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Message: [QUOTE="Chuck, post: 2751045, member: 1646"] It's so hard to tell if a team is good or bad in blowout games. I don't think Russia looked like world beaters, but they had more skill than I thought they would. I thought they'd play a more physical game. I just don't know how they'll do against other teams, but their low ranking has to be for a reason. I can say that Saudi Arabia is horrible. Small, slow and unskilled with a bad goalie. Other than those flaws they looked great. I was watching intermittently, and it didn't matter, but it definitely looked like the refs wanted to help the home team get off to a good start. I saw at least three offsides that weren't called. Commentators didn't even bring it up. I just assume everything having to do with FIFA is fixed, especially in these early games. I can totally see a FIFA executive say "What's the big deal. It's not like Saudi Arabia was going to win the Cup. Why not give the home fans what they want?" [/QUOTE]