, I'm I'm not I'm not yeah, I'm not sleeping like super peacefully tonight ahead of that match.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: I will say also, I think the Ivory Coast Norway is a great one, so we'll see there.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_01: But I do agree completely with the bottom right of the bracket.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_01: I think it is the bottom right on all brackets, so I'm hoping so.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_01: It has to be.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure either, but that'll be another handout.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm I'm in Argentina Columbia quarterfinal, and it's like you said, I just think that the way it broke, both those teams have the easiest path in.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_01: So Colombia will be favored to win those two games, like you said.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_01: I think that if I were to put the US in one part of the bracket, that would have been the portion I would have chosen for them.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_01: Instead, where they're at is nowhere near as easy, in my opinion.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_00: No, I agree with you.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now that I'm really, really looking at it, I still think we'll do well.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_00: But maybe maybe 12 instead of 14, correct?
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: That that's true.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_00: And look, we already have we're we'll just take Canada.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_00: We already that already happened, but we'll take that.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_00: That was awesome.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: I sure wasn't rooting for South Africa and chirping Jesse Marshall out.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: Also, yeah, I have to we have to touch our brand.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have anything to say about Daniel performance?
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_01: I thought they were they were the better team.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_01: I think they deserve a win.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_01: I I have to say, Jesse Marshall's out there wearing jeans, it appeared to me.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_01: What are we doing, Jesse?
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_01: Take yourself a little bit seriously as this guy who walks around whining anytime anybody gives you a microphone.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_01: At least have the decency to dress up for the biggest game of your life.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_01: That was a joke to me.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't like how at halftime he starts storming over to the official two, whining once again, and that Bombito had to say, hey coach, like let's worry about like scoring a goal.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_01: Let's go to the locker room.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_01: He's a big, big child parading around as a man.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_01: He's a baby.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so sick of Canada.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_01: Please, for the love of God, let them not make the quarterfinals.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's I'm gonna drop the Canada talk after that.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have anything you'd like to say about the Canadians?
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, I will I was going to absolutely say exactly what you said.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_00: When I turned the game on, and you know I watched it a little late, but I turned the game on and start from the beginning, and I see them doing the national anthem, and they show Jesse and he's in jeans, and I'm like, are we serious?
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like this is World Cup knockout rounds, and you're in jeans.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like you couldn't have put on something a little nicer, whatever.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_00: Fine.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_00: Halftime, like you said, Bombido comes out and basically stops him from attacking the ref.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: Jesse, send one of your assistants to go attack the ref.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_00: Get him sent off.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_00: Who cares?
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_00: You can't get sent off.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_00: You're the head coach.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_00: Like, have some you know, decorum.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_00: And then I don't know if you heard Sean after the game, they live.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_00: Mike was still hot, and he's giving his team a speech, and he's like, You guys are Canadian heroes tonight.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_00: You're inspiring the next generation of kids to play soccer in Canada, and like probably somewhat.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I get it.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_00: This is the furthest they've ever been, whatever, yada yada.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_00: But you also had the World Cup on home soil, and you messed around, so you didn't get this game in Canada, uh, but it was in California, and very highly favored, whatever.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, Jesse, I get it, but just calm down just a little bit.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like, yeah, it's a great accomplishment.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, celebrate, enjoy it, but you don't gotta do all this in front of the cameras.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's not about you.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_01: Totally unbecoming.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_01: And Brandon, I think the point you made, you could have he could have let one of his assistants do it, but that would take away from the Jesse Marsh show, which is why he thinks we're tuning in.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_01: Not actually why we're tuning in.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_01: That's what he thinks.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_01: He, yeah, I'm so out on this guy.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_01: I I honestly, he's climbing the charts of like people I hate the most going in all walks of life.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: Just take it all away, please.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_01: No thank you for me.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_01: I am so sick, so so sick of him.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_01: And now Canada, unfortunately, you guys seem like good people.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_01: He has ruined you as a country for me.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, yeah, you couldn't ruin your group, and so you had to go to LA where it seemed like many fans didn't travel at all.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_01: The fan support, once again, seemed like one of those neutral crowds, Brandon, where it was just people coming to see the World Cup.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_01: I can't exactly, I mean, there's more Canadian fans than South African fans, but of course, that's the case.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, just not a good look.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_01: Hockey country, gonna stay that way as long as Jesse Marsh is in charge.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and to turn back to the actual game, Sean, Canada to me, and I know they won 1-0, Canada just plays with their food way too much.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_00: They have so many chances, and they can never put them away.
• 31:35
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know if it's just bad luck or if it's just lack of skill, but they really struggle to to have that final, final moment.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, Astakio gets the the basically botched clearance by South Africa, and and he does well.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, he takes it down off his chest and you know half volleys it in, and it's a great finish from him.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_00: But they're gonna either play Netherlands or Morocco in the next round, and honestly, if they don't sharpen up, like it could get ugly.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_00: So Jesse, enjoy your night, but you better be prepping tomorrow morning because it's gonna be a tough one for you.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_00: Whoever eat and honestly, Sean, the the 16 games we have, that's probably one of the biggest ones I have a question mark on because Netherlands and Morocco both very good teams, but whoever Canada gets, it's gonna be a tough, tough opponent.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_01: And whoever they get, I will be cheering very hard for.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_01: That's a fact.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_01: Why don't we, Brandon?
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_01: Why don't we run through these games?
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_01: I've got the dates, I've got the times, we're gonna give you all previews.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_01: So today, as you're listening to this, what wow, we dive right in.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_01: We dive right into some illegal action.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_01: 1 p.m.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_01: Eastern time.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_01: All times will be Eastern.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_01: We're we're East Coast guys, so unfortunately, that's how we're going to do it.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_01: But Brazil takes on Japan.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_01: We just talked about this one.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_01: I have to root for my championship pick, even if it means losing a serious dark horse.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_01: But I think it'll be a really good game with a lot of technical skill on display.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of times, though, as we just saw, it's more difficult to score, it feels like, in these knockout games.
• 33:05
  SPEAKER_01: Teams are a little less risky.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think that this one will I think we'll see some goals in this one.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_01: I think there's just too high a quality level on both sides in attack.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna go for Brazil 3-2, but I'm interested to hear what you have to say.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_00: Similar thoughts, Sean.
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_00: I think Japan does its best to hold off the Brazil attack, but I think Vinny and his boys are just too too strong going forward.
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_00: I could see Japan putting in a goal or two.
• 33:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um I think 4-2 maybe, but I do think Brazil wins this one.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I don't want to say easily, but comfortably.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so we're in agreement there.
• 33:41
  unknown: Yeah.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_01: We both have Brazil in the 4-30 game on Monday.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_01: It is Germany taking on Paraguay.
• 33:48
  SPEAKER_01: Germany are heavy favorites in Brandon.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_01: I'll let you give the pick on this one first.
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, this one to me was open and closed.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_00: Germany for sure.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_00: I Paraguay is not a bad team by any means, but I feel like Germany is really hitting their stride.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_00: They're really playing well, and I can't see them losing this game.
• 34:08
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think Paraguay has enough going forward to really challenge Germany.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I put Germany 3-0 for this one.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_00: I had the same score.
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_01: I said maybe a consolation goal for Paraguay, but I don't really see it.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't think the Germans will play with their food too much.
• 34:26
  SPEAKER_01: It seems like their fate has been sealed since those first two group stage matches, and they've just been preparing for this one.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_01: It'll be a different story on the weekend when they take on France, like you said, if that turns out to be the case, but I think this one will be comfortable for them.
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_01: We saw the United States just jump on and kind of suffocate Paraguay, and I don't expect the Germans to take a much different approach.
• 34:46
  SPEAKER_01: I think there's just a much, much higher talent floor on the German side.
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_01: So we're both in agreement on that one as well.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_01: But 9 p.m., this one is a true 50-50 in my eyes.
• 34:57
  SPEAKER_01: Netherlands and Morocco.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_01: Two teams I wish weren't playing each other again.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_01: I would love to see both these teams make a little bit of a run.
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, that's not the case.
• 35:04
  SPEAKER_01: We have like Egypt, Australia, but we can't have Netherlands playing somebody other than Morocco.
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_01: I would have thought it's to you because I want to hear what you have to say before I make my final decision.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, this one's tough.
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_00: I have to back the Netherlands.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_00: They were my dark horse to win this World Cup.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_00: I do think this game has like penalties, penalty potential, Sean.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_00: I think both of these teams are class.
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_00: It is a terrible, terrible first round matchup.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_00: This is like the 7-10 in March Madness, and we're like, geez, they have to play each other.
• 35:34
  SPEAKER_00: I think the Netherlands pull it out.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_00: I think defensively they're strong and they'll they'll definitely stifle Morocco.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not still not sold on Netherlands going forward in attack.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's good, don't get me wrong.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_00: They have they have players, but maybe it just hasn't clicked all the way yet or or what, but um I think they do enough to get through.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_00: I think this could be like 1-1 with a penalty shootout, honestly.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_01: Honestly, it's weird because the Netherlands, along with France, both scored 10 goals in the group, but I completely agree with you.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_01: I don't trust them in going forward.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's part of it's because they jumped on Switch, they jumped on Sweden.
• 36:14
  SPEAKER_01: I don't even know if Sweden knew the match started.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_01: And then Tunisia as well was just that was farmers only.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_01: So they they dominated both of those games, which might have inflated those goal numbers a bit.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_01: I don't trust them to score a ton of goals.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_01: I do like the switch they made to Brian Broby up top instead of Memphis DePai or Danielle Mullen playing in a nine.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_01: I think Broby is so much better at linking play, and his holdup play is spectacular.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_01: He's so physical.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_01: He's getting on the end of goals as well.
• 36:41
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that was a good change from Ronald Kuhn.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_01: I'm really, really having a hard time picking this one.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_01: I would not be surprised at all.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna say it goes to extra time.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna say we get 120 minutes out of this.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if we'll find a winner then, but I will pick just barely, I'll pick the Dutch with you.
• 36:57
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 36:57
  SPEAKER_01: I want to pick Morocco, but pre-tournament, I said I think Morocco won't go as far as they did a couple World Cups.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think they have that run.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I think I just feel a little bit safer picking the Dutch than I do Morocco at this point, but it's really a 50-50.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I Sean, it's it's that'll be a good one.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: I I mentioned to you earlier off camera that I marked a game each day to definitely keep eyes on.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_00: This is by far the best on Monday.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_00: I think this game is gonna be much watch TV.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I'm I'm with you on that.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_01: Monday ends with the bang, and Tuesday starts with a bang, Brandon.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_01: Tuesday at 1 p.m., we have the Ivory Coast taking on Norway.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_01: I think you know where I'm going with this one.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_01: I have to.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_01: It's just a must do at this point.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_01: I will be taking the Ivory Coast.
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_01: I will once again say this will be high scoring, in my opinion.
• 37:48
  SPEAKER_01: I don't trust Norway's defense at all.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_01: They looked horrible against France in that first half.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_01: I think we could see a similar situation where the Ivory Coast has tons of chances throughout the game.
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_01: I hope they're able to take them, but I think I have the Ivory Coast winning.
• 38:04
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go 3-2 to the Cote d'Ivoire.
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, I love that.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_00: And not just because I also put 3-2 Ivory Coast.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_00: I think Norway played that last group stage game and they rotated their squad and it didn't look like they wanted to be there.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I know other teams rotated squads, but they still put in shifts.
• 38:26
  SPEAKER_00: And you had Holland coming out saying we're not gonna beat France, France is gonna win the World Cup.
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I get it, there's probably a little bit of psychology in there, and maybe I'm just not smart enough to understand it, Sean.
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_00: But that to me, just putting those words in the air, it's not beautiful.
• 38:40
  SPEAKER_00: And now you're going into a knockout game against a Cote d'Ivoire team who's I think that Cote d'Ivoire's past that, oh, we're happy to be here.
• 38:48
  SPEAKER_00: Like they've shown that they belong.
• 38:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the boys can can put it together.
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_00: I I know you're extremely high on them.
• 38:54
  SPEAKER_00: This is your team, but I'm gonna jump on that bandwagon with you for this one.
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_00: And I think they can squeak by.
• 38:59
  SPEAKER_00: I think a 3-2 result is possible.
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_00: Norway, I think Holland probably scores both goals.
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_00: But like you said, they're very leaky in defense.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_00: And a leaky defense at this point in a tournament against a team that's hot and they want to get forward and they want to get after you.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_00: I think I think Ivory Coast can put a put a couple goals in.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, this one was my Tuesday must-watch game.
• 39:23
  SPEAKER_00: So oh, good.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_00: Starting things off with an absolute yeah.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_01: I I I do agree too with what you said about the Norway wrestling Holland.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_01: I brought it up and there was something off-putting about it.
• 39:35
  SPEAKER_01: Just when you combine the comments that he made with them actually not playing him or Odegaard, it just rubbed me the wrong way.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_01: I know the US is guilty of rotating and losing as well.
• 39:45
  SPEAKER_01: So if you look on paper, it's no different.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_01: But it seems like there was a big difference in the shifts that were put in.
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_01: Whereas the US were bringing good players starters on at the end of the match, trying to win or hold out a draw.
• 39:57
  SPEAKER_01: Whereas Norway basically punted the game and said beforehand we're okay losing.
• 40:01
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's just a risky strategy.
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_01: Now you have, in my opinion, a much more difficult opponent in this round.
• 40:08
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't think that was a good idea by them.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_01: I it could pay off.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe we're both wrong, and the rest for Holland is a good thing, and he comes out absolutely firing, definitely possible.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_01: I'm worried a little bit about Wilford Singo missing this one for the Ivory Coast.
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_01: He's so pacey, and he's able to, in my opinion, he'd be able to extinguish some of those Norway counterattacks, which is what they're going to look to do because they're so good at it.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_01: So this one should just be an entertaining affair.
• 40:33
  SPEAKER_01: It's going to be a great game.
• 40:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like you said, probably the best one to watch on Tuesday.
• 40:37
  SPEAKER_01: We're both in agreement.
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_01: Cote d'Ivoire advances.
• 40:40
  SPEAKER_01: 5 p.m., we have the French, which they're basically must see TB themselves.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_01: They do take on Slendon.
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_01: I doubted Sweden last match, and I probably should say hand up.
• 40:48
  SPEAKER_01: They're better than I thought they would be.
• 40:50
  SPEAKER_01: The Swedish are.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_01: They've put up together a much more reasonable performance throughout this World Cup under Graham Potter than I thought they would.
• 40:57
  SPEAKER_01: With that being said, I think the French are going to put up a crooked number here.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_01: I have the French winning this one easily.
• 41:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I agree with you.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_00: Again, not many of these games.
• 41:08
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think many of these games are going to be blowouts, but this is one I think that will be.
• 41:11
  SPEAKER_00: I France's attack is just ridiculous.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I think they'll be hungry and they're gonna they're gonna have to focus because of course you lose focus to lose this game, you're out.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_00: But they'll definitely have one eye on that Germany game on the 4th of July, potentially.
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I think France wins this one running away 4-5-0, honestly.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, I'm with you.
• 41:31
  SPEAKER_01: I I said 4-1 in my notes, but I don't even know if the Swedes will get a goal.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_01: So I'll stick with 4-1, but a high-scoring affair we both have.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_01: The last game on Tuesday, 9 p.m.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_01: is Mexico, Ecuador.
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_01: I think this is another great game, Brandon.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm gonna let you pick this one first.
• 41:48
  SPEAKER_01: I'm very curious because I don't know where you're going on this one.
• 41:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think it could go either way.
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's funny.
• 41:55
  SPEAKER_00: I put notes for all of them with my choices.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_00: This one I kind of left a little vague.
• 42:00
  SPEAKER_00: This was my second.
• 42:01
  SPEAKER_00: If I could get two must-watch games on Tuesday, Sean, I'm just gonna take liberty on that one.
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, this is the second one.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_00: You gotta watch both of these on Tuesday.
• 42:08
  SPEAKER_00: I think I'm gonna go Mexico.
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I know you're high on Ecuador.
• 42:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just not as high on Ecuador, I think, as you are.
• 42:16
  SPEAKER_00: The Mexico playing in Mexico, I think they're gonna be up for it.
• 42:20
  SPEAKER_00: I think they are going to really just just wanna take it to Ecuador.
• 42:25
  SPEAKER_00: Ecuador, I saw them when they played uh Ivory Coast the first game, and they just didn't look great.
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe I still have that vision in my head.
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_00: I know they've turned it on since then, but I think Mexico can take care of business.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think it'll be a tight one.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think I'll go 2-1.
• 42:40
  SPEAKER_00: But Ecuador, to me, just they've struggled to score, and Mexico has been pretty, pretty good defensively.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I think they just have that little bit extra to get through this one.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_00: You may differ, and look, we can differ.
• 42:54
  SPEAKER_00: That's totally fine.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but I think Mexico squeezes past in this one.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_01: I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place because as you mentioned, I love Ecuador.
• 43:02
  SPEAKER_01: I'm higher on them than you, but I also picked Mexico to make the quarterfinals.
• 43:07
  SPEAKER_01: And I was very high on them as well.
• 43:09
  SPEAKER_01: I I think both these teams are good.
• 43:11
  SPEAKER_01: I am going to go the opposite.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's the first game so far that we've gone separate directions on.
• 43:16
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna just go Ecuador 1-0.
• 43:19
  SPEAKER_01: I do agree it's a tight one.
• 43:21
  SPEAKER_01: I think it could go either way.
• 43:22
  SPEAKER_01: Mexico playing at home makes me feel terrible about that pick.
• 43:25
  SPEAKER_01: That that's a huge, huge bonus for them.
• 43:28
  SPEAKER_01: I just do think that the Ecuadorians turned a corner.
• 43:32
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know that I fully believe it because the game against Germany, Germany didn't really need it at all in any way, and they needed it desperately.
• 43:40
  SPEAKER_01: But I think the momentum they got from scoring a late winner in that carries itself over into this game.
• 43:47
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be a tough test going into Mexico's homeland and beating them, but I think they'll be able to squeak one out.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_01: It definitely won't be a high scoring affair, in my opinion.
• 43:55
  SPEAKER_01: This is we we do one thing about Ecuador, they're they're solid defensively, even if they do struggle to score.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_01: So we for the first time go in different directions with the Tuesday nightcap.
• 44:05
  SPEAKER_01: On Wednesday, Brandon Wednesday's a big day, obviously.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_01: At 12 p.m., we have England taking on Congo.
• 44:13
  SPEAKER_01: England for me, I think this is a pretty stress-free 3-0, is what I said.
• 44:18
  SPEAKER_01: I went 2-0 originally, but I think they picked the lock a little earlier in this game.
• 44:23
  SPEAKER_01: They kind of struggled to pick the lock the last two matches.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_01: I think they're going to be used to playing against a low block after having seen it in the last two.
• 44:31
  SPEAKER_01: I think they get past the Congo relatively smoothly.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_00: Agree.
• 44:36
  SPEAKER_00: I was sort of between three and four, and I think the only reason I went that high was because there's no goal differential mess where you got to, oh, let's protect ourselves.
• 44:45
  SPEAKER_00: Like Congo, unfortunately, if they're down, they're going to have to try to win that game, you know, on Wednesday.
• 44:51
  SPEAKER_00: There's no tomorrow at that point.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_00: So I think the game opens up a little bit, they have to come out of their shell, and I think England can expose them.
• 44:57
  SPEAKER_00: So that's why I was uh a little bit higher on the score, but I think it'll be a three or four-zero England win.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_00: Like you said, no sweat, pretty easy, and then they'll get the winner of potentially that that Mexico-Ecuador game.
• 45:08
  SPEAKER_00: So they'll be they'll be ready for Congo, but probably we'll have an eye on that next one as well.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think out of the games we've touched on so far, the only two that would be genuine shocks, where if the favorite loss would be England and Germany for me.
• 45:22
  SPEAKER_01: I'd be surprised at some others, but shocks would be those two.
• 45:25
  SPEAKER_01: I guess it's in there too.
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I was gonna say France, yep, exactly.
• 45:30
  SPEAKER_01: But Sweden is at least like they've had some history in in the World Cups, but I yeah, I guess France should be based on recent performance in that group as well.
• 45:39
  SPEAKER_01: 4 p.m.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_01: on Wednesday.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_01: We have Belgium against Senegal.
• 45:43
  SPEAKER_01: This is a really good game, and this is the game that the United States plays the winner of.
• 45:46
  SPEAKER_01: So all American fans should have their eyes on this one.
• 45:50
  SPEAKER_01: These are both teams that I kind of mentioned were clinging on for too long to the old generation, the old guard.
• 45:57
  SPEAKER_01: And now it's a loser-leave town match between them.
• 46:00
  SPEAKER_01: I will say everybody is just assuming that the United States is going to play Belgium.
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I have not seen anybody really saying, oh, the US could play Seneca.
• 46:08
  SPEAKER_01: Everything I see, U.S.
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_01: Belgium, round of six round of 16.
• 46:11
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, well, hey, two teams have to win before we get to that round of 16.
• 46:15
  SPEAKER_01: Let's focus, let's focus up here.
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_01: I'm interested to see where you go with this one, Brandon.
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think this one can go either way.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_00: I think just based a little bit on that experience point, and it's funny because you did say both of these teams are in that transition from that old generation to the next generation, and you can see it on both sides, but I think Belgium's Belgium's older generation has just enough extra oomph to get them through this game.
• 46:40
  SPEAKER_00: I think this could be another shootout or at least 120-minute kind of game, but I think the quality on the Belgian team just is a little little bit higher.
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll go Belgium three to two in this one.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_01: I hate to go against you, and I didn't want to.
• 46:54
  SPEAKER_01: No, go ahead.
• 46:55
  SPEAKER_01: No, I know, but I feel like in my heart I'm 50-50.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_01: And then what's the deciding factor for me is who would I rather root for?
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I think pre-tournament, I would say Belgium.
• 47:06
  SPEAKER_01: I've been there, love the country.
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_01: They've pissed me off so much this game.
• 47:11
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so sick of them.
• 47:12
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sick, I'm sick of Lukaku.
• 47:15
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sick of their manager.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_01: I'm out.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_01: I think I'm out.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_01: I I don't know.
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want it.
• 47:20
  SPEAKER_01: And the other reason is because everybody is picking Belgium.
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna spit up Senegal.
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_01: Just for just so this podcast wasn't 100% wrong if Senegal win.
• 47:29
  SPEAKER_01: And also, maybe Senegal found something when they were just scoring goals for fun against 10 men.
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I don't know.
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see.
• 47:36
  SPEAKER_01: I I think that's a decent flyer to take.
• 47:39
  SPEAKER_01: I'll take Senegal, and it creates a rematch of potentially the United States last friendly before the World Cup.
• 47:45
  SPEAKER_01: So that's an interesting storyline as well.
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_01: We won't talk about the USA game now.
• 47:49
  SPEAKER_01: We'll save that for our deep dive in just a bit.
• 47:52
  SPEAKER_01: On Thursday at 3 p.m., Spain are back in action.
• 47:55
  SPEAKER_01: They take on Austria.
• 47:57
  SPEAKER_01: I think this is an easy one as well.
• 47:59
  SPEAKER_01: I think Spain roll.
• 48:01
  SPEAKER_01: Not that Austria are a bad side, but I think Spain have found their groove a little bit and they look so comfortable defensively.
• 48:07
  SPEAKER_01: They don't look like conceding at all.
• 48:10
  SPEAKER_01: It's partially because you can't get the ball, it's partially because they're good in defense.
• 48:14
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever the case may be, I just don't see Spain conceding.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_01: I was gonna say 3-1.
• 48:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go 3-0 Spain.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_00: I had 3-0 as well.
• 48:21
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna say it's hard to it's hard to score when you don't have the ball, and Spain will hold the ball the whole game.
• 48:27
  SPEAKER_00: I think they'll pass, pass, pass Austria to death, and it'll be look, it's it you want to have these games because this is now getting into the the business end, as they call it, of the tournament.
• 48:39
  SPEAKER_00: And thankfully Spain gets that draw, and it's almost like a tune-up, if you will.
• 48:43
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, they don't have to necessarily play their best game.
• 48:46
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, they can't fall asleep, but they can coast a little bit, and I think they'll be okay here.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_00: I I said 3-0 as well, and I think that's that's a fair pick for this one.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_01: Brandon, it's 7 p.m.
• 48:56
  SPEAKER_01: on Thursday.
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_01: It is Portugal, who we've talked about a bunch, taking on Croatia, who you just saw.
• 49:02
  SPEAKER_01: Tell me about this one.
• 49:04
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, this is my star.
• 49:05
  SPEAKER_00: This is my this is my game to watch.
• 49:07
  SPEAKER_00: I think I don't want to do it because I have Portugal literally as a dark horse team to win this World Cup.
• 49:14
  SPEAKER_00: So I can't, but I'm saying that not proudly.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_00: Do it, just do it, have a little fun, do it.
• 49:22
  SPEAKER_00: So what, just bet against myself?
• 49:25
  SPEAKER_01: You didn't march with Portugal.
• 49:28
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't, I didn't.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_00: So, all right, fine.
• 49:31
  SPEAKER_00: I will just be willing to sacrifice one of my dark horse teams.
• 49:34
  SPEAKER_00: Hopefully the Netherlands goes and wins this whole thing now because I have no other dark horse.
• 49:38
  SPEAKER_00: Uh all right, I'll take Croatia.
• 49:40
  SPEAKER_00: I think this game will be really, really good.
• 49:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I think Portugal, it it's the storyline we've talked about a hundred times, and I think it's that Ronaldo factor.
• 49:52
  SPEAKER_00: I think from what I've seen and what I've remembered from previous big games, when Ronaldo's not on, he tries to overcompensate.
• 50:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it makes them even worse.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I worry because this is a big game, there's a lot of lights.
• 50:06
  SPEAKER_00: He's playing against Moderic and his boys, who is also kind of in the twilight of his career.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_00: But Modric is one of those guys who, like Messi, we've talked about, he just makes everyone else better.
• 50:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I think if Croatia puts together a solid performance, they keep it together at the back, they they take their chances when they get their chances.
• 50:26
  SPEAKER_00: I think they can win this game.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna go on a limb and go against my old bets.
• 50:31
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, like you said, the the bracket, the bracket lined up the way it did.
• 50:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I kind of have to, I'm kind of putting a tough place.
• 50:38
  SPEAKER_00: I'll take Croatia and I'll take Croatia 2-1 to win this game.
• 50:43
  SPEAKER_01: See, that I don't think that's a bad move, buddy, at all.
• 50:45
  SPEAKER_01: Now you're right either way.
• 50:47
  SPEAKER_01: Now you have another round of Dark Force Portugal to win.
• 50:50
  SPEAKER_01: And if not, you pick the upset.
• 50:52
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's a good way to play both sides.
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_01: So you always come out on top, Brandon.
• 50:56
  SPEAKER_01: Fair.
• 50:56
  SPEAKER_01: I don't hate that move.
• 50:57
  SPEAKER_01: That's right from my playbook.
• 50:59
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I will say I completely I'm going all Portugal here.
• 51:04
  SPEAKER_01: I kind of talked into that one hoping that we could get a different opinion.
• 51:07
  SPEAKER_01: I have I could have Portugal.
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I just think again, Croatia.
• 51:12
  SPEAKER_01: I I will say I'm a little bit more scared of Croatia than I was going in.
• 51:16
  SPEAKER_01: I they showed me something against Ghana.
• 51:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I kind of had this in my head that I would pick them to lose in the knockouts before seeing that game.
• 51:24
  SPEAKER_01: And now I'm a little bit more worried, so I don't think it'll be an easy one for Portugal at all.
• 51:27
  SPEAKER_01: Going against that much experience, it's not going to be a walk in the park.
• 51:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't love putting all my eggs in the Cristiano Ronaldo basket, that's for sure.
• 51:37
  SPEAKER_01: But I do think they get through this one, and it would set up a Spain-Portugal round of 16 match, which that's the Iberian Derby, the Iberian War, border war between the two.
• 51:48
  SPEAKER_01: That would be cool if we got that.
• 51:49
  SPEAKER_01: So a lot at stake either way on Thursday night.
• 51:53
  SPEAKER_01: The last game on Thursday evening is Switzerland taking on Algeria.
• 51:57
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 51:58
  SPEAKER_00: This one probably doesn't have a star by it for you, does it?
• 52:02
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't, but uh as as we get into the descriptions, I also put Switzerland as one of my teams to make the quarters potentially.
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um I mean, look, I will be watching Sean.
• 52:14
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I'm not limiting myself to one game a day.
• 52:16
  SPEAKER_00: This is for the the casuals.
• 52:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so it's not my star game of the day, but I will be watching this.
• 52:21
  SPEAKER_00: This will be, I think this will be a really good game.
• 52:23
  SPEAKER_00: You have you have Switzerland, I'm assuming then?
• 52:25
  SPEAKER_00: I do, but I but I could see this going to 120 or penalties potentially as well.
• 52:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um Algeria is a good side, and I've doubted a lot of these African teams, like I mentioned in my disappointments.
• 52:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I think Switzerland has enough defensively to keep it together and pull out a one-zero or two-one win.
• 52:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to penalty kicks or it flips the other way in Algeria wins 1-0-2-1.
• 52:55
  SPEAKER_01: I I'm I'm basically in the same boat.
• 52:56
  SPEAKER_01: I went 2-1 Swiss.
• 52:58
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's close.
• 52:59
  SPEAKER_01: I think Algeria is good.
• 53:00
  SPEAKER_01: I think Switzerland are good as well because of the fact that they discovered they have Johan Manzambi.
• 53:07
  SPEAKER_01: Before they realized they had him, they were not very good.
• 53:10
  SPEAKER_01: But now, since finding him, they seem to have turned a corner.
• 53:13
  SPEAKER_01: So I I do think Switzerland will advance.
• 53:16
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think it's a bad shout for them to make a little bit of a run.
• 53:19
  SPEAKER_01: So they they have a decent draw with Algeria.
• 53:22
  SPEAKER_01: It should be a fun game.
• 53:23
  SPEAKER_01: It might not be worth everybody's time to stay up for, but I think that I I'll stay up for an 11 p.m.
• 53:28
  SPEAKER_01: kick on a Friday night.
• 53:29
  SPEAKER_01: You know what?
• 53:30
  SPEAKER_01: Kick kick the shoes off, have a little bit of fun.
• 53:32
  SPEAKER_01: I think that game will be at least an interesting watch.
• 53:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 53:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I I think, wait, am I I might be getting my dates wrong, but I think that's actually Thursday night.
• 53:41
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, it is Thursday night.
• 53:42
  SPEAKER_00: But it's all right because Friday Friday's off.
• 53:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Friday's a holiday.
• 53:47
  SPEAKER_00: So in my in my head, summer every Friday.
• 53:51
  SPEAKER_01: So there we go.
• 53:52
  SPEAKER_01: So basically, it's a de facto Friday night.
• 53:55
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 53:56
  SPEAKER_01: On Friday, the 3rd of July.
• 53:58
  SPEAKER_01: We do have three more.
• 53:59
  SPEAKER_01: The final three games is around 32.
• 54:01
  SPEAKER_01: So 2 p.m.
• 54:03
  SPEAKER_01: things kick off with Australia Egypt.
• 54:05
  SPEAKER_01: Can I sell you on this one?
• 54:07
  SPEAKER_01: Or is this you know, maybe we don't need to have all eyes on this game?
• 54:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you could this is a this is a one-eye.
• 54:13
  SPEAKER_00: You're probably starting the weekend right.
• 54:15
  SPEAKER_00: You might get the early grill if you're a if you're a Friday griller before the official holiday on Saturday, or you're getting your fireworks together.
• 54:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, yeah, take the afternoon and do what you need to do.
• 54:26
  SPEAKER_00: If you get caught up and maybe the weather will be hot or rainy or something, yeah, throw it on the TV.
• 54:31
  SPEAKER_00: But this one I would say don't don't go out of your way to watch.
• 54:34
  SPEAKER_00: I think the notes I put for this one are just like ugly.
• 54:37
  SPEAKER_00: Like this will be an ugly, ugly soccer game.
• 54:40
  SPEAKER_00: And no offense to either team because I think both teams do have some pieces, but I don't think this will be a great game.
• 54:46
  SPEAKER_00: I took Egypt to win three to one, but this this one won't be be too pretty, in my opinion.
• 54:53
  SPEAKER_01: Brandon, I am right there with you.
• 54:54
  SPEAKER_01: I went 2-1 Egypt.
• 54:56
  SPEAKER_01: I think it could go to extra time.
• 54:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be ugly.
• 54:59
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want to watch it.
• 55:00
  SPEAKER_01: I likely won't be watching it too intently.
• 55:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I think we can move quickly along to the GOAT himself, who plays at 6 p.m.
• 55:08
  SPEAKER_01: on Friday, the third.
• 55:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's Argentina taking on one of the surprises, like you mentioned, of the tournament Cape Verde.
• 55:15
  SPEAKER_01: Give me your thoughts on this one.
• 55:16
  SPEAKER_01: How do you see it playing out?
• 55:18
  SPEAKER_01: Give me a score.
• 55:19
  SPEAKER_01: What do you what's your prediction here?
• 55:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, unfortunately, I think this is the end of the road for the Cape Verdeans.
• 55:25
  SPEAKER_00: An incredible tournament.
• 55:26
  SPEAKER_00: And Sean, like we mentioned earlier, neither you nor I had them going very far or doing anything in this tournament.
• 55:33
  SPEAKER_00: And to to make it to a round of 32 is incredible.
• 55:37
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, they get the arguably the worst draw possible, uh, drawing Argentina in the first round.
• 55:44
  SPEAKER_00: Granted, if they were to beat Argentina, not to look ahead, of course, they would either get Australia or Egypt.
• 55:50
  SPEAKER_00: So, like, they could make it to the quarterfinals if they win this one.
• 55:53
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, this one, Sean, I I think it could get ugly.
• 55:56
  SPEAKER_00: Messi is in absurd form right now.
• 56:00
  SPEAKER_00: You mentioned the goal he scored.
• 56:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's definitely a little bit Mickey Mouse.
• 56:04
  SPEAKER_00: We don't know what the goal he was doing.
• 56:06
  SPEAKER_00: But, you know, we had our guy Giovanni Lasselso start for Messi basically and score a free kick as well, and he looked fantastic.
• 56:14
  SPEAKER_00: I texted you on the side, Sean, and said I didn't know this guy was still even playing or in the national team, and he comes on and hits a free kick goal and looked great.
• 56:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I think this one gets ugly.
• 56:24
  SPEAKER_00: I think this could be a 4-0.
• 56:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, Messi plays 60 minutes, they pull him out, and unfortunately, Cape Verde, it's the end of the road for them.
• 56:34
  SPEAKER_01: I will I'm with you on the ultimate result of this one.
• 56:37
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna be in agreement.
• 56:38
  SPEAKER_01: I think it'll end 3-0, I'll say.
• 56:40
  SPEAKER_01: I do think we'll get a good 45 from Cape Verde.
• 56:43
  SPEAKER_01: I think they'll hang in the fight.
• 56:45
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe they concede one, but I don't think it'll get out of hand too quickly.
• 56:48
  SPEAKER_01: I think just like kind of you said, as the game goes on, it's just gonna be too much to handle the talent of Argentina.
• 56:53
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see how much Messi exactly does need to play if they do get that second goal by the 60th minute.
• 56:58
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sure they're safe to take him off then.
• 57:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they should start to manage his minutes kind of like they did in that final group stage game, because on paper, this draw for them sets up really favorably until that quarterfinal.
• 57:09
  SPEAKER_01: So try your best to manage his minutes and let's go win another cup, Argentina.
• 57:13
  SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't hate it at all.
• 57:15
  SPEAKER_01: So that's where I think they should be taking a near-sided approach and a far-sided approach.
• 57:19
  SPEAKER_01: They should look into all options in terms of how they set up the lineup and how they approach these next two contests.
• 57:26
  SPEAKER_01: The last game.
• 57:27
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, I was gonna say, honestly, with Argentina, even the quarterfinal isn't gonna be tough.
• 57:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like they would get the Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia, Ghana winner.
• 57:37
  SPEAKER_00: So theoretically, they really don't have a major on-paper challenge until the semifinal.
• 57:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know who that looks like that would be either Spain or Portugal or the US.
• 57:49
  SPEAKER_00: So, so yeah, the Messi will be coasting for a bit, I think.
• 57:53
  SPEAKER_01: So absolutely and have gone too, because if Spain or Argentina finished second in their group, which looked very possible after Spain drew to Cape Verde on the first match day, they would have played each other in the round of 32.
• 58:08
  SPEAKER_01: And now instead, Argentina has what looks like a cakewalk to the to the semifinal, like you're saying.
• 58:16
  SPEAKER_01: I will say we should obviously knock it out.
• 58:18
  SPEAKER_01: Anything could happen in these knockout games.
• 58:20
  SPEAKER_01: So obviously we don't actually think that, but you would sign up for that draw if you're an Argentina fan for sure.
• 58:25
  SPEAKER_01: 10 times out of 10.
• 58:27
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 58:28
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 58:29
  SPEAKER_01: The last game on Friday is Columbia against Ghana.
• 58:35
  SPEAKER_01: I think, like you said, Brandon, Ghanaian fans turned out in Philly.
• 58:38
  SPEAKER_01: I think we'll have some good fan support in this one.
• 58:40
  SPEAKER_01: It should be a really good game on a Friday night.
• 58:44
  SPEAKER_01: I'm excited to watch it.
• 58:45
  SPEAKER_01: It is in Kansas City, which isn't, of course, the natural location for Columbia Ghana affair.
• 58:52
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm excited to watch this one.
• 58:54
  SPEAKER_01: I think, I think I'm gonna lean Colombia, I'm gonna say 2-1, but I I think it'll be a fun game for all.
• 59:02
  SPEAKER_00: Agree with you, Sean.
• 59:04
  SPEAKER_00: Colombia really, their support, just like Ecuador, uh, very, very present.
• 59:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I think Ghana did have their numbers as well, but I think Colombia just outnumbers them that way.
• 59:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I also think they outnumber them on the pitch.
• 59:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I think they're just a little bit better.
• 59:21
  SPEAKER_00: Ghana didn't really impress me too much going forward against Croatia.
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_00: I think they'll they'll struggle again against Colombia.
• 59:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think this one will probably be close, and this is my game to watch for for Friday for sure.
• 59:36
  SPEAKER_00: But I I think Colombia win this one 3-1.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 59:41
  SPEAKER_01: Where I was debating between 3-1 and 2-1.
• 59:43
  SPEAKER_01: I ultimately settle on 2-1 as a little respect, but I could easily see it being three.
• 59:48
  SPEAKER_01: I think Colombia win in control, I would say, where it's not up to the last minute of that game.
• 59:55
  SPEAKER_01: That does it for our predictions in the round of 32, except for one big one, Brandon.
• 59:59
  SPEAKER_01: We have to shift our focus to the United States men's national team.
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_01: It's here, squeaky bum time, knockout stages, world cup on home soil.
• 1:00:10
  SPEAKER_01: Let's first just put a final bow on the group stage.
• 1:00:15
  SPEAKER_01: We didn't talk about the Turkey game yet because it didn't really matter.
• 1:00:20
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think we should spend too much time on it.
• 1:00:22
  SPEAKER_01: But just give me your overall reaction from all three group stage matches and how are your general vibes heading into this first knockout game against Bosnia and Herzegovina?
• 1:00:33
  SPEAKER_00: Generally, Sean, they're good.
• 1:00:35
  SPEAKER_00: I think the first two games really opened our eyes and opened everyone in America's eyes.
• 1:00:39
  SPEAKER_00: That, hey, we we actually can play this game a little bit and played two great games.
• 1:00:44
  SPEAKER_00: The third game, I don't, like you said, I don't take a ton away from it defensively.
• 1:00:49
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't think we looked great.
• 1:00:50
  SPEAKER_00: I think we looked a little sloppy uh at times, but those are not going to be the defenders that start this next game against Bosnia.
• 1:00:58
  SPEAKER_00: So the major takeaway I had from the last game is that we stayed healthy and and Christian played and didn't, you know, get hurt again or anything like that.
• 1:01:05
  SPEAKER_00: So that was kind of my my biggest takeaway.
• 1:01:08
  SPEAKER_00: I think I think we also in that last game, just another quick note.
• 1:01:12
  SPEAKER_00: I think we looked really good on offensive set pieces.
• 1:01:15
  SPEAKER_00: We score Austin Trusty scores on one.
• 1:01:17
  SPEAKER_00: I believe Austin had another header, like a pretty open header that he hit over the net.
• 1:01:23
  SPEAKER_00: And then we did score that was called back offside, Mark McKenzie later as well in that game.
• 1:01:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's a good sign.
• 1:01:30
  SPEAKER_00: And and and our guy Sebastian Berholter, who I know we clown and joke about, but he scored another goal.
• 1:01:35
  SPEAKER_00: So he's he's scoring, he's playing well.
• 1:01:37
  SPEAKER_00: He had an assist on the corner, uh, Austin Trusty's goal, and he scored his own goal.
• 1:01:42
  SPEAKER_00: So that's gonna be my biggest takeaway is we stayed healthy.
• 1:01:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we should have the full team.
• 1:01:47
  SPEAKER_00: And Berholter being that sort of 12th man, if you will, uh, has has I think kind of solidified himself.
• 1:01:55
  SPEAKER_00: The the worry, I guess, Sean, I would say is that second squad.
• 1:01:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we lost the game.
• 1:02:00
  SPEAKER_00: We didn't win the game.
• 1:02:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I know we were playing Turkey A, who probably should have been in our disappointment uh earlier in this in this episode, but I do worry a bit about who we can bring off the bench.
• 1:02:14
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, these games can go to 120 now, and guys are not gonna have legs to play 120 always.
• 1:02:20
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so there is a bit of a worry.
• 1:02:23
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, can we take so-and-so out and can he replace him?
• 1:02:26
  SPEAKER_00: I there's a little bit of fear with that in certain positions, but overall, yeah, it's a it's a positive group stage.
• 1:02:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's what you want to see.
• 1:02:33
  SPEAKER_00: We won the group, and and we got arguably, I would say, a pretty favorable draw going into this uh round of 32.
• 1:02:40
  SPEAKER_00: Favorable for this first round.
• 1:02:41
  SPEAKER_00: It'll get very hard very quickly after this, but I think this is a good first round matchup.
• 1:02:47
  SPEAKER_01: Agree with that as well.
• 1:02:49
  SPEAKER_01: But you touched on several things there that I want to kind of crack open and agree with you for the most part on.
• 1:02:54
  SPEAKER_01: The main thing was, of course, as we touched on, staying healthy, making sure those guys with yellow cards get through without a suspension.
• 1:03:01
  SPEAKER_01: Both of those were mission accomplished.
• 1:03:02
  SPEAKER_01: The group stage in general, I'm not gonna be too hard on that Turkey result because of the factors at play where we didn't play our real team.
• 1:03:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to just kind of keep my focus on just how professional we've looked in those first two group stage matches, where for the first time in 90 some years, we won two games in a row at a World Cup.
• 1:03:21
  SPEAKER_01: So you could say what you want about who it was against, and I know the competition wasn't great.
• 1:03:25
  SPEAKER_01: We were favorable with our group, and you can only play the teams that are on your schedule, though.
• 1:03:30
  SPEAKER_01: And we took care of business.
• 1:03:32
  SPEAKER_01: It's not just that we played them, we handled them in a way that we weren't stressing down the end of either game.
• 1:03:37
  SPEAKER_01: They were our games to lose.
• 1:03:40
  SPEAKER_01: So we could have even played with our food in those games.
• 1:03:42
  SPEAKER_01: We didn't.
• 1:03:43
  SPEAKER_01: I thought that was all encouraging.
• 1:03:45
  SPEAKER_01: I think I have another good point where against Turkey 8, there you would have liked to have seen some of those guys establish themselves as depth pieces.
• 1:03:53
  SPEAKER_01: And Sebastian Berhalter and Austin Trustee, the two you mentioned being involved in the goals, were the only two that really did, in my opinion.
• 1:04:02
  SPEAKER_01: So I would feel very comfortable with Austin Trustee starting a match at left center back.
• 1:04:06
  SPEAKER_01: I think he's just a good player at this point.
• 1:04:08
  SPEAKER_01: He's been very good for the United States national team recently, especially.
• 1:04:12
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm very comfortable with him.
• 1:04:13
  SPEAKER_01: He took his goal well.
• 1:04:15
  SPEAKER_01: In terms of Sebastian Bearhalter, yeah, as shocking as it is to me, and as much as it kind of pains me to say it, he's become a really valuable asset to this team.
• 1:04:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm just gonna give him a thumbs up.
• 1:04:26
  SPEAKER_01: You've always been my favorite Bearhalter, so you that's something.
• 1:04:30
  SPEAKER_01: That's not nothing.
• 1:04:32
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean, Sebastian?
• 1:04:33
  SPEAKER_01: So take that.
• 1:04:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I've I've always liked to mourn your father.
• 1:04:39
  SPEAKER_01: Now, some of the guys that were horrible that in this match that really you would have liked to see be guys that were in and around the first team.
• 1:04:47
  SPEAKER_01: Tim Weia, I mean, he was atrocious, Brandon.
• 1:04:50
  SPEAKER_01: He's I love Tim Weia, he's one of my guys.
• 1:04:52
  SPEAKER_01: He was bad, worst I've ever seen him.
• 1:04:54
  SPEAKER_01: Bad.
• 1:04:55
  SPEAKER_01: He was not good.
• 1:04:56
  SPEAKER_01: Ricardo Pepe, not good, not good at all.
• 1:05:00
  SPEAKER_01: And Giovanni Reina, not really relevant, I would say.
• 1:05:03
  SPEAKER_01: Not like horrific, but just not.
• 1:05:05
  SPEAKER_01: I thought Gio would run the show, and he just didn't.
• 1:05:08
  SPEAKER_01: So that's the only thing I would like to have my ears perked up about, would be like what Potch is thinking, what he's saying about those guys in the dressing room.
• 1:05:15
  SPEAKER_01: But aside from that, we're on we're on to Bosnia.
• 1:05:19
  SPEAKER_01: What can we expect from them?
• 1:05:20
  SPEAKER_01: What are your I have some notes, but I want to get your general kind of vibes.
• 1:05:23
  SPEAKER_01: What you said it's a favorable draw, completely agree.
• 1:05:26
  SPEAKER_01: We'd all sign up to play them in around 32.
• 1:05:28
  SPEAKER_01: What are your thoughts on them going into this game?
• 1:05:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would say, and I watched, I watched two of their games live, and I did not watch the Switzerland game, but I watched the highlights and kind of some general thoughts that I that I gathered from them are they're defensively a little bit sloppy.
• 1:05:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh they're very big, but doesn't look always organized.
• 1:05:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the US have the ability to take advantage of that.
• 1:05:53
  SPEAKER_00: I think where they do well is their offensive set pieces, they they play them well.
• 1:06:00
  SPEAKER_00: They've scored multiple goals in this world, cup off of set pieces, and they love a long shot.
• 1:06:04
  SPEAKER_00: They love to shoot from outside the box.
• 1:06:06
  SPEAKER_00: Matt Freeze, we didn't we didn't touch on this.
• 1:06:08
  SPEAKER_00: Matt Freeze didn't play last game.
• 1:06:10
  SPEAKER_00: He didn't see many shots the first two games.
• 1:06:12
  SPEAKER_00: So there's a little bit of that in there.
• 1:06:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I do worry not starting him and starting Turner in that third group stage game.
• 1:06:20
  SPEAKER_00: So you know, Matt, Matt's gonna have to lock in early, I think.
• 1:06:24
  SPEAKER_00: I think they're scrappy bunch, but I don't I just don't think they're always very put together.
• 1:06:28
  SPEAKER_00: And they they in the games that they played, they gave up some soft goals.
• 1:06:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the USA can again take advantage of that.
• 1:06:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um their young wingers, uh Bakra Terevich, uh the American kid, and the other guy on the other side, uh Alabegovich.
• 1:06:47
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I apologize on both of those names.
• 1:06:49
  SPEAKER_00: I think they're very dangerous guys, and I think they're gonna be guys that the U.S.
• 1:06:53
  SPEAKER_00: will have to lock in on defensively.
• 1:06:55
  SPEAKER_00: And then their number nine is Eden Jekko.
• 1:06:57
  SPEAKER_00: He he's one of the oldest players in this World Cup.
• 1:06:59
  SPEAKER_00: So the experience is there for sure.
• 1:07:02
  SPEAKER_00: He's played at some of the biggest clubs in the world, but he hasn't looked great in the World Cup.
• 1:07:07
  SPEAKER_00: But he's one of those guys where you give him a half a chance, you give him a moment, and he can score a goal.
• 1:07:12
  SPEAKER_00: So you got to be fearful of that.
• 1:07:13
  SPEAKER_00: But overall, I think the US should should win this game.
• 1:07:18
  SPEAKER_00: I could see Bosnia sneaking in a goal, but I think, in my opinion and and my prediction, is a three-to-one, three-to-one win for the US.
• 1:07:25
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 1:07:26
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I'm with you in terms of how you laid out Bosnia.
• 1:07:30
  SPEAKER_01: They are the tallest team in the World Cup, so their average height's just over 6'1.
• 1:07:34
  SPEAKER_01: Like you said, they're a bit scruffy in how they play.
• 1:07:37
  SPEAKER_01: Over a fourth of their expected goals for the whole tournament have come off of set pieces.
• 1:07:42
  SPEAKER_01: So that's going to be a big focal point, I'm sure, for the United States staff this week is just preparing defensively for how we're going to approach those.
• 1:07:49
  SPEAKER_01: We're not exactly the tallest team in this competition either.
• 1:07:52
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a point of concern.
• 1:07:54
  SPEAKER_01: Just don't give away easy set piece chances.
• 1:07:56
  SPEAKER_01: Also, Tyler Adams looking at you.
• 1:07:58
  SPEAKER_01: Like, just don't commit silly fouls and silly spots.
• 1:08:01
  SPEAKER_01: Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, you know, that sort of thing.
• 1:08:04
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't want any of that.
• 1:08:06
  SPEAKER_01: But I think we'll get more into this as we develop the podcast further.
• 1:08:10
  SPEAKER_01: But expected goals are basically a measure to show the quality of your shots throughout a game.
• 1:08:16
  SPEAKER_01: So if you don't know what an expected goal is, it's just a stat that they use in football to determine how good your shots were throughout a match.
• 1:08:24
  SPEAKER_01: How big of how big were your chances, essentially?
• 1:08:27
  SPEAKER_01: And it's not always foolproof, but they have just about two expected goals this tournament so far, Bosnia, and they've grossly outperformed that number in terms of what they've actually scored.
• 1:08:36
  SPEAKER_01: They scored three against Qatar, one against Switzerland, one against Canada.
• 1:08:40
  SPEAKER_01: So they've scored five.
• 1:08:41
  SPEAKER_01: They've been expected to score two.
• 1:08:43
  SPEAKER_01: So hopefully some regression of the mean on that front.
• 1:08:46
  SPEAKER_01: I think we'll get that.
• 1:08:48
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think I'm too worried about them going forward.
• 1:08:50
  SPEAKER_01: You did highlight the players.
• 1:08:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think you nailed the pronunciations.
• 1:08:53
  SPEAKER_01: Esmir Bajrak Tarevich, U.S.
• 1:08:55
  SPEAKER_01: born.
• 1:08:56
  SPEAKER_01: I think he grew up in like Wisconsin.
• 1:08:59
  SPEAKER_01: And a lot goes through him on the wing for Bosnia and the other wing, Karim Alabegovich.
• 1:09:07
  SPEAKER_01: Who knows if that's right, but you said that sounded good, Sean.
• 1:09:10
  SPEAKER_01: That rolled off the tongue.
• 1:09:12
  SPEAKER_01: It's confidence is key.
• 1:09:13
  SPEAKER_01: Who knows if it's right?
• 1:09:15
  SPEAKER_01: He plays for Salt and he scored in their last game against Guitar.
• 1:09:18
  SPEAKER_01: He's a dribbly boy, so something to watch with him.
• 1:09:21
  SPEAKER_01: You highlighted, of course, and Jekyll up top.
• 1:09:23
  SPEAKER_01: He'll he'll be the focal point of their attack.
• 1:09:26
  SPEAKER_01: He didn't start the first match for them, weirdly, but he did start the last two.
• 1:09:29
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm expecting him to be key for Bosnia.
• 1:09:33
  SPEAKER_01: I'm with you.
• 1:09:33
  SPEAKER_01: You said 3-1.
• 1:09:34
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go 2-0.
• 1:09:35
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go 2-0.
• 1:09:37
  SPEAKER_01: Keiji, not as difficult to watch as Australia, because that was just anti-football, what Australia tried to do.
• 1:09:45
  SPEAKER_01: I think Bosnia will play a little bit more.
• 1:09:47
  SPEAKER_01: They'll be a little bit better than that Australian side.
• 1:09:50
  SPEAKER_01: But I think we're going to rise to the occasion as well.
• 1:09:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think Pulisic and Balogun will be my two goal scorers.
• 1:09:55
  SPEAKER_01: I'm interested to see who you have scoring the goals for the U.S.
• 1:09:58
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 1:09:58
  SPEAKER_00: I like your I like your prediction.
• 1:10:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I think you're right, because I think the U.S.
• 1:10:02
  SPEAKER_00: is gonna have to come out early again, like like they have been, and they're gonna want to.
• 1:10:06
  SPEAKER_00: They're in San Francisco, they're at home again, they're comfortable.
• 1:10:10
  SPEAKER_00: I think halftime it goes, they go in one-nil.
• 1:10:12
  SPEAKER_00: Second half, I think Bosnia's gonna have to come out of that shell a little bit.
• 1:10:15
  SPEAKER_00: I think the U.S.
• 1:10:16
  SPEAKER_00: get a second, and then potentially Bosnia responds, and then I think the UA U.S.
• 1:10:20
  SPEAKER_00: scores a late one just to kind of close it out 3-1.
• 1:10:23
  SPEAKER_00: For my goals, I don't know how I don't know how you feel about this.
• 1:10:26
  SPEAKER_00: I had Balogun, Serginho, and then Sebastian Berhalter off the bench to close us out with a third goal.
• 1:10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Good God.
• 1:10:33
  SPEAKER_00: I can't keep getting away with this.
• 1:10:35
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'll gladly take it.
• 1:10:36
  SPEAKER_01: I'll gladly take it, Seb.
• 1:10:38
  SPEAKER_01: You want to come in and keep banging goals home?
• 1:10:40
  SPEAKER_01: I'll I'll buy a kit.
• 1:10:41
  SPEAKER_01: I think first US kits from this World Cup would be Seb Berhalter.
• 1:10:44
  SPEAKER_01: Can you imagine that?
• 1:10:45
  SPEAKER_01: That's good stuff.
• 1:10:46
  SPEAKER_01: I keep hoping for a special magic moment from Wes.
• 1:10:50
  SPEAKER_01: I think he's been good throughout this World Cup.
• 1:10:52
  SPEAKER_01: He was good in that Turkey game again.
• 1:10:55
  SPEAKER_01: I think he's gonna have one.
• 1:10:56
  SPEAKER_01: I I don't I'm not so sure I want to waste it in this round.
• 1:11:00
  SPEAKER_01: Let's save it maybe.
• 1:11:01
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want to play with my food, but Wes is gonna come up big for us.
• 1:11:04
  SPEAKER_01: I have a feeling.
• 1:11:05
  SPEAKER_01: I just don't know when I don't necessarily want to blow in the round 32.
• 1:11:08
  SPEAKER_01: That's fair.
• 1:11:09
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's a good shot.
• 1:11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Uh he has looked really good.
• 1:11:13
  SPEAKER_00: I think he played a little deeper in that last turkey game, so those chances didn't come maybe as frequently as as you'd want.
• 1:11:20
  SPEAKER_00: But in a little bit of a two minutes.
• 1:11:24
  unknown: Yeah.
• 1:11:24
  SPEAKER_00: What are we doing, Potch?
• 1:11:25
  unknown: Oh my gosh.
• 1:11:26
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, the other thing Sean to think about though is that game is gonna end up being what six days, five, six days before.
• 1:11:35
  SPEAKER_00: So that there is time to get rest and legs back.
• 1:11:38
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, it I mean it's a lot, it is a lot of minutes.
• 1:11:41
  SPEAKER_00: That's and he played the other two group stage games as well, so it's it is a lot on his legs, but I'm sure I mean they look, they got they got a big enough staff.
• 1:11:49
  SPEAKER_00: They there's people monitoring everything they do, everything they eat, every time they do anything.
• 1:11:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm sure somebody knows something.
• 1:11:56
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, Cargo Christian couldn't go, so that was the only deciding factor in the midfield.
• 1:12:01
  SPEAKER_01: Cargo Christian, his two abilities are availability and translation.
• 1:12:06
  SPEAKER_01: He was not available, he was resigned to just being a translator for that match.
• 1:12:12
  SPEAKER_01: We don't have many Spanish speakers left on the team anymore.
• 1:12:15
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's Zendejas, you know.
• 1:12:18
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know the Wiki translator.
• 1:12:20
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's Zendejas Pepe probably speaks Spanish, he speaks fluent English.
• 1:12:23
  SPEAKER_00: I I'm not so sure who else we have.
• 1:12:25
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think I think if anything, it's Pachatino because Zendejas, I think, grew up in like Texas for part of his life.
• 1:12:31
  SPEAKER_00: So he went to school in the US for some of his life.
• 1:12:34
  SPEAKER_00: So, like, yeah, so I think it's literally for Pachatino.
• 1:12:37
  SPEAKER_00: Perfect.
• 1:12:38
  SPEAKER_00: Who also speaks English, he's coached at two of the biggest clubs in London.
• 1:12:40
  SPEAKER_00: He's been coaching in England for a decade and a half.
• 1:12:44
  SPEAKER_01: Unbelievable so glad he's a part of the unit.
• 1:12:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I we have to switch the vibes real quick before we end.
• 1:12:51
  SPEAKER_01: Both of us are confident, both of us see the United States win.
• 1:12:54
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited for these knockout games.
• 1:12:56
  SPEAKER_01: They're finally here.
• 1:12:57
  SPEAKER_01: The first one was a good one.
• 1:12:59
  SPEAKER_01: It wasn't good to watch necessarily.
• 1:13:00
  SPEAKER_01: It was a bit scrappy, but it was knockout football with a lot on the line, and it felt like it.
• 1:13:06
  SPEAKER_01: So I can't get enough of it.
• 1:13:07
  SPEAKER_01: I'm excited for the games on Monday.
• 1:13:09
  SPEAKER_01: I'm more excited for the United States on Wednesday.
• 1:13:12
  SPEAKER_01: Brandon, anything else before we go?
• 1:13:15
  SPEAKER_00: No, Sean, this is I was gonna say, this is probably the last week where we see two and three games a day.
• 1:13:20
  SPEAKER_00: So just soak it in.
• 1:13:22
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, we're we're we're more than halfway through this tournament, which just freaks me out because we feel like we just started this.
• 1:13:29
  SPEAKER_00: So to have that going away, we got to embrace these last few weeks here.
• 1:13:35
  SPEAKER_00: And look, we're we're open.
• 1:13:37
  SPEAKER_00: The U.S.
• 1:13:37
  SPEAKER_00: bandwagon is open.
• 1:13:39
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, there are so many people are like, what's this soccer?
• 1:13:42
  SPEAKER_00: Foot fairies, you know, every every joke in the book.
• 1:13:45
  SPEAKER_00: We've all heard it.
• 1:13:46
  SPEAKER_00: And Sean and I, I'm sure, hear it all the time.
• 1:13:49
  SPEAKER_00: But look, you want to jump on the bandwagon and join us for this this run to the World Cup final?
• 1:13:53
  SPEAKER_00: Be my guest.
• 1:13:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like, there's room.
• 1:13:55
  SPEAKER_00: We we need to grow this.
• 1:13:57
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I met little nine-year-old Owen at the game the other day, but there's probably so many other people in that situation: kids, adults, grown.
• 1:14:05
  SPEAKER_00: You mentioned your Graham watching the games.
• 1:14:07
  SPEAKER_00: Like, get make sure I know she's a she's a messy gal, but like you gotta make sure she's watching the US games too.
• 1:14:13
  SPEAKER_00: So only messy.
• 1:14:14
  SPEAKER_01: We gotta be she's kind of out on the United States outfit, it seems like, but I'll try.
• 1:14:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'll try again.
• 1:14:19
  SPEAKER_01: Seems like she's only messy now, which hey, who could blame her?
• 1:14:23
  SPEAKER_01: But I do agree your sentiment is great, Brandon.
• 1:14:26
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's important too, as we are transitioning from this World Cup as well.
• 1:14:32
  SPEAKER_01: Like this podcast is going to be a year-round affair where we care a lot about the leagues, and I think the World Cup is a great launching point for your soccer fandom.
• 1:14:41
  SPEAKER_01: So find some players you like, find some teams you want to root for, obviously, back to the US.
• 1:14:46
  SPEAKER_01: There's tons of room still on that bandwagon.
• 1:14:47
  SPEAKER_01: You're still buying relatively low because I have a funny feeling we're we're going deep into this tournament.
• 1:14:54
  SPEAKER_01: I think cancel, cancel some vacations the next few weeks.
• 1:14:57
  SPEAKER_01: We've got some time still in this World Cup.
• 1:14:59
  SPEAKER_01: Those could be such famous last words, and nobody would be sadder to put a hand up than me.
• 1:15:04
  SPEAKER_01: But I think the the growing feeling in this country that football is a viable sport and that's a fun sport, it's being fueled by a lot of the stories we told at the beginning of the podcast, too.
• 1:15:17
  SPEAKER_01: If you go just walk around one of the cities that's hosting, it's everywhere.
• 1:15:21
  SPEAKER_01: Every bar, every restaurant, there's a World Cup sign, there's a World Cup game on, there's people in jerseys.
• 1:15:26
  SPEAKER_01: Every train I took this weekend, people dressed up, soccer kits, some not even relevant to the situation, just wearing whatever team they support.
• 1:15:35
  SPEAKER_01: I saw some random Tottenham kits on my way.
• 1:15:37
  SPEAKER_01: Just not guys that aren't in the World Cup, but love to see it.
• 1:15:40
  SPEAKER_01: Every time hit them with a come on, you spurs.
• 1:15:42
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, come on, you spurs.
• 1:15:43
  SPEAKER_01: You could tell when they're fraudulent when they hit you back with a ghost burst.
• 1:15:47
  SPEAKER_01: We don't like that.
• 1:15:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's tough.
• 1:15:49
  SPEAKER_01: I had a couple of those.
• 1:15:50
  SPEAKER_01: I wanted to rip the hat off the guy's head.
• 1:15:51
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, that's not how we do it, but but we'll get you there as fans.
• 1:15:54
  SPEAKER_01: Just keep sticking with us, and we appreciate you guys tuning into this type of show because that's our goal.
• 1:15:59
  SPEAKER_01: That's our ultimate goal.
• 1:16:01
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, you put it beautifully.
• 1:16:03
  SPEAKER_00: Going to the games and seeing all of the jerseys uh has been great.
• 1:16:07
  SPEAKER_00: And it's one of those things where I feel like we like a niche sport, even though it's the biggest sport in the world.
• 1:16:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's a it's a weird boat to be in because if we were in any other country, especially Europe or South America, people would be like, yeah, of course.
• 1:16:20
  SPEAKER_00: Like you don't need to make a podcast about the World Cup.
• 1:16:22
  SPEAKER_00: We all know about it, we're all watching it.
• 1:16:24
  SPEAKER_00: But generally, Americans are a little late to this to the soccer party, and that's okay.
• 1:16:29
  SPEAKER_00: Like we have American football here, and and that's a big deal.
• 1:16:32
  SPEAKER_00: Go birds always.
• 1:16:33
  SPEAKER_00: But like I I want to see it grow.
• 1:16:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I just I there's so much momentum that can come out of this.
• 1:16:38
  SPEAKER_00: The the MLS teams here, even the lower levels here.
• 1:16:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure listeners, wherever you are, there's probably even a local team, maybe a semi-pro team in your area if you don't have an MLS team.
• 1:16:48
  SPEAKER_00: And you can see guys like like a Yan Diamande, who was playing in Florida's in in fourth division two years ago, who is about to go.
• 1:16:57
  SPEAKER_00: I just saw today, actually, Sean.
• 1:16:59
  SPEAKER_00: Probably gonna go to PSG, not Liverpool.
• 1:17:01
  SPEAKER_00: But, you know, the this is what it's about.
• 1:17:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like the these stories and careers start everywhere, and it's it's just a great sport to follow.
• 1:17:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um and I and I echo exactly what you said, Sean.
• 1:17:10
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was beautifully put.
• 1:17:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's this is this is the time, and we're gonna be a year-round podcast.
• 1:17:16
  SPEAKER_00: This is not ending on you know July 19th when the World Cup final happens.
• 1:17:19
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna be year-round, and maybe we'll have some drafts in the summer or some uh some other things to get you kind of excited for the European seasons and the MLS seasons and and all the other leagues in the world uh coming up.
• 1:17:31
  SPEAKER_00: But there's a lot more to come, and and we're excited to have you on this journey.
• 1:17:34
  SPEAKER_01: Brandon, perfect, perfect way to end the show.
• 1:17:37
  SPEAKER_01: And the only thing that could ruin this momentum would be the United States loss to Bosnia.
• 1:17:42
  SPEAKER_01: That's the only thing that I was thinking about as you're talking so eloquently.
• 1:17:46
  SPEAKER_01: Sitting here thinking, all this momentum, it's perfect.
• 1:17:49
  SPEAKER_01: Range, rain, rainbows, and gum drops, and then around a 32 exit and a car on fire would be it would be a crash and burn.
• 1:17:59
  SPEAKER_01: We're not gonna have that.
• 1:18:00
  SPEAKER_01: Don't worry, we're gonna beat Bosnia.
• 1:18:02
  SPEAKER_01: We'll be back with you later this week to recap that, to recap all the other games.
• 1:18:05
  SPEAKER_01: Brandon, thank you as always for joining me.
• 1:18:08
  SPEAKER_01: Always.
• 1:18:09
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Sean.
• 1:18:10
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having me.
• 1:18:11
  SPEAKER_01: And listeners, thank you all for tuning in.
• 1:18:13
  SPEAKER_01: It has been a pleasure.
• 1:18:14
  SPEAKER_01: Please don't be afraid to like, subscribe, and of course, tell a friend to tell a friend.
• 1:18:20
  SPEAKER_01: Until next time, take care.
• 1:18:22
  SPEAKER_01: Bye the merch.