The ageless Lionel (Leo-nell, not like the train set) Messi came through and won his first World Cup. As already acknowledged, there isn't a helluva a lot of scoring in soccer, but that's what probably makes it so exciting. An American football game with each team scoring three times is probably not an exciting game. In soccer, it is.
France was down 2-0 for much of the game . A team that's only scored twice like Argentina does not have a run away with time on the clock. And in 1:33 seconds France scored two goals and made the score even at 2-2.
Penalty kicks are a little unfair to me. I know they can be missed, despite the enormity of the 24' x 8' soccer net, but when a penalty kick is awarded because a player is fouled in the box they aren't the one who gets the kick. The best player gets the chance, and for Argentina this means Lionel Messi, and for France this means Kylian Mbappé. In hockey, the offended player has to take the penalty shot, which in hockey is much rarer than a penalty kick in soccer.
And as much as a penalty kick looks like a gimme, it isn't. Ask Harry Kane of the England who missed a critical one in a shootout. Twelve yards in front of a fairly skinny guy standing in front of an opening three times the size of a Manhattan kitchen looks like an easy score. But kickers miss, wide, high, or the skinny guy guesses right and gets enough of his gloved hands on the ball and keeps it from going in.
I don't think any of the matches went past the 5 shots apiece of penalty kicks after playing to a tie in regulation and two 15 minute extra periods. It would be sudden death kicks after that, if you want even more drama. It was fitting that this final went to the penalty kicks. All that soccer, and they were still tied.
Soccer and hockey are similar. There is a great deal of passing. But hockey has way more shots on net than soccer. It is surprising how few shots on goal there really are in soccer. These guys stick to each other like glue in what is deceptively a rough sport because those bodies go flying and tripping each other, with no protective equipment worn. Their heads get a workout, and its not from thinking.
As France came back dramatically, the TV camera found the French president Emmanuel Macron jubilant in the stands right next to world energy suppliers in white clothing. Despite France losing in a shootout, perhaps President Macron made some deals to keep his country warm this winter.
I paid close attention to this World Cup. It was on TV at a favorable East Coast time, and could be relied on to be over before sundown. I will be looking forward to the women's World Cup next year from Australia and New Zealand. The U.S. women have won the last two Women's World Cups. I've only ever really watched parts of those wins. The next cup I'll be paying more attention because even with the tremendous time difference between East Coast USA and Down Under, the viewing times should be easy to view as live broadcasts. It may not be the same day, but the timing will be conducive to viewing.
When yesterday's score was 2-0 Argentina it was easy to beleive the French were out of it. Then it happened. A penalty kick scored by France's Kylian Mbappé breathed life into the players. Then, quickly it was 2-2 after Mbappé scored on a breakaway.
A good deal of soccer scoring is through those set pieces from the corner or the spot of the foul if outside the box, or through penalty kicks. Scores from the regular flow of play are exciting because you can almost feel they're on the way, much like hockey when a team is on a power play and play is being dominated in the defensive zone by the power play club.
I watched all that soccer over several weeks and never once felt like I wanted some of the merchandise available through FIFA store.com. The fans in the stands were indistinguishable from the players on the field in what they were wearing. They ordered big time from the FIFA store.
I have two granddaughters who do not play soccer. A shame really. Soccer merchandise for Christmas would have been so easy to choose from.
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