Results from the games in Group C and D:
Australia 1-0 Denmark
Tunisia 1-0 France
Poland 0-2 Argentina
Saudi Arabia 1-2 Mexico In Group C Argentina and Poland qualify for the next stage. In Group D Tunisia shocked the world by beating France but they and Denmark will not qualify. France and Australia are through to the next stage.
Here is the final tables for Group C and D :
Poland had a nice sweat after the whistle was blown for them. Everyone watching the stream Mexico against Saudi Arabia!
Also the chances Argentina had in the game to score a third goal. Lewandowski said he has never been happier about a loss and never felt more satisfaction going home with a 0-2!
I believe that. But ranking 2nd and meeting France isn't quite the best scenario, though better than being kicked out of course.
I am interested in your guys' opinions: is France' behavior, changing players on 9 positions and not only that, but also let players play positions that they usually don't play (e.g. Camavinga), a distortion of competition?
Camp A says that France earned themselves that luxury during the first two games by winning them both, putting them into a position to do or not do whatever they want in the third game.
Camp B says that changing positions is fine, but out of respect towards the whole competition there should be a limit, an unwritten rule to be followed by every single participant. Changing 9 positions goes too far when it comes to fair competition.
I personally tend to adhere towards camp B. The reason being that if a lottery would have led to another schedule, meaning that France would have first met Tunisia and instead Denmark in the last game, chances are high that Denmark would have made it to the next round. But a world cup shouldn't involve moments of luck in that regard. The best teams should qualify. Imagine Tunisia would have made it if Australia vs. Denmark would have been a draw. I really think that changing 9 positions and letting players play where they usually never play is too much of so called "deserved luxury". When Dechamps sent his stars onto the pitch, the game took a turn and it was 9-0 attempts in favor of France whereas in the first half I believe it was 11-1 in favor of Tunisia. Although I get the point of deserved luxury and reducing risk for star players to get injured, I do see distortion in competition when Tunisia dominates France as if France was only half as good as Faroe Islands... Watching that game even hurt my eyes.
What do you guys think?