The World Cup thread!

[Trainwreck2100]

Lay off, these Argies still believe the won the gold w/out help from the zebras.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...06/4853182.stm

Moments later, Mastroeni was off too. His two-footed, reckless lunge on Pirlo was deserving of a red card and left referee Jorge Larrionda with little option. If Larrionda was expecting a quieter second half, it did not last for long.

Pope slid through Gilardino and was handed his second yellow of the evening, as USA were unbelievably reduced to nine men.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/world...800462,00.html

American numbers were reduced further when Pope received his second booking for chopping down Gilardino. Another urgent reshuffle saw the USA playing 4-3-1, and the strategy was out of sorts when Carlos Bocanegra thumped a header against his own crossbar.

Seriously, I'm searching all over the net for an article that states this was a HORRIBLE (as you put it) officiating. All I could find was the American players ing.

The US played a great game, and IMO they deserved to win it. They didn't, not because they got "screwed" by the ref like you are whining, but because they failed to capitalize on their chances. The refereeing was neither horrible, nor good, it may have been subpar, but you play through subpar refereeing, you don't and moan and say you got robbed

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Lay off, these Argies still believe the won the gold w/out help from the zebras.

more inane comments from Trainwreck... what a shock!

[Trainwreck2100]

If the mavs taught us anything, as long as you win who cares how you did it.

[Gerryatrics]

Seriously, I'm searching all over the net for an article that states this was a HORRIBLE (as you put it) officiating. All I could find was the American players ing.

It doesn't surprise me that reading apparently isn't one of your strong suits.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...06/5058558.stm

PLAYER RATER Which red card offence was worse? According to you, Daniele De Rossi's elbow which gets 81.8% of the vote.

HALF-TIME: What a 45 minutes of football - fluctuating fortunes which had something for everyone. And with all still there to play for the second half should be just as intriguing.

"It wasn't high and it wasn't a straight red. It was a yellow and a warning to calm down. Players must think the referee's desperate to even it up and not take the gamble."
Chris Waddle, BBC Five Live Sport

49 mins: USA coach Bruce Arena is prowling the touchline and clearly wants an argument with any Fifa official in sight. It is the fourth time three men have been sent off in a World Cup finals match. The other matches? Brazil v Czechoslovakia (1938), Brazil v Hungary (1954) and Denmark v South Africa (1998).

PLAYER RATER: Should he stay or should he go? 36% said Pope deserved to be sent off, 64% said he didn't.

47 mins: RED CARD
The Uruguayan referee is throwing his cards around like confetti. Eddie Pope catches Alberto Gilardino and receives a second booking and his marching orders.

"The officials were rubbish. This is the greatest football tournament in the world and they were not up to the job. Bruce Arena got his tactics wrong against the Czech Republic but he did his homework here and Italy couldn't dictate the game. And you have to give the back four of the nine so much credit - I hope they get a day off tomorrow."
Chris Waddle, BBC Five Live Sport

Even Giorgio Chinaglia, one of the biggest Italian homers around said the match was officiated poorly and that the US deserved to win.

[Ariel]

This is about the plays and nothing else. Virtually anyone outside the USA can see it for what it was:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...06/4853182.stm

Moments later, Mastroeni was off too. His two-footed, reckless lunge on Pirlo was deserving of a red card and left referee Jorge Larrionda with little option.

The Sun - English newspaper

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2...280013,00.html

Yank pair Pablo Mastroeni, for a sliding studs-first challenge, and the twice-booked Eddie Pope soon followed him off.

[...]

But the Yanks' slight edge after that disappeared just before the interval when ball-winner Mastroeni was dismissed for a reckless lunge from behind on Andrea Pirlo.

And the turnaround was complete less than two minutes into the second period when Pope exited too.

The US defender followed up a first-half booking for a clumsy challenge with a second yellow card for a slightly mis-timed tackle on Gilardino.

The Daily Telegraph - English newspaper

http://wc2006a.telegraph.co.uk/Do ...8-5E6C281CABE2

It was the United States' own fault that they found themselves with nine players - one fewer than the Italians - for nearly half this extraordinary match

[...]

But fate indeed was to deal them a kinder card, for their suicidal tendency turned out to be shared by the United States' defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni, who, with the interval looming, launched a dangerous challenge, late and high on Andrea Pirlo's ankle, to which the Uruguayan referee had no hesitation in responding with the second red of the first half.

If that seemed the last thing the Americans needed, there was worse in store a minute after the resumption as the central defender Eddie Pope, already cautioned for foul on Gilardino, committed another and went the way of Mastroeni.

The Guardian - English newspaper

http://football.guardian.co.uk/world...800462,00.html

Pablo Mastroeni summed up the USA's adventure when he advanced to chip a 30-yarder on to the roof of Buffon's net. But a minute before half time he was dismissed for a late lunge at Pirlo's ankle. It was one of the aspects Fifa asked its officials to clamp down on and referee Jorge Larrionda was left no option with either sending-off.

American numbers were reduced further when Pope received his second booking for chopping down Gilardino.

I'm now going to post some Spanish articles, too long for me to translate, but available for anyone who speaks Spanish to read.

Marca - Spanish newspaper

http://www.marca.es/mundial2006/marc...2/ITA-USA.html

44'
¡EXPULSIÓN DE MASTROENI!. El jugador estadounidense casi le parte el tobillo a Pirlo.

http://www.marca.es/edicion/marca/fu...lo/660595.html

Italia sólo pudo empatar ante Estados Unidos en un partido violento

[...]

Nada más sacar, mientras la hinchada italiana digería el inesperado empate, De Rossi comitió una estupidez que el colegiado uruguayo Jorge Larrionda, acertadísimo durante los 90 minutos, castigó con la roja.

[...]

En medio de la locura en la que se convirtió el partido durante la última fase de la primera mitad, Mastroeni se precipitó en un balón dividido y se llevó por delante el tobillo de Pirlo. El pensador de los 'azzurri' fue cosido a patadas durante todo el partido a pesar de que Larrionda le intentó proteger mandando a la calle a Mastroeni.

http://www.marca.es/mundial2006/clav...dosunidos.html

Pese a las airadas protestas de Bruce Arena, el colegiado uruguayo Jorge Larrionda acertó en su decisión de anular un tanto a Bearsley por fuera de juego de McBride, que se interpuso en la trayectoria del balón estorbando a Buffon. Larrionda también expulsó merecidamente tanto a De Rossi como a Mastroeni y Pope, que se emplearon con una dureza inusitada en este comienzo de Mundial.

Diario As - Spanish newspaper

http://www.as.com/futbol/crr/partido...0_02_0353_0393

Al rato, una espeluznante entrada de Mastroeni a Pirlo equilibró las cosas. Diez contra diez y cuarenta y cinco minutos por delante.

[..]

Eddie Pope, a la calle. Nada más empezar la segunda parte. Segunda tarjeta. Merecida. Pudo haberle hecho mucho daño a Gilardino.

El Mundo Deportivo - Spanish newspaper

http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/20060...222524925.html

En el último de la primera mitad Mastroeni vio la roja directa por dura entrada por detrás a Pirlo y, en el primero de la reanudación, el central Pope vio la segunda amarilla por otra entrada por detrás a Gilardino.

El Pais - Uruguayan newspaper

http://www.elpais.com.uy/Especiales/...not_222097.asp

El referí uruguayo fue implacable para sancionar las faltas fuertes y fue así que Italia quedó con diez jugadores por la expulsión de Daniele De Rossi a los 28 y Estados Unidos con nueve por las de Pablo Mastroeni y Eddie Pope a los 44 y 46, respectivamente.

[...]

Luego expulsó también a Pablo Matroeni por una falta contra Andrea Pirlo y a Pope por una segunda y ruda entrada contra Gilardino, luego de que ya la anterior había significado la primera tarjeta amarilla.

Televisión Nacional de Chile - Chilean broadcasting network

http://deportes.tvn.cl/detalle.aspx?IdC=203785&IdS=13

Pero lo que vino fue la también inexplicable dura entrada de Mastroeni sobre el tobillo de Pirlo y la consiguiente expulsión del estadounidense (m.45).

[Gerryatrics]

Lay off, these Argies still believe the won the gold w/out help from the zebras.

Help from the zebras? No, that was an obvious clean play, if you think otherwise you're a whiner. Don't forget, it's the Hand of God and the Argentinian born player who gave up 6 goals to Argentina so they could make up a 4 goal differential and advance to the final when he had only given up 6 goals in the previous five games and Argentina had only scored 6 goals all tournament (did they ever give that one a clever name?) that means all Argentines are futbol experts and don't actually have to explain any of their "analysis" to us ignorant Americans.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

It doesn't surprise me that reading apparently isn't one of your strong suits.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...06/5058558.stm






Even Giorgio Chinaglia, one of the biggest Italian homers around said the match was officiated poorly and that the US deserved to win.

I see, so you have Chris Waddle and Giorgio Chinaglia, now llok at Ariel's post and tell who's the one that doesn't know how to read. You sure do know how to whine though

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Help from the zebras? No, that was an obvious clean play, if you think otherwise you're a whiner. Don't forget, it's the Hand of God and the Argentinian born player who gave up 6 goals to Argentina so they could make up a 4 goal differential and advance to the final when he had only given up 6 goals in the previous five games and Argentina had only scored 6 goals all tournament (did they ever give that one a clever name?) that means all Argentines are futbol experts and don't actually have to explain any of their "analysis" to us ignorant Americans.

I exlained it plain and simple, you're the homer that doesn't want to face facts, which is the US was good yesterday, but not good enough to win I'm afraid.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

You got one red card that should have been a yellow (and even that is questionable) the other red card was a yellow + a yellow and that last play DEFINATELY deserved a yellow, so how the can you justify it other than being a complete fn homer??

[MaNuMaNiAc]

This is about the plays and nothing else. Virtually anyone outside the USA can see it for what it was:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...06/4853182.stm

Moments later, Mastroeni was off too. His two-footed, reckless lunge on Pirlo was deserving of a red card and left referee Jorge Larrionda with little option.

The Sun - English newspaper

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2...280013,00.html

Yank pair Pablo Mastroeni, for a sliding studs-first challenge, and the twice-booked Eddie Pope soon followed him off.

[...]

But the Yanks' slight edge after that disappeared just before the interval when ball-winner Mastroeni was dismissed for a reckless lunge from behind on Andrea Pirlo.

And the turnaround was complete less than two minutes into the second period when Pope exited too.

The US defender followed up a first-half booking for a clumsy challenge with a second yellow card for a slightly mis-timed tackle on Gilardino.

The Daily Telegraph - English newspaper

http://wc2006a.telegraph.co.uk/Do ...8-5E6C281CABE2

It was the United States' own fault that they found themselves with nine players - one fewer than the Italians - for nearly half this extraordinary match

[...]

But fate indeed was to deal them a kinder card, for their suicidal tendency turned out to be shared by the United States' defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni, who, with the interval looming, launched a dangerous challenge, late and high on Andrea Pirlo's ankle, to which the Uruguayan referee had no hesitation in responding with the second red of the first half.

If that seemed the last thing the Americans needed, there was worse in store a minute after the resumption as the central defender Eddie Pope, already cautioned for foul on Gilardino, committed another and went the way of Mastroeni.

The Guardian - English newspaper

http://football.guardian.co.uk/world...800462,00.html

Pablo Mastroeni summed up the USA's adventure when he advanced to chip a 30-yarder on to the roof of Buffon's net. But a minute before half time he was dismissed for a late lunge at Pirlo's ankle. It was one of the aspects Fifa asked its officials to clamp down on and referee Jorge Larrionda was left no option with either sending-off.

American numbers were reduced further when Pope received his second booking for chopping down Gilardino.

I'm now going to post some Spanish articles, too long for me to translate, but available for anyone who speaks Spanish to read.

Marca - Spanish newspaper

http://www.marca.es/mundial2006/marc...2/ITA-USA.html

44'
¡EXPULSIÓN DE MASTROENI!. El jugador estadounidense casi le parte el tobillo a Pirlo.

http://www.marca.es/edicion/marca/fu...lo/660595.html

Italia sólo pudo empatar ante Estados Unidos en un partido violento

[...]

Nada más sacar, mientras la hinchada italiana digería el inesperado empate, De Rossi comitió una estupidez que el colegiado uruguayo Jorge Larrionda, acertadísimo durante los 90 minutos, castigó con la roja.

[...]

En medio de la locura en la que se convirtió el partido durante la última fase de la primera mitad, Mastroeni se precipitó en un balón dividido y se llevó por delante el tobillo de Pirlo. El pensador de los 'azzurri' fue cosido a patadas durante todo el partido a pesar de que Larrionda le intentó proteger mandando a la calle a Mastroeni.

http://www.marca.es/mundial2006/clav...dosunidos.html

Pese a las airadas protestas de Bruce Arena, el colegiado uruguayo Jorge Larrionda acertó en su decisión de anular un tanto a Bearsley por fuera de juego de McBride, que se interpuso en la trayectoria del balón estorbando a Buffon. Larrionda también expulsó merecidamente tanto a De Rossi como a Mastroeni y Pope, que se emplearon con una dureza inusitada en este comienzo de Mundial.

Diario As - Spanish newspaper

http://www.as.com/futbol/crr/partido...0_02_0353_0393

Al rato, una espeluznante entrada de Mastroeni a Pirlo equilibró las cosas. Diez contra diez y cuarenta y cinco minutos por delante.

[..]

Eddie Pope, a la calle. Nada más empezar la segunda parte. Segunda tarjeta. Merecida. Pudo haberle hecho mucho daño a Gilardino.

El Mundo Deportivo - Spanish newspaper

http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/20060...222524925.html

En el último de la primera mitad Mastroeni vio la roja directa por dura entrada por detrás a Pirlo y, en el primero de la reanudación, el central Pope vio la segunda amarilla por otra entrada por detrás a Gilardino.

El Pais - Uruguayan newspaper

http://www.elpais.com.uy/Especiales/...not_222097.asp

El referí uruguayo fue implacable para sancionar las faltas fuertes y fue así que Italia quedó con diez jugadores por la expulsión de Daniele De Rossi a los 28 y Estados Unidos con nueve por las de Pablo Mastroeni y Eddie Pope a los 44 y 46, respectivamente.

[...]

Luego expulsó también a Pablo Matroeni por una falta contra Andrea Pirlo y a Pope por una segunda y ruda entrada contra Gilardino, luego de que ya la anterior había significado la primera tarjeta amarilla.

Televisión Nacional de Chile - Chilean broadcasting network

http://deportes.tvn.cl/detalle.aspx?IdC=203785&IdS=13

Pero lo que vino fue la también inexplicable dura entrada de Mastroeni sobre el tobillo de Pirlo y la consiguiente expulsión del estadounidense (m.45).

Yeah, its evident, Gerryatrics and his "millions of fans" claim they were robbed, it must be so

[Gerryatrics]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/world...788313,00.html

21 min Eddie Pope is booked for sitting on Gilardino. That looked a bit harsh - they were all over each other and just fell in a heap. Anyway, the ref had a great view from about 60 yards away, and he got his yellow card out.

RED CARD! Mastroeni sent off! The referee predictably evens things up by sending Mastroeni off for a tackle that was, In My Haughty Opinion, a yellow card at worst. He was late on Pirlo, with studs showing, but it was a genuine attempt to play the ball and there is no way in the world that was a red card. Well, no way in the world it should have been, anyway. That was disgracefully weak refereeing.

46 min We're off again. “The BBC apparently ran a poll on De Rossi's card and found 83% agreed he should be sent off,” says Kyle Brown. “What do the other 17% think should be required - guns or knives?”

47 min “Are you kidding me?” says Toby Koschalka (and a couple of (hundred) others). “I'm no fan of the Italian game or the Azzurri but that was as red as they come - straight in on his ankle, whether it was intentional or not.” It was a mistimed slide tackle – a slide tackle, not an over-the-ball tackle - with no malevolent intent deep in the opposition half. If that’s a red card we might as well all enjoy a game of chess and forget football.

54 min Cannavaro brings down MC Dempsey, and Del Piero has come on for Zaccardo. “Someone might want to tap Schlepp Blather on the shoulder and remind him that the United States of America could turn FIFA headquarters into an ashtray at any time of its choosing,” chuckles Whitley.

56 min So far Italy haven't really threatened. Okay, they did hit the bar but there's been no sustained pressure. It's like everyone's just taking stock for 15 minutes, allowing the chips of this increasingly ridiculous match to fall where they may before Italy get on with the job of winning it.

57 min Robbie Graham has pointed out that this referee is now described as “a wanker” on Wikipedia. And they say it’s unreliable!

60 min USA have a half-hearted appeal for handball by Nesta inside the box turned down. It would have been an absurdly harsh decision, which makes it surprising he didn't give it etc and so forth. Let me rephrase all of the above: that was handball by Nesta.

Full time: Italy 1 USA 1 That's the end of one of the most surreal matches in World Cup history - three red cards, one slapstick own goal, a dubiously disallowed goal and lots of other stuff to put the hurt on the funny bone. To return to an unpopular theme, it was a talking dwarf and some gentle erotica away from being a David Lynch film. The USA deserved their point, and can go through if they beat Ghana and Italy beat the Czechs.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

dubiously disallowed goal?? pfff... McBride couldn't have been more offside. Fine, I'm tired of arguing this , you want to think you were robbed, go ahead, I've got nothing invested either way.

[Gerryatrics]

You got one red card that should have been a yellow (and even that is questionable) the other red card was a yellow + a yellow and that last play DEFINATELY deserved a yellow, so how the can you justify it other than being a complete fn homer??

I can justify it because the one red card should have been a yellow, the last play deserved a yellow but the first play that earned Pope a caution didn't. Two players got sent off on bogus calls, and I'm an fn homer for pointing out that didn't exactly help the US' chances in that match? It was a US player that almost got taken out by a cheap shot, but it was the US that had to play a man down in the second half.

[Gerryatrics]

dubiously disallowed goal?? pfff... McBride couldn't have been more offside. Fine, I'm tired of arguing this , you want to think you were robbed, go ahead, I've got nothing invested either way.

For what it's worth, I actually agreed with the ref's call on that play. It was the two red cards, a missed hand ball, a whole of a lot of flopping and a few random fouls that I disagreed with. And maybe if you did have something invested in the game you could watch a freakin' replay and see just how badly the calls were blown.

[Ariel]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/world...788313,00.html

No matter how many quotes you make out of it, that's ONLY ONE link, off the play by play of ONE guy. In fact, I even quoted the official match report from the same newspaper, which states:

The Guardian - English newspaper

http://football.guardian.co.uk/world...800462,00.html

Pablo Mastroeni summed up the USA's adventure when he advanced to chip a 30-yarder on to the roof of Buffon's net. But a minute before half time he was dismissed for a late lunge at Pirlo's ankle. It was one of the aspects Fifa asked its officials to clamp down on and referee Jorge Larrionda was left no option with either sending-off.

American numbers were reduced further when Pope received his second booking for chopping down Gilardino.

But that's besides the point. The thing is, even if you find a report supporting your view, it doesn't prove you were robbed. It would take an overwhelming majority of people agreeing with both calls being wrong for you to validate your claims.

But judging from some of your other posts, you can't handle an independent view contrary to yours... so please, resort to whatever other topic you can find to divert the talk away from the issues...

[MaNuMaNiAc]

For what it's worth, I actually agreed with the ref's call on that play. It was the two red cards, a missed hand ball, a whole of a lot of flopping and a few random fouls that I disagreed with. And maybe if you did have something invested in the game you could watch a freakin' replay and see just how badly the calls were blown.

well last I checked I'm not the only one that thinks this way Gerry, are all those people also mistaken? Give me a ing break. If anything this whole thing proves that the match was not as black and white as you make it out to be. I agree some calls were bad, what I don't agree with is your intent on blaming the fact that you didn't win completely on the ref, which is exactly what you are doing by saying the ref robbed the US. That is bull . Anyway, I'm off to sleep a bit before I wake up and see Brasil play.

[Gerryatrics]

Bas ! He almost took his leg off with his es up, two footed, from behind tackle of death.

[Gerryatrics]

well last I checked I'm not the only one that thinks this way Gerry, are all those people also mistaken?

Last I checked I'm not the only one who feels the way I do. So why don't you drop the "people agree with me" bull and try adding some actual analysis of the damn game. If you think the game was called fairly, why don't you explain how both reds were the right call?

I agree some calls were bad, what I don't agree with is your intent on blaming the fact that you didn't win completely on the ref, which is exactly what you are doing by saying the ref robbed the US. That is bull . Anyway, I'm off to sleep a bit before I wake up and see Brasil play.

I don't think the blown calls by the ref is entirely to blame for the draw, but I do think that the blown calls did contribute to the outcome, which shouldn't happen on this stage of the game. The US didn't finish on a couple of plays that they should have, and I have no clue why Arena thought it was a good idea to save his last subs ution, but the US had to play the second half a man down due to blown calls.

[Gerryatrics]

[velik_m]

that's a red.

[Gerryatrics]

http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/Ot...39436-sun.html

CARD-HAPPY REF AFFECTS CONTEST

Message to FIFA: Take three or even four players out of every game and you've got a thriller.

Just instruct your referees to follow the example of Uruguayan Jorge Larrionda and you'll have wide-open matches with teams playing nine a side.

Larrionda ejected two Americans and one Italian player in yesterday's 1-1 draw in the World Cup at Kaserslautern, and in the final 43 minutes of the game it was nine against 10 instead of 11 vs. 11.

That meant end-to-end soccer, with shots and saves to thrill the crowd at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion as FIFA president Sepp Blatter watched from the VIP box.

Sorry. Blatter and the fans know deep down this isn't how it should happen.

Although the absence of the three players accidentally created a thrilling spectacle, soccer is all about skilfully creating those chances. It's not about desperate attempts to hoist balls upfield for tired forwards to chase against exhausted defenders.

Red card after red card made it an unreal game and both teams will suffer down the line. At the end, those players still on the field barely had enough energy to walk off, and now they have to lift themselves again for another game in five days.

U.S. coach Bruce Arena diplomatically said that, at this level, referees have a difficult job. Larrionda made mistakes, the same as the players, he said.

He also said he had often prepared his team for the possibility of playing 10 against 11. But never nine against 10.

U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller, the man of the match for his standout saves, described the game as "crazy." Nobody likes a game where the referee becomes the centre of attention, he said.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi didn't enjoy the short-handed game, either.

http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/...tbol&idioma=en

Italy and the United States slugged out a bruising 1-1 draw in the most controversial match of the World Cup so far in which three players were sent off in their Group E clash on Saturday.

http://www.followfollow.com/news/loa...TMNW&id=285664

Daniele De Rossi was rightly red-carded for a savage elbow on Brian McBride and, knowing how referees work, the Yanks really should have been cuter and not given yet another fusspot with a whistle, Uruguay's Jorge Larrionda, the chance to even things up. Pablo Mastroeni was daft enough to lunge into a challenge and he too was on his way to the dressing-room before half-time. And just moments after the restart defender Eddie Pontiff (admin won't let me mention Pope!), having been booked in the first half, picked up another card rather harshly for a careless challenge.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...231640,00.html

The US’s tactics were a Faustian pact given Fifa’s clamp-downs on aggressive challenges. This is a World Cup where tackles with the potential to harm are considered to be no less serious than those that actually do.

So by the 47th minute it was ten men against nine as Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope were dismissed by the hyper-correct Uruguayan referee, Jorge Larrionda. Unlike De Rossi, they were not malicious, just reckless. These days, that is enough.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=65152

In a game swamped with red cards Italy and the United States tied on Saturday in Germany.

According to referee Jorge Larrionda this has probably been the least fair-play 2006 World Cub match so far, with two American players and an Italian sent off for playing it too roughly.

Only three more clashes in the whole World Cup history have seen this number of red cards. Curiously enough, Italy has been a side in one of these three games - against Brazil in 1938.

http://express.lineone.net/sport.htm...Y-ANALYSIS.XML

The red cards, only the fourth time there have been three dismissals in a match at a World Cup finals, may leave the impression this was a dirty game but that would be a harsh judgement.

Certainly, there could be no argument with Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda's dismissal of Italy's Daniele De Rossi for an ugly elbow on Brian McBride, which left the blood-splattered striker needing three s ches below his left eye.

Americans Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope then paid the price for the lowered tolerance towards late tackles from behind.

[Gerryatrics]

that's a red.

I guess we should start preparing for 7 on 7 matches then, because that's a tackle you see every game. Or better yet, let's not even bother to play a complete game. If one-footed tackles made on the ball deserve a red card, jersey pulling, bumps and heavy breathing do too.

[velik_m]

I guess we should start preparing for 7 on 7 matches then, because that's a tackle you see every game. Or better yet, let's not even bother to play a complete game. If one-footed tackles made on the ball deserve a red card, jersey pulling, bumps and heavy breathing do too.

it's not on ball, it's on the foot (see the ball moving away)
it's es first.
it's on the standing foot of a player.
it's a red card.

[Gerryatrics]

it's not on ball, it's on the foot (see the ball moving away)
it's es first.
it's on the standing foot of a player.
it's a red card.

The ball is moving away because Mastroeni toed it away. The Italian player actually steps on Mastroeni's foot, then his foot slides off, hooks on Mastroeni's foot and he trips over it.
If that's " es first" then every tackle is a red card. You can't have your cleats flat on the ground or you wont really slide that well. He has his foot flat to the ground and he makes a play on the ball, he doesn't lift his foot and go for the players leg.
Clipping a player's standing foot calls for a red card? Again, then why don't we see 4 or 5 red cards a match.




Mastroeni clipped the boot of the Italian player but, if you look at the followthrough Mastroeni's lead foot actually ends up ahead of the Italian player's legs. He tripped him up, a clear foul, perhaps deserving of a yellow card, but nobody calls a red card on a tackle like that.