2018 World Cup

[JasonEvans]

Groups are being drawn...

Group of Death: Group C - France (9 in FIFA rankings), Peru (11), Demark (12), Australia (39)
GOD Runner up: Group E - Brazil (2), Switzerland (8), Costa Rica (26), Serbia (37)

-Jason "I need to look a little more to see if E is really that tough... but C is a nightmare" Evans

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Groups are being drawn...

Group of Death: Group C - France (9 in FIFA rankings), Peru (11), Demark (12), Australia (39)
GOD Runner up: Group E - Brazil (2), Switzerland (8), Costa Rica (26), Serbia (37)

-Jason "I need to look a little more to see if E is really that tough... but C is a nightmare" Evans

I am far from a soccer expert but the Portugal-Spain matchup could be really interesting. Unfortunately, the other two teams in their group are a lot weaker so they might just play for the tie. It is ironic that Portugal, Spain and Morocco have to travel to Russia to play their games. My untrained eye also thinks that Russia got an easy draw as the host - I know the system has always been set up to help the host nation, but this seems particularly easy.

[wilson]

...It is ironic that Portugal, Spain and Morocco have to travel to Russia to play their games...

[insert Reconquista joke here]

[JasonEvans]

My untrained eye also thinks that Russia got an easy draw as the host - I know the system has always been set up to help the host nation, but this seems particularly easy.

Yeah, Group A (Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay) is absurdly easy. There are several other groups where the 4th best team would be a favorite to make it out of the group stage if that team was in Group A instead. I'm guessing Russia and Uruguay make it through that group, but they will be cannon fodder for the other teams in the R16 knock-out stage.

-Jason "need to see which groups get to play A1 and A2 in the knock out stage... those teams are making the quarterfinals" Evans

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Yeah, Group A (Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay) is absurdly easy. There are several other groups where the 4th best team would be a favorite to make it out of the group stage if that team was in Group A instead. I'm guessing Russia and Uruguay make it through that group, but they will be cannon fodder for the other teams in the R16 knock-out stage.

-Jason "need to see which groups get to play A1 and A2 in the knock out stage... those teams are making the quarterfinals" Evans

A plays B which is Portugal and Spain - if Russia gets through they will likely take a beating.