[NeneJa]

2018 WORLD CUP
PART 2 - PICK’EM
Switzerland

The voices told me to pick them...

[hija]

WORLD CUP ROUND OF 16 – BRACKET CHALLENGE
I’m in and I’ve paid my 100WRZ$ entry fee

[WordDiva]

Interesting Write up I read and Agree...

Salah, Neymar, Messi, messy, messy: World Cup stars stifled

With nagging injuries, heavy marking from opponents and some simply uninspired play, the top stars of the 2018 World Cup have struggled to deliver on the impossible expectations they carried into the tournament, with one prominent Portuguese exception.

During Brazil's 1-1 draw with Switzerland, Neymar was fouled 10 times.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who has all four of Portugal's goals in its two games, many of the biggest names are off to a shaky start.

No one has had rougher treatment from the opposition than the world's priciest player, Neymar.

During Brazil's opening 1-1 draw with Switzerland, the 26-year-old was fouled 10 times, the highest number on a single player in a single match since the 1998 World Cup, when England's Alan Shearer took 11 challenges against Tunisia. Overall, Switzerland fouled Brazil 19 times, with little intervention from the referee, and it worked -- especially on Neymar.

Messi did face heavy marking too, but he also had two uninspired performances for Argentina. Superstar Lionel Messi did face heavy marking too, but he also had two uninspired performances for Argentina, which is now on the verge of early elimination after a 3-0 defeat against Croatia.

Throughout the matches against Iceland and Croatia, disciplined defenders and midfielders stopped Messi from making his famous runs and getting one-on-one chances.

Against Iceland, Messi saw his penalty spot kick saved by goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson, and the game ended 1-1.

Against Croatia, he crumbled with the rest of the team, which now desperately needs to beat Nigeria in the last round of group stage to have a chance of advancing to the next phase.

"Messi is human," Aguero said after the Iceland match.

Egypt striker Mohamed Salah set a Premier League scoring record for Liverpool and held all the hopes for a deep run by the Pharaohs in their return to the World Cup, until he injured his shoulder playing for Liverpool in the Champions League final in a clash with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, of Spain.

Salah scored a penalty against Russia but only after the hosts led by three goals, and his mobility was clearly affected.

Salah sat out the opening 0-1 loss to Uruguay in Yekaterinburg, with coach Hector Cuper hoping to have him fit for Egypt's second match, against Russia.

He made his World Cup debut in St. Petersburg and scored from the penalty spot, but only after the hosts led by three goals, and his mobility was clearly affected.

He barely touched the ball in the first half and avoided physical contact with Russian defenders during the entire game, and Egypt was eliminated with one match left to play

[goldie0608]

2018 WORLD CUP
PART 1 - DAILY DOUBLE
Brazil
Nigeria

[goldie0608]

WORLD CUP
PART 2 - PICK’EM
Serbia

[goldie0608]

WORLD CUP ROUND OF 16 – BRACKET CHALLENGE
I’m in and I’ve paid my 100 WRZ$ entry fee

[pjmpjm]

2018 WORLD CUP
PART 2 - PICK’EM
Switzerland
Because I've visited Helvetia several times and have Swiss friends . . .

[johngriffen]

SPORTS CENTER CONTEST #137

UNDERDOGS

For those not familiar with the term, Underdogs are the exact opposite of the Favorites. The term is usually shorted to simply "the dog". When you hear the expression, "who is the dog in this match", somebody is asking which team or player is not the favorite. The term is usually only used when somebody or some team is really over matched.

For this edition of UNDERDOGS, we will provide you with three games. This will be different than the Last World Cup Underdogs
For this one, we are just asking you to answer either YES, One of these three Underdogs will win or NO, None of the Underdogs will win
NOTE - A draw is NOT a Win

INFORMATION
GAME ONE
Belgium 72%
Draw 18%
Tunisia 10%
Not looking good for Tunisia in this match up

GAME TWO
South Korea 17%
Draw 27%
Mexico 56%
When you count on South Korea as your best chance to win, you know you are in trouble

GAME THREE
Germany 68%
Draw 20%
Sweden 12%
Germany didn't look good in their first match and lost
Sweden won their first match, but the odds don't look good

The underdogs are in bold and red

What is it?
A contest where you are predicting whether any of the three underdogs will win
Say YES, which means you think one will actually win
Say NO, which means you think they are all doomed and none of them will win


How do you play?
To enter this contest, you will need to post the following:
2018 WORLD CUP
UNDERDOGS
And post either YES for one dog winning or NO for none of them winning

EXAMPLE POST
UNDERDOGS
NO

Rules:
Predict correctly and you win
Only 1 post per person for this specific contest, any more and all of your posts will be disallowed.

ALL PICKS MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO THE FOLLOWING TIMES:
SATURDAY 7 AM Chicago (UTC -5)
SATURDAY NOON GMT (UTC +0)
Any picks made after this deadline will simply be ignored.
Any edits after this deadline, and your post will be disallowed.

Reward:
If you guess correctly, you will share the 500 WRZ$ pool

So it's that easy, a correct Yes or No could win you this edition of UNDERDOGS

And you still have over 5 hours to sign up for Part 2 of the FRIDAY DOUBLE PLAY
WORLD CUP DOUBLE PLAY PART 2 PICK'EM - SPORTS CENTER CONTEST # 135 HERE

BUT, YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO MISS THE MOST EXCITING CONTEST FOR THIS YEAR'S WORLD CUP
WORLD CUP BRACKET CHALLENGE ROUND OF 16 - SPORTS CENTER CONTEST # 136 GO HERE
Yeah, it will cost 100 WRZ$, but it gives you a chance to win for every single match of the Round of 16
SUCH A DEAL

For an index of open events and a directory of recent contest results, go HERE
If you are new to SPORTS CENTER or if you have questions, check out the Sports Center FAQ, go HERE

Bringing you 24 hour 365 days a year sports coverage

Sports Center is ON!

[NeneJa]

UNDERDOGS
Nope

[hija]

SPORTS CENTER CONTEST #137
UNDERDOGS
NO

[anna1561]

2018 WORLD CUP
UNDERDOGS
Yes

2018 WORLD CUP
UNDERDOGS
Yes

SPORTS CENTER CONTEST #137
Underdogs
No

[9trogue]

2018 WORLD CUP
UNDERDOGS
Yes

[MaestroZanni]

2018 WORLD CUP
UNDERDOGS
Yes