2006 World Cup

[Zeno]

I don't think so..... If Italy looses that game they'll qualify with the 2 seed.... this makes a big difference in the team they'll play in the second round. Could they do it? sure they can..... but it would be stupid.

Excellent point especially considering that the #2 seed will likely play Brazil in the second round.

 

[CaptTurbo]

If Italy wins and we win how are we in? We would be tied with the czechs and they whooped our asses?

 

[Zeno]

If Italy wins and we win how are we in? We would be tied with the czechs and they whooped our asses?

No the Czechs would have 1 win and 2 losses(3 pts), we'd have 1 win 1 tie and 1 loss (4 points).

 

[arthurracoon]

If Italy wins and we win how are we in? We would be tied with the czechs and they whooped our asses?

we would have 4 pts, italy 6, and the czhecks 3

if we and italy win

 

[Kolo]

I don't really follow soccer at all, but saw some of today's game--did we get robbed on the red cards and the disallowed goal? Just wondering.

 

[arthurracoon]

I don't really follow soccer at all, but saw some of today's game--did we get robbed on the red cards and the disallowed goal? Just wondering.

well i guess the disallowed goal would be a good call, but the red card on the us in the first half was just a stupid call by the ref.

i missed the red card in the 2nd

 

[Zeno]

I don't really follow soccer at all, but saw some of today's game--did we get robbed on the red cards and the disallowed goal? Just wondering.

The disallowed goal was McBrides fault for ball watching and not being quick enough. He should have vacated that space before Beasley even lined up his shot he had to know he was offsides or he just wasn't in the game.

The red cards were harsh IMO, Mastroeni at worst should have been a yellow card. Pope was a little reckless but the tackle wasn't hard enough to be sent off.

 

[azsouthendzone]

The disallowed goal was McBrides fault for ball watching and not being quick enough. He should have vacated that space before Beasley even lined up his shot he had to know he was offsides or he just wasn't in the game.

The red cards were harsh IMO, Mastroeni at worst should have been a yellow card. Pope was a little reckless but the tackle wasn't hard enough to be sent off.

they said he obstructed the goalkeeper's view, although the ball bounced right off his hands and head. Turns out the ref was suspended in 2002 for inconsistencies in his calls...his career as a ref should be over

 

[Dback Jon]

He wasn't offsides, they said he obstructed the goalkeeper's view, although the ball bounced right off his hands and head. Turns out the ref was suspended in 2002 for inconsistencies in his calls...his career as a ref should be over

Was he the same ref that threw the red cards on the U.S.?

 

[azsouthendzone]

I just realized that the US-Ghana match is before the Italy-Czech match. Which means IF the US beats Ghana, Italy will lay down against Czech and they will both be in. Perhaps that is a cynical view, but that is how politics and sports go together.

The games kick off simultaneously at 7am our time. There is no way ANYONE lays down because there if they did and Ghana won, they would be eliminated. We have a shot. All of a sudden I have become a huge Italy fan.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Was he the same ref that threw the red cards on the U.S.?

Yes. They were discussing it on the post game show.

 

[Evil Ash]

Playing for the tie was as good as a loss. Admittedly it is always tough for the US in a World Cup (hey, the Italians had it handed to them and still couldn't do it) but they are headed home. The got their break with the Ghana win, but lost it right back with the tie (loss) tonight. And Beasley is just bad.

The US Team was down to 9 men and no team in World Cup history has scored a goal with 9 men playing. They had to play for the tie

Now its just up to us to beat Ghana and for Italy to beat the Czech team and we've advanced. Not that far out of the realm of possibility

 

[Dback Jon]

Yes. They were discussing it on the post game show.

He should never ref again.

If FIFA had any decency (and I know they don't), they'd give the US the goal, and replay the rest of the game.

 

[Nasser22]

lol, you can't do that in any league D'BackJohn. I wish they would have replayed Game 4 of the Suns first round series but if they refs do a bad job it doesen't matter, in every league not just FIFA. I dissapeared from the forum for a while but I'm back now. I'll be going on vacation soon, but after that i'll come post more, especially in this thread. I have really enjoyed watching the tournament so far and here are my thoughts on the game today that I posted somewhere else:

It ends in a 1-1 tie. The US outplayed Italy today but the ******* ref gave them two red cards on plays that should have been a yellow card or just a foul. The US should have won this game. The ref was terrible, not just for the US but a little for Italy too. Like those commentators said he should not be reffing anymore games.

This game is not going to piss me off more than when this stuff happened to the Suns because the US outplayed the 8-1 favorite and they got their much-needed point. Also, a win wouldn't have helped anymore than this tie because in both situations Italy would still have to beat the Czech Republic and we'd still have to beat Ghana. At least this point would put us over the Czech Republic if that stuff happens.

What really pisses me off is that we lose Pablo and Eddie Pope for the next game against a tough(thanks for the group FIFA) Ghana team. I think after he was benched that Beasly will do much better in the next game so those losses shouldn't kill us. He did show a lot more effort today.

Oh and Italy has a great team so I think they will be the Czech's. Koller might still be out for them and I also think the Czech's have 1 or 2 suspensions like the US does. Some people are saying Italy is better so I hope the show up vs. the Czech Republic.




Also, I was mad that my other team, Iran, got eliminated.

 

[Nasser22]

I don't understand why people are losing faith because of the loss though. Even if we won we would have needed the Czech Republic to lose because we wouldn't have beaten them in point differential. With Ghana's win we wouldn't have even been eliminated even if we lost but with the tie we got a point and could have more than the Czech Republic if they lose and we win. It's just unfortunate we got stuck with the worst ref in soccer.

 

[Zeno]

I don't understand why people are losing faith because of the loss though. Even if we won we would have needed the Czech Republic to lose because we wouldn't have beaten them in point differential. With Ghana's win we wouldn't have even been eliminated even if we lost but with the tie we got a point and could have more than the Czech Republic if they lose and we win. It's just unfortunate we got stuck with the worst ref in soccer.

Had we won against Italy and followed that up with a win versus Ghana we would be through no matter what the outcome of the Czech/Italy game--the winner from that match would have likely been in first place with 6 points due to GD and the US would have been second with 6 points...followed by the loser of that game and Ghana--with 3 points a piece. Thats why people aren't as happy as they might have been--we would have controlled our own destiny at this point rather than having to rely on Italy to win as well as our outcome.

 

[Zeno]

The US Team was down to 9 men and no team in World Cup history has scored a goal with 9 men playing. They had to play for the tie

There is a first time for everything, up until last week no team trailing by a goal after 80 minutes scored 3 goals to win, Australlia had never won a WC match or even scored a goal and up until today the US had never even secured a single point in WC play in Europe.

I absolutely without a doubt believe had Johnson been subbed in for McBride in the 70th minute or so we would have at the very least had more scoring opportunities, the Italian defense was tired and his fresh legs running at them would have made things difficult for them.

Overall though I would say the US as a team played very well, the only 2 players I might have singled out for playing below average would be McBride and Pope (even before the ejection he was out of position a few times--especially leaving his man unmarked on the goal).

 

[Nate]

You guys are killing me with your comments on the ref and his red cards. The ref was probably even the best guy on the field today. Otherwise, great atmosphere in the stadium and a great effort in the second half by the US team.

- The red card against Italy: good call, harsh, coward, totally unneccessary elbow to the face;

- The red against the USA: brutal tackling with no intention or possibility to play the ball, just "playing the bones", mandatory call!

- Yellow-red against the USA: not a hard foul, but according to FIFA-standards used at this tournament appropriate.

- Offside call, denying the 2-1: Clear interfering in the play by the offside player, good call.

 

[CaptTurbo]

- The red against the USA: brutal tackling with no intention or possibility to play the ball, just "playing the bones", mandatory call!

- Yellow-red against the USA: not a hard foul, but according to FIFA-standards used at this tournament appropriate.
.

You just about aone in thsi opinion. Even fans of other countries are saying the ref was awful. check the other football message boards.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Excellent point especially considering that the #2 seed will likely play Brazil in the second round.

Is that known or just a possibility?

 

[Nate]

You just about aone in thsi opinion. Even fans of other countries are saying the ref was awful. check the other football message boards.

I did! After the game I went directly home (headaches), switched on the telly, watched and listened to the taped broadcast, read and wrote on the largest german language soccer message board (www.transfermarkt.de) and then read some newspaper articles on the internet.

Even the US supporters on the german message boards conceded that the ref was hard but fair. Newspapers are writing about the ugly and hateful (translatedfrom german) attack from Rossi and that he has to be suspended for a long time; they also almost all agree ( the british guardian being the lone exception) that the referee was right with his decision to send off the two US players and to deny the goal.

P.S: Watched the game with an American friend of mine who grew up and played soccer in Germany, but has studied and now works in the US. Even he agreed with the ref about the red cards.

 

[Nate]

Is that known or just a possibility?

Just a possibility at the moment. The team which finishes second in the US group will play the winner of the Brazilian group (also Australia, Japan and Croatia).

 

[Kel Varnsen]

The disallowed goal was McBrides fault for ball watching and not being quick enough. He should have vacated that space before Beasley even lined up his shot he had to know he was offsides or he just wasn't in the game.

The red cards were harsh IMO, Mastroeni at worst should have been a yellow card. Pope was a little reckless but the tackle wasn't hard enough to be sent off.

I didn't get what happened here. Was the goal called off because he was offsides or because he was obstructing the goalie's view? I thought he was offsides, but they kept talking about the obstruction thing.

 

[Nate]

Just saw a vote regarding the performance of the ref at the website of Germanys most influental newsmag " Der Spiegel". So far, about 1400 people have voted on a scale of 1-6 ( 1 is the best grade, 6 the worst): 50% voted 1, 25% voted 2, about 5% voted for 3,4,5 each, and 10% voted 6.

 

[Zeno]

You guys are killing me with your comments on the ref and his red cards. The ref was probably even the best guy on the field today. Otherwise, great atmosphere in the stadium and a great effort in the second half by the US team.

- The red card against Italy: good call, harsh, coward, totally unneccessary elbow to the face;

Agree 100%

- The red against the USA: brutal tackling with no intention or possibility to play the ball, just "playing the bones", mandatory call!

He actually hit the ball before the player so yes there was a very real possibility of playing the ball. Yellow card? yes. Red card...nope.

- Yellow-red against the USA: not a hard foul, but according to FIFA-standards used at this tournament appropriate.

This one I am borderline on, I'm not even sure if it was hard enough to merit a yellow but Pope should have known better already carrying a yellow and being at a position on the field where it really posed no big danger to the US goal.

- Offside call, denying the 2-1: Clear interfering in the play by the offside player, good call.

Good call yes, 100% by the book. The blame in this case falls on the lazy US player who didn't move out of the play before the shot(McBride).

How you can say the ref had a good game is beyond me, he also gave Zambrotta a BS Yellow Card.

In reality it didn't matter because even with 9 men the US took it to the Italians...a team as gifted as Italy should be able to put any team away with a man advantage but the US held and actually created a couple of chances.