Game 23: Iceland v France

[Sheep]

France need less than a minute to take the lead.

[moo cowe]

Proof of my senility, watching the build-up, saw RUFC on the seats and wondered for a couple of minutes why they were playing at a rugby stadium. Managed to solve that for myself. Apologies to the Millers.

[Patrick Thistle]

This game I've really noticed the Iceland players mostly (all) have surnames ending in 'dottir' (which I know is the traditional way). It make them all sound like heroes from the sagas.

[Patrick Thistle]

One of the player has her hair done in braids? plaits? no sure but it's very Scandi trad and really reminds me of pictures of my Faroese grandma from when she was young.

[Patrick Thistle]

Hey! They've got runes on their back as well as letters.

Amused how the Iceland player who earned a yellow card got a congratulatory hand slap from her team mate for taking out an opponent.

[Patrick Thistle]

The France goalkeeper is not very good with crosses

[Patrick Thistle]

Ice hockey style body slam there.

[Sheep]

France finish the job.

[Sheep]

VAR unfinishes the job. Harsh.

[Gangster Octopus]

How long is this taking?

[Fussbudget]

This game's a bit of a farce isn't it

[diggedy derek]

VARcical.

[Jah Womble]

If there’s a record for the longest gap between two goals in a 90-minute game, then that may have just broken it.

[Janik]

With some matches abandoned part way through restarted again from the point of abandonment on a different day, the record is going to be days or even months rather than a two-and-a-quarter hours.

[Sheep]

Iceland going out unbeaten. Not bad.

[Various Artist]

In terms of minutes on the official clock, that gap will take some beating though – which was my immediate thought when the penalty went in! If I'm not mistaken, France led 1-0 for 101 minutes of the 90, as it were, before Iceland equalised.

[Various Artist]

I missed the actual French goal, as well, having flipped over for a minute to see the start of Italy–Belgium on the other channel straight after kickoff at the New York. Turned back to find the France–Iceland game about 86 seconds in and the goal replays just finishing.

Finished my dinner, went out to nearby friends' house, got their 'frozen' TV digibox working again, similarly fixed the problem of a 'stuck' e-mail app on his mobile, watered their garden (he's recently had heart surgery, so can't lift anything as heavy as a watering can right now), came home, pondered some flatpack patio furniture, sat with my cat on my lap for a bit outside, sent some family WhatsApp group messages... and meanwhile the same game was still going on and it was still 1-0 to France. Came back in just in time to watch the penalty being put away with the last kick of the match.

[Janik]

Apparently British Football during WWII had a rule similar to timeless tests in Cricket. Rather than replays (not a practical option) or a coin toss, teams would play on in effectively unlimited golden goal extra time if the scores were level after both 90 and 120 minutes. The longest ever game was between Stockport and Doncaster, and had 203 minutes of playing time. However no goals were scored after the first 90 - the game was finally abandoned and replayed due to bad light (no floodlights). But if this happened other, slightly shorter, games under the same rules may have had a winning goal.

[Duncan Gardner]

Iceland going out unbeaten. Not bad.

Slightly unlucky, agreed.

All the other seven leaving early took a thrashing (NI and Finland two each). That's nine mismatches, compare to only two in the 2017 Finals

[Jah Womble]

With some matches abandoned part way through restarted again from the point of abandonment on a different day, the record is going to be days or even months rather than a two-and-a-quarter hours.

Obviously I was thinking in terms of unbroken play - as per a standard match - but yep, fair point.

(This would come in at under two hours anyway.)