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A game of decent tempo but few chances ended in a goalless draw to which neither side will object – though both did their best to force a win

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Wed 23 Nov 2022 07.31 ESTFirst published on Wed 23 Nov 2022 03.30 EST
Croatia's defender Josko Gvardiol (L) makes a sliding tackle.
Croatia's defender Josko Gvardiol (L) makes a sliding tackle. Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images
Croatia's defender Josko Gvardiol (L) makes a sliding tackle. Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images

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FULL-TIME: Morocco 0-0 Croatia

We saw this coming at the start, and though it was a fairly enjoyable version of the genre, both sides lack edge in attack.

Key events

….which means that’s us done here. Thanks all for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all. Peace out.

“Clearly the king of the dead arm games is the Ring Game (also known as the Circle Game),” says Simon Thomas. And here’s a picture of Richard III showing what a bad bloke he was, even from beyond the grave.”

Richard III making a circle
Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters

The Germany v Japan game should be fun. Japan have some speed and the ability to get in behind Die Mannschaft’s high line; Germany have Jamal Musiala, one of the world’s form players currently (yes, and lots of other gooduns too).

Join the legendary Scott Murray for that, now.

Back on ITV, national treasures, Ian Wright and Roy Keane are both saying the players should just wear the armbands and take whatever the punishment is. They either believe in something or they don’t.

“Yellow car Sweden,” begins Fredrik Lorentzson. “Our post cars were yellow, too, but they never counted. Only private cars gave you the right, or even the obligation, to hit somebody else’s upper arm. ‘Cheese on wheels’ would have saved me a lot of bruises when my kids were younger.”

But cost you world of sadistic and masochistic joy.

“Some comments about international teams with consistently beautiful kits,” says Matt Dony, “and then a link to an interview about Wales’ performance. Freudian.”

This one was a beauty.

“A London World Cup?” says Richard Hirst. “Following up one of yesterday’s MBMs, Forest could hold the World Cup on their own.”

I missed that, so you’ll have to enlighten me.

That’s our third 0-0 in 24 hours. I doubt we see another today, though, and those we have seen haven’t been dreadful so I don’t think there’s any reason to get upset.

FULL-TIME: Morocco 0-0 Croatia

We saw this coming at the start, and though it was a fairly enjoyable version of the genre, both sides lack edge in attack.

90+6 min Hello! Amallah shoves Livaja over, and Croatia have a free-kick 40 yards out, on the left, which should be the final play of the game. Modric’s cross is headed clear, and that’s that.

90+5 min Here comes Ezzalzouli again … and there goes Ezzalzouli again, walked through by Juranovic.

90+3 min Ziyech slides in and upends Modric, somehow escaping a card. The ref has let loads go here, which is good to see – who can forget the dismissal of Marco Ethchevery in the first game of USA 94.

90+3 min The Moroccan fans are giving it loads as their team pursue a winner, but when Attiyat Allah chucks long, Croatia head clear.

90 min “True, teams don’t have to constantly hop into planes at this tournament,” says Daniel L. Gurfinkiel. “But several fans will have to do it, seeing how there’s an accommodation crisis in Qatar. So yeah, not a great tradeoff.”

No one’s saying the World Cup should be in Qatar – it shouldn’t. But discussion of the consequences seems a reasonable thing to do.

88 min Ezzalzouli is trying desperately hard to impress and it’s not unamusing. Here, he befuddles Juranovic with the majesty of his Cruyff turn, missing the ball entirely; glorious.

86 min Saiss tries to pick a pass into midfield but Gvardiol reads it and nips in, sliding a similar pass through the middle for Livaja … but it’s too strong.

85 min Ziyech tries to pick another of those perfect passes, a reverse-clip for Hamdallah .. who doesn’t win the header but even if he had done, he couldn’t go for goal and there was no one “in and around” him to pick up a potential knockdown.

83 min Morocco have more speed about their play than Croatia, but they’ve not quite picked the right passes at the right times. They might, though, try and get more men into the box because at the moment, they’re reliant on everything being done perfectly, instead of putting themselves in position to pick up second balls and bum touches.

Morocco's Abdelhamid Sabiri tries to break the deadlock.
Morocco's Abdelhamid Sabiri tries to break the deadlock. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

81 min Morocco send on Hamdallah and Sabiri for En Nesyri and Ounahi. They’re going for the win.

80 min Modric looks for Gvardiol at the back post, where he’s penalised for climbing.

79 min Croatia send on Majer for Kovacic, then Gavrdiol hurls in a long throw that’s headed away. Croatia sustain that attack, though, and when Juranovic chips a ball down the line it hits Amallah’s arm, and Croatia have another free-kick out on the right. Here comes Modric again…

78 min Modric, espying Amrabat on his inside, drops a shoulder to allow the ball to pass on his outside, so Amrabat clatters him and is booked.

78 min “South Koreans never refer to themselves as 남한 (‘nam han’ - literally South Han) as Michael suggests,” instructs Nigel Ollala, “although they do call North Korea 북한 (‘buk han’ - North Han). I don’t think South Koreans would say that they are south anywhere, but instead that the north of their country is occupied. On TV in Korea you’ll see 대한민국 (‘dae han min guk’ - Republic of Korea) crammed on the screen. 한국 (‘han guk’ - Han Land) could be used. This refers to the peninsular as a whole, but is used interchangeably. North Koreans use a totally different set of names for South Korea - 남조선, the peninsular - 조선, and their country - 조선민주주의인민공화국 (!) All this, plus the fact that many countries have more than one language (so which do you choose?) means I’d just stick to English based abbreviations.”

Us: telt.

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