Has there been a better set of final group games?

[HopOnBaby]

Pretty much every group built to a crescendo - is it just recency bias, or are final matches not usually so routinely exciting?

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, HopOnBaby said:

Pretty much every group built to a crescendo - is it just recency bias, or are final matches not usually so routinely exciting?

Probably not at the World Cup, but 16 team EUROs were always full of drama.

[Astafjevs]

The last two or three groups yeh. A and B final games weren't that exciting. Nor was France's group.

Posted it in the other thread, but the big teams resting players I feel opened it up a bit over the last couple of nights. They were willing to risk either 1st place or qualification altogether so that they could give some guys a rest.

 

[HopOnBaby]

5 minutes ago, Astafjevs said:

The last two or three groups yeh. A and B final games weren't that exciting. Nor was France's group.

Posted it in the other thread, but the big teams resting players I feel opened it up a bit over the last couple of nights. They were willing to risk either 1st place or qualification altogether so that they could give some guys a rest.

 

True, A and B weren't as goal-a-minute, but both Senegal and the US managed to turn around their positions in the group to qualify, while France losing is always fun and it was a lovely moment for Australia to get through.

Edited December 2, 2022 by HopOnBaby

[Mickybricks14]

I think only Qatar and Canada were knocked out after two rounds and only France, Brazil and Portugal were through. so plenty of teams had a chance of making the knockout stage with the right results

[PMLF]

These final group stage games were great but I am glad the knockout stage is finally starting.