Tuesday, June 16, 2009

World Cup 2006 Blog

World Cup 2006 Blog

Link to World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010

Daily Dose: June 15th, 2009.

Posted: 15 Jun 2009 06:49 PM PDT

Stuff to read while you dance! Just dance!

COMPETITION REMINDER: Daryl just wants to remind everyone that we’ve got two copies of the book Outcasts United up for grabs. Click here to leave your question for author Warren St. John. Best two questions win a signed copy.

Confederations Cup Highlights: Red For The Underdogs

Posted: 15 Jun 2009 03:15 PM PDT



It’s always going to be an uphill battle against the likes of Brazil & Italy. The slope tilts a bit more when going down to ten, which was the case for both Egypt and the USA - despite coming in vastly different circumstances.


Brazil 4-3 Egypt

Brazil got off to their predictably hot Spain-style start, going 3-1 up by half time on the back of some very Brazilian brilliance by Ricky Kaka and some very un-Brazilian standard headers (Luis Fabiano & Juan). Game, right? You’d think so.

But buoyed by a swarm of insect noises, a shocking 60 second surge saw Egypt level things up at 3-3 thruogh Mohamed Shawky (adutioning for a move away from relegated Middlesbrough) and Mohamed Zidan. And that’s how it stayed, until…

…Al Mohamady cleared Pato’s shot off the line in the dying moments, but with his arm. Lying on the floor and pretending his face hrut wasn’t cnovincing Howard Webb, and so it was red card, penalty, Kaka, goal, Brazil win 4-3.

Egypt aren’t taking this lying down though, and have lodged an official complaint about the penalty. Not because it wasn’t handball (hard to deny) but because Egypt feel the decision was made using video evidence. Here’s what Egypt’s assistant coach Gharib Chawki had to say:

“As far as I am aware there is no rule allowing video evidence. We’re not contesting the referee’s decision but the way it was made. Or maybe the rules have changed and nobody has told us.

“Since when do the regulations say there is a penalty which is not blown by the referee? It took three minutes to change the decision while the player was being treated.

“The decision was changed after a statement by the fourth official, after watching the monitor, that it should be a penalty.

Good old Howard Webb, making friends wherever he goes.

Italy 3-1 USA

In the late game, USA and Italy seemed to be reenacting their 1-1 WC 2006 draw in opposite roles when Ricardo Clark was sent off for going in late, high and hard on Rino Gattuso in the 33rd. But surprisingly US pulled the lead through a penalty, won by Jozy Altidore, shortly thereafter.

It all looked roses until the highly controversial Guiseppe Rossi stepped onto the pitch for the Azzurri. Rossi was born to Italian parents who’d recently moved to the US and was thus eligible for the US nat’l team. He moved to Parma early on and signed up to play for the country of his blood, much to the dismay of America. Mere moments after stepping onto the pitch against the country of his birth, Rossi stole the ball, dribbled a bit and unleashed a ripper into the back of the net.

A Daniele De Rossi - some may remember him as the one who was sent off for the bloody skirmish in Germany - bounder and some Pirlo brilliance finished off, once again, by Rossi sealed the 3-1 win and more American hatred for the NJ-native.

So what did we learn today? Red cards = bad.

Confed Cup takes the day of tomorrow, but returns on Wednesday. Full schedule here.

Italy v USA Confederations Cup Liveblog

Posted: 15 Jun 2009 11:05 AM PDT
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)