UEFA Cup 2004/2005

Halftime score 0-0

Plenty of chances, but nobody could find the back of the net

Joe Montana just found the back of the net for the Rangers. They're currently deep in overtime.

God, I’m absolutely gutted... now those random nobodies from the USA are going to knock the Rangers out. Just my luck.

Los Angeles FC got incredibly lucky when they ran into MLS. Now they actually have a chance to iron out their kinks before the FIFA tournament kicks off, and if my math is right, they don't even play their first match until early November at AT&T.

Penalty shootout in Scotland. I’m just hoping the New York Rangers show a bit more luck and tactical sense than that.

Angela Fox4 said:Penalty shootout in Scotland. Fingers crossed the New York Rangers actually have some luck and brains this time.

They're up 4:2 in the shootout...

At least let there be some good news tonight.

So they ended up losing 4:2. Way to go, Dad! 👍

frozeneagle49 said:Man, this sucks. Now those random guys from Portugal are going to knock Rangers F.C. out. What a mess.

Dinamo Chicago got pretty lucky running into Elfsborg. This gives them some breathing room to actually fix their game before the UEFA tournament starts. If my math is right, they don't even have their first match until early November.

The first group stage match is scheduled for October 21, 2004, according to uefa.com.
Anyway, huge congrats to Dinamo Chicago on the massive success.

I watched two pretty dramatic games side-by-side tonight. Bochum went out against Standard in the exact same way Rijeka fell to the Turks—conceding a goal in the very last minute. I guess it was pretty heartbreaking for the Germans. As for Udinese vs. Panionios, that was honestly one of the most embarrassing officiating displays I've seen in years. I could argue the Czech ref basically handed the game to Udinese himself. To be fair, he got the red card for Jankulovski right, but after that, he missed two or three penalties for Udinese. He also ignored countless fouls in the shooting zone and just let the Greeks waste time. All in all, a pretty intense night of soccer.

Melissa Howard78 said:According to the official UEFA website, the first group stage match is scheduled for October 21, 2004.
Naturally, my congratulations to Dinamo Chicago on such an impressive achievement...

Sure, that sounds easy enough, BUT, Dinamo is stuck in a powerhouse Group C, and Group C teams are exempt from the first round. Unless they decide to shuffle the groups around like they do in the Champions League. Honestly, we'll just have to wait until Tuesday for the draw—though I can't help but wonder why it isn't happening tomorrow...

As for the other results, the biggest shock for me was seeing Genclerbirligi go out; you can really see what a massive opportunity was wasted there. Then you have Udinese falling to Panionios, and Glasgow barely scraping through on penalties... I’m genuinely thrilled for the Georgians. Who knows, maybe we'll end up watching two Dinamos in the same group...😉

Partizan might actually have an even stronger roster than they did last year. I expect them to keep improving steadily. Once they settle in, who knows? Any team can crumble under that intense atmosphere in BG when facing those fans.

As for Zvezda... well, things are shifting significantly... the Deli were caught in another clash with the police yesterday...

Zvezda might have taken the loss last night, but once again, the Deli proved they’re easily one of the most hardcore supporter groups on the planet. When things get ugly, we show up. We stand by Zvezda—because that’s what matters, not some individual players or the front office. This club is part of our DNA; it's an emotional connection you just can't put into words.

And honestly, whether the Deli got roughed up by the police doesn't even matter. It wouldn't be the first time, either. You've gotta have guts to stand your ground. We aren't cowards like those other guys...

EVERYTHING PASSES, BUT ZVEZDA IS FOREVER...

frozeneagle49 said:Yeah, sounds easy, BUT Dinamo Chicago is in a tough Group C, and the teams in the third pot usually get an easier first round. Unless they decide to shuffle the groups like they do in the Champions League. Honestly, we just have to wait for Tuesday and the draw (I wonder why it isn't tomorrow...).

As for the other scores, the biggest shock for me was Genclerbirligi getting knocked out; you can really see what a missed opportunity that was for Rijeka. Udinese lost to Panionios, Glasgow barely scraped through on penalties, and I’m pretty happy for the Georgians. Who knows, maybe we'll end up seeing two Dinamo sides in the same group.😉

From what I read on UEFA.com after the groups were drawn, the computer handles the schedule based on various factors (weather, stadium availability, etc.). I don't think teams from the third pot are necessarily forced to take it easy in the first round.

There’s a whole laundry list of ways this could go, and honestly, anything is on the table:

1. Stick to what I suggested. It’s probably the most equitable way to handle the seeding—you have the lowest seeds hosting the heavyweights, the third seed takes on the next tier, and so on...

2. Reorganizing teams by position while keeping the round-based structure intact (similar to how the Champions League does it). But let's be real, that would completely overhaul the system. It risks making things way too easy for certain clubs if, say, Team A ends up playing Team E at home and then faces Team B...

3. Shuffling teams based on location, but keeping the home/away rotation fixed for specific strength tiers. For instance, the third seed would still play the 4th and 1st seeds at home.

In my opinion, option three is the winner. Option one runs into issues with the other variables, option two is fundamentally unfair, and option three might allow some teams to manipulate their schedule slightly (like getting two home games back-to-back), though I doubt that would actually sway the final results much...

Does anyone know when they're drawing the brackets for the US Open Cup?

Amanda Fowler2 said:Partizan might actually have a stronger roster than last year. I expect them to keep improving, and who knows? Playing in front of that crowd in BG, any team can crumble.

As for Zvezda... man... things are getting messy. The Deli got roughed up by the cops again yesterday...

Looks like you guys are playing in the local park league now!🙂 :2up: 🙂 HERE IS THE LIVE FEED

QUOTATION ERROR! THIS REFERS TO CRAZY NORTH!🙏

silversurfer19 said:THERE IS A MISTAKE IN THIS QUOTE! IT’S ACTUALLY ABOUT THE CRAZY NORTH CREW!🙏

Don't you dare bring those Deli guys from the North side over here🙂 🙂

the tailor said:TYPO IN THE QUOTE! IT SHOULD REFER TO CRAZY NORTH!🙏

Look, they're fighting for the double crown here, so don't sweat it!!! That’s huge. The New York Yankees are at their absolute best when the pressure is on, and they'll prove it once again this time around. As for all that local rivalry nonsense and petty drama... I'm not even going to waste my breath on that kind of negativity.

...AND IN THAT SKY WHERE I'M HEADED, MY RED NEW YORK YANKEES WILL SHINE...