WC 2006: Group E

[TimTheEnchanter]

The red on Mastroeni is exactly the kind of challenge FIFA has been instructing the refs to punish with a red card. It was really a stupid action of his...

Serious question: Not really understanding the sport that well, why is that a red card when he gets a piece of the ball?

 

[Thorgalaeg]

USA was a bit innocent. Those faults were absurd and that player in offside position before the anulled goal was silly too.

 

[Kapn Skwishy]

ref sucked!!!!!

 

[Red Threat]

I think that USA have interpreted this soccer game as an american football game. What kind of soccer is made with all these fauls, trying to damage all the best players of the opponent team? Then, it's logical that all the tactical schemes have become unuseful and Italy hasn't been able to exploit its technical superiority, despite the numerical advantage. It's been a very bed game, in terms of fair play and entertainment, but it was the only way the US could tie (a shame, in my opinion). However, it must be said that Italy's efforts were surely not the best possibe, with some evident errors too (De Rossi, Zaccardo).

 

[FredLC]

Well, IMHO, the cards were delivered exactly as they should. As Mcdread pointed out, these dangerous sliding tackles are banished by FIFA, and they have warned that effectively this year they would start getting red cards. It's not the referee's fault if the players haven't believed in the warning. This was, IMHO, one of the best refereeing in the cup so far - if not the absolutely best one.

That said, I gotta say that US team earned my sympathy and support for the last round of the 1st stage. That is truly a warrior team, played with a heart that I usually connect to German squads. And I admired the guts of the team as well, as they never gave up offense even with 9 men in the field, playing against a much more renowed adversarie.

Hope Team US will go to the second round, and meet Brazil in the round of 16 - as this evokes found memories of our win in 1994...

Regards .

 

[Rik Meleet]

Near perfect refereeing, he only missed one foul (but saw the retaliation). 3 deserved red cards.

Tim: Mastroeni charged with 2 legs (red card foul already) on the ankles of the Italian from an angle the Italian couldn't see him coming. Dark Blood red.

The most entertaining match so far.

 

[woodelf]

Anyone seen Reyna or Donovan? I'm still looking...

 

[Rhye]

The red on Masteroni was atrocious. That was complete BS, tackle from the side, and gets the ball. WTH? He pulls out a red.
That ref deserves to be fired.

As others have said, you are completely wrong.

I was agreeing with you on that faul at first, but not after seeing that tackle with joint legs on Pirlo's leg in the replay.

The referee was perfect (except a couple of offsides).

I would have been even more strict with that horrible retalation.
After De Rossi's stupid hit, Americans acted like they said - "it's a war". And played like if this were American football.

Unfortunately italians had no helmets or other protections, and suffered their attempt of intimidation. At the end they were too much afraid and tired to try to exploit the 10v9 advantage (9v9 actually, as Perrotta was immobile and the 3rd sub was already done 5 minutes earlier). What a shame.

Do we really need this kind of play to go through in this world cup? Americans don't seem to understand the spirit of this game.
If it's a war for you, go to Iraq.

 

[eyrei]

Near perfect refereeing, he only missed one foul (but saw the retaliation). 3 deserved red cards.

Tim: Mastroeni charged with 2 legs (red card foul already) on the ankles of the Italian from an angle the Italian couldn't see him coming. Dark Blood red.

The most entertaining match so far.

You really have to be joking. A yellow card, maybe, but for a player who might not have even committed a foul up until that point, a red is just absurd. The foul was really no harder than many others in this game and others, which earned not even a yellow card or even a penalty.

It is a ref's job to enforce the rules, and his primary tool in doing that is blowing the whistle and enforcing a penalty, not an ejection. I do not watch this sport or any other to see the referees show off their power. Soccer is a physical game, and trying to enforce a non-physical style of play only increases the amount of diving, which is still a major problem. Towards the end of the game, every time a player went down (whether fouled or not), every player on the field paused, expecting a foul to be called. The referee became the center of attention rather than the game.

I hope the referee in question works in no further games, as overzealous use of the red card detracts from the sport.

 

[eyrei]

As others have said, you are completely wrong.

I was agreeing with you on that faul at first, but not after seeing that tackle with joint legs on Pirlo's leg in the replay.

The referee was perfect (except a couple of offsides).

I would have been even more strict with that horrible retalation.
After De Rossi's stupid hit, Americans acted like they said - "it's a war". And played like if this were American football.

Unfortunately italians had no helmets or other protections, and suffered their attempt of intimidation. At the end they were too much afraid and tired to try to exploit the 10v9 advantage (9v9 actually, as Perrotta was immobile and the 3rd sub was already done 5 minutes earlier). What a shame.

Do we really need this kind of play to go through in this world cup? Americans don't seem to understand the spirit of this game.
If it's a war for you, go to Iraq.

Maybe you should leave your politics and misconceptions about people you do not know out of a discussion of sport? I think it may be you that is missing the spirit of this game.

This game was less rough than many in this tournament. People are going to attempt tackles, and sometimes they are going to be illegal. Many times they are illegal because the player was too slow, or simply didn't time it well, and not because of some malevolence.

 

[kronic]

I only saw the first half and I must say both red cards were fine with me.

 

[Rhye]

You really have to be joking. A yellow card, maybe, but for a player who might not have even committed a foul up until that point, a red is just absurd. The foul was really no harder than many others in this game and others, which earned not even a yellow card or even a penalty.

It is a ref's job to enforce the rules, and his primary tool in doing that is blowing the whistle and enforcing a penalty, not an ejection. I do not watch this sport or any other to see the referees show off their power. Soccer is a physical game, and trying to enforce a non-physical style of play only increases the amount of diving, which is still a major problem. Towards the end of the game, every time a player went down (whether fouled or not), every player on the field paused, expecting a foul to be called. The referee became the center of attention rather than the game.

I hope the referee in question works in no further games, as overzealous use of the red card detracts from the sport.

a tackle with joint legs, on the opponents leg, is a red.
Learn the rules first.

 

[Rhye]

Maybe you should leave your politics and misconceptions about people you do not know out of a discussion of sport? I think it may be you that is missing the spirit of this game.

I am not talking about Americans in general, just about the US team.
I was refering to Eddie Johnson, who said that the game would have been a war. They showed what he meant tonight.

Johnson said this:

"Whenever you put your jersey on and you look at your crest and the national anthem's going on, and you're playing against a different country, it's like you do or die, it's survival of the (fittest) over 90 minutes-plus. We're going to go out there and do whatever we've got to do, make tackles, do the things when the referee's not looking. ... to get three points."

 

[Guerra y Paz]

Italian National Diving Team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111

You're worse than the Argentines, culeros!

 

[woodelf]

And now in 5 days I root for Italy and hope to see the USA beat Ghana. Funny game.

 

[eyrei]

a tackle with joint legs, on the opponents leg, is a red.
Learn the rules first.

I am quite aware of the rules, and have seen and played in many, many soccer games. From the time I was 7 until I was 19 I played for 2-3 teams at a time. If that rule were enforced strictly, slide tackling would be completely illegal in all but a few circumstances, and most games so far would have ended with about 7 players to a side.

 

[eyrei]

I am not talking about Americans in general, just about the US team.
I was refering to Eddie Johnson, who said that the game would have been a war. They showed what he meant tonight.

Johnson said this:

And that is somehow worse than the Italian players collapsing to the ground in mock pain at the slightest hint of losing the ball? I believe it is also written in the rules that a card can be given for an intentional 'dive'. I can't believe they went through the motions with all those stretchers. Besides, Johnson did not even play...

At any rate, I will be rooting for Italy in a few days

 

[Rhye]

I haven't seen italian players diving in the penalty area and moaning or things like that in this world cup yet.
Americans were clearly too aggressive tonight. Johnson didn't play but the others probably were charged the same way by Arena. And as I said, De Rossi's action influenced all this. If leaving him team in 10 weren't enough, he provoked the americans reaction and pride, turning their game in a series of bad fouls.

i will root for USA next thursday, anyway.
Just because I want Italy and Czechs to tie, so that the 2 best teams will both go through. If Ghana wins, instead we're obliged to win to arrive first, and if we lose we can even go out.

 

[eyrei]

I haven't seen italian players diving in the penalty area and moaning or things like that in this world cup yet.
Americans were clearly too aggressive tonight. Johnson didn't play but the others probably were charged the same way by Arena. And as I said, De Rossi's action influenced all this. If leaving him team in 10 weren't enough, he provoked the americans reaction and pride, turning their game in a series of bad fouls.

i will root for USA next thursday, anyway.
Just because I want Italy and Czechs to tie, so that the 2 best teams will both go through. If Ghana wins, instead we're obliged to win to arrive first, and if we lose we can even go out.

The reason they weren't diving in the penalty area was that they didn't spend much time in it to begin with. They did quite a bit of diving in the center of the field though. If a bump from behind is enough to knock an Italian world cup player straight to the groundevery time, they obviously need to work on their strength and balance.

 

[Sisonpyh]

I haven't seen italian players diving in the penalty area and moaning or things like that in this world cup yet.

Hahahahaha. If you see an Italian player on stretcher, moaning pain, that means everything is alright! They will be back on their feet, pain free right after the foul/card is issued!

Americans were clearly too aggressive tonight. Johnson didn't play but the others probably were charged the same way by Arena. And as I said, De Rossi's action influenced all this. If leaving him team in 10 weren't enough, he provoked the americans reaction and pride, turning their game in a series of bad fouls.

i.

Americans played great physical defense in the 1st half, which obviously frustrated Italy. The Mastroeni red card was iffy; at least he was playing the damn ball. Crappy and stupid foul (should of been a yellow card) though, but no where near as bad as what De Rossi did. I've seen about 10 fouls worse than what Mastroeni did get a yellow or no card at all this year.

Pope's 2nd yellow was spot on. But his first yellow was complete garbage.