World Cup fans?

[SFP]

but even more ludicrous results when you consider the players on Uruguay willfully, intentionally, and flagrantly violate the basic rules by using their hands to prevent a goal, then their acts actually end up winning the game for their team. They are essentially national heroes because of cheating at the right time.
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/me...neuer-football

I'm not even going to argue with you on this. There was no cheating. The rules are set and Ghana had their chance and choked. Spin this anyway you like but ask any person who has played the sport and they will say they would have done the same thing. Also there would have not been the free kick if the phantom foul was not called. Justice is what I call the play!

Now onto Germany. What a TEAM! Once they got the first goal there was no stopping them. Their D was perfect and their counter attacks brilliant. I'm also not sure what Diego was thinking. I'm betting Spain will play an extra guy in the mid-field with David Villa as the lone forward. Against Germany you have to control the mid-field because if not they will dominate. Their last meeting was for the European Cup and Spain won 1-0. This is a different German team with a ton of confidence. Should be a great game to watch.

Also the ref for the Paraguay/Spain game was horrendous. Where do they get these guys? He was way over his head and this was not the first game he was terrible.

[tornado]

The competition is great, but tell me what world sporting event has ever consistently had such horrible officiating and also such complaints about the calls...
here's yet another writer echoing those feelings...
"...as a recent example of inadequate and inconsistent officiating..
..a Paraguayan player was given a yellow card after he fouled his Spanish
opponent during a goal opportunity in the box. Yes, the referee did award the
penalty kick, but he gave the defender a yellow card even though it probably
should have been red. And then the referee called back Spain's penalty kick
for encroachment - a penalty they scored on - but everyone, everywhere on
every penalty kick encroaches. I've not seen a penalty kick called back for
encroachment in 25 years. It's a no-call.
And then on the ensuing re-kick, the same referee completely missed the
fact that Spain's Cesc Fabregas was pulled down by the Paraguayan
goalkeeper. It was clear to me the ref completely lost his head.."

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jul/03/marsh-world-cup-refs-not-good-enough/

it has been roughly 50-50 as to who has determined the winners of the matches..
50% the teams, and 50% the refs.....
Personally, as I have said many times, I like the games and will be watching anyway...but I have thought and said for years that the governing body needs to find ways to clean up the cheating, the faking of injuries, the multiple times a hand ball is missed and results in a goal, the fouls that are missed and non-fouls that are called....

Basketball went from one ref to two refs, and now to three refs and has somewhat solved the problem...
many sports will use replay, others have changed their rules - even major changes to rules (ice hockey), and some simply stiffen the rules they already have and start calling contact as a foul which it is - despite the refs allowing the game to become violent over the past couple decades due to their no-calls.
soccer should take a cue from the other sports........

http://www.lusakatimes.com/?p=27336

[SFP]

The reffing has been horrible overall. One of the reasons is because they use a pool of refs that represents the UN and not a pool of refs who are truly tested with experience working games with leagues at the top level. The Guatemala ref for the Spain/Paraguay game was way over his head and should not be doing WC games. Other refs are just not in physical condition to keep up with the play and are to far away to make a call. It will be interesting to see if FIFA will change their ways on this subject. I will not even go into flopping and diving because to me that is not part of the sport. Even FIFA finds that act deplorable but do not have the guts to enact the technology or teeth after the games to rid itself of this travesty.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5351975&categoryid=2378529

[tornado]

Today's match Uruguay vs. Netherlands..

Netherlands is dominating early....controlling possession and they have already scored to go up 1-0 (at just under 20 min)
There are now 22 minutes gone in the match...

[tornado]

only about 10 min remaining - Netherlands looks like they are in the World Cup title game, they lead 3-1

[tornado]

I am happy Uruguay lost, as the Netherlands did not have to resort to intentional hand balls to win any of their games...

[SFP]

I am happy Uruguay lost, as the Netherlands did not have to resort to intentional hand balls to win any of their games...

Whatever but they did resort to diving! I also thought that the 2nd goal for Holland should have been called off for off-sides and there also appeared to be a handball towards the end of the game which would have given Uruguay a great place for a free kick. The Dutch though overall did outplay Uruguay. I'm going to pull for the winner of the Spain/Germany game to win it all regardless.

[bigjimmy]

Have to agree with you on the non offsides call SFP. Offsides in soccer sometimes is like the bang bang play at 1st base in baseball. I've seen worse not called and some called that shouldn't have been. The Dutch should be the favorite against Spain and the underdog against Germany. Spain will have to play their best game to win. Germany just seems to be on a roll.

[Future Walk-On]

I have been calling Germany since spring.

No one I talked to gave me respect.


Now they are making excuses....

My 2nd and 3rd teams Germany and Niederlaende are left!

[SFP]

The German team has come a long way in their style. Today's game should be great with two great attacking and finishing teams. I'm rooting for Spain in this one but if Germany wins I'll be pulling for them over The Dutch. btw the Dutch use to be my 3rd favorite team but this year's cast of players have turned me off.

[Braves4Life]

In the 72nd minute Spain scores on a spectacular header to go up 1-0 on Germany!

[Braves4Life]

It's over. Spain wins -- 1-0.

[SFP]

Spain played the perfect game against a very good and young German team. Spain's mid-field put so much pressure on German's defense and for them only to give up one goal speaks volume of their D. btw..This was a great game with both teams playing with a ton of class! There was not even one close yellow card thrown. Both played hard, no diving and show casing what soccer is about. The ref missed two calls one on each but besides that he did a great job letting them play.

Go Espana!

[tornado]

"This was the 29th game decided by one goal in the tournament, the most of any World Cup."

[amckillip]

I'm not even going to argue with you on this. There was no cheating. The rules are set and Ghana had their chance and choked. Spin this anyway you like but ask any person who has played the sport and they will say they would have done the same thing. Also there would have not been the free kick if the phantom foul was not called. Justice is what I call the play!

I actually did this on my club team when I was 17. I did it on purpose and knew full well the ramifications. To me it's no different than spiking a ball in football to stop the clock.