FIFA World Cup 2006

[Wez 0]

Damn... Argentina 1 - Mexico 1 after just 10 minutes!

[Kay 0]

Will it be like the other match though? Full of action at the start then... nothing.

[cavallino 2]

Nop

That was a very very lucky escape for Heinze. According tothe laws of the game, it was a red card.

the last match would have been better if not for the red card. And if Larsson hadn't missed.

We'll see Messi and Tevez soon

[sevag00 0]

good job for argentina they went to the quarter final, and they have to face germany, that game will be exciting.

[Kay 0]

I think England will not go through, but Holland have a chance!

[nojvnof1 0]

No surprised re. the winners of the second round matches so far, but Argentina v Mexico was one of the best games I've ever seen, especially the first 15 minutes, such a hectic pace. England were again unconvincing whilst Germany destroyed Sweden. The Portugal v Holland game was nuts, so much craziness going on and the ref totally lost the plot. So many dirty tackles and the like spoiled the game, and as an unabashed fan of the Dutch, I'm gutted they are out, but in reality, they never looked in it against Portugal and didn't have an exceptional tournament.

Portugal v England should be interesting as England have been playing below their best and Portugal have been strong, but will miss Deco, Costinha through suspension and perhaps Cristiano Ronaldo through injury. I think Switzerland should beat Ukraine with their efficient and disciplined style of play.

[Kay 0]

Holland did look pretty good until the dirty tackling and events started, then they decided they were going to take none of it and tried to play dirtier than the Portugese. Figo should have been sent off end of, one of the officials would have been seen it and should have made the referee more than aware.

Had the dirty tactics not got so far, I've got a strong feeling Holland would have equalised and it would have depended on who was fittest at the end.

[johndifo 0]

Holland did look pretty good until the dirty tackling and events started, then they decided they were going to take none of it and tried to play dirtier than the Portugese.

I cannot agree with that, at just 7 min, Portuguese Star Cristiano Ronaldo already suffered two brutal tackles, The second one by Holland player Boulahrouz should have been Red card. That two initial tackles set the tone for the game.

Imagine it was England and it was Rooney being tackled until he falls down and out, Let me repeat, UNTIL HE FALLS DOWN AND OUT, if he moves hit him, dirty tactics who?

Figo should have been sent off end of, one of the officials would have been seen it and should have made the referee more than aware.

Yes It should have been, but just see who was the other guy, Boulahrouz "I will hit you". The officials saw and Figo got an Yellow card. bad referee? you can bet on that.

[Kay 0]

Portugal are the dirtiest team out there.

[sevag00 0]

GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!!

[johndifo 0]

Portugal are the dirtiest team out there.

Why you say that?

[Kay 0]

Why you say that?

Because unfortunately it is true.

[johndifo 0]

Because unfortunately it is true.

And the second dirtiest team is...?

[Kay 0]

That's a close call between several European teams, but Dutch have to be in the consideration. What was the other dirty match in the group stage? I forget who was playing.

[cavallino 2]

So would England, and Italy.

[johndifo 0]

So would England, and Italy.

England usualy play fair in the field, english football is famous for that, I believe more in some english secret agent paying some russian referee to ruin the game of their next possible opponent.

[cavallino 2]

England usualy play fair in the field, english football is famous for that,

Oh please, go back and see their world cup matches, this time and last time. Or look at the same players in the EPL. Joe Cole, Beckham, Michael Owen, Gerrard.

[johndifo 0]

Oh please, go back and see their world cup matches, this time and last time. Or look at the same players in the EPL. Joe Cole, Beckham, Michael Owen, Gerrard.

ok, ok, times are not what it used to be

This topic reminds me the mother of all dirty plays, the hand of god....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzkWXKolHoY

Or even worse, when german coach Harold Schumacher smashed the skull of french player Patrick Battison in 1982 world cup semi final

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RvuuiEgsY0

This is not to be forgoten, when we talk dirty play, this is dirty play...

[Kay 0]

Oh please, go back and see their world cup matches, this time and last time. Or look at the same players in the EPL. Joe Cole, Beckham, Michael Owen, Gerrard.

Holland are worse than that.

[cavallino 2]

Probably, going by the last match

[Kay 0]

Indeed, I'm still struggling to remember which teams were playing when there was a lot of acting up after tackles. I'm sure it was in the group stages, not as bad as the other night, but still noticeable.

[johndifo 0]

An excelent article about Portugal-Holland Nuremberg battle at Franksteindium, from eurosport.com

Eurosport - Ian Holyman [email protected] - 27/06/2006 00:28

Valentin Ivanov brandished a record 16 yellow cards and sent four players off on Sunday, but where does the blame lie for the debacle? Eurosport.com's Ian Holyman puts the suspects on trial.

Defendant: Valentin Ivanov

Despite being an experienced ref, he let the players dictate the discipline of the game, particularly in the second half which raced very quickly out of his control.

But let's take a look at the four red cards.

There can be little doubt that Costinha got himself sent off - the handball following on from a foul left Ivanov with little choice.

Khalid Boulahrouz was next to go - though the decision to book him a second time for what appeared to be a flailing rather than deliberately aimed arm looked harsh.

However, he should have already been working on his hairstyle in the dressing room after his early assault on Ronaldo.

Deco should have gone for his first tackle - a disgraceful challenge motivated by the lack of Dutch fair play - but he should know better and keep control of himself.

The second booking was harsh in the extreme as the Barcelona man wrestled for the ball with an equally-at-fault Philip Cocu.

But after Ivanov had booked Zinedine Zidane in an earlier game for taking a free-kick before the whistle had been blown, he had already given notice of his fickleness and it is up to players to adapt.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst - the second booking was a touch harsh, but again, he had seen the way the game was going, yet went in kicking - from behind - after losing the ball.

One moment of weakness came after he missed Luis Figo headbutting Mark van Bommel - hardly a saint - before then inexplicably booking the Portugal captain.

If he saw the incident, then it was a red - so why was it only yellow?

SENTENCE: Fairly light, as he got most of the decisions right - albeit some by default - but should be on the next plane home.

Defendant: The players & coaches

A disgrace to themselves, and they by no means helped Mr Ivanov's task by embarking on a display of diving and play-acting rarely seen outside of Olympic pools and your average theatre, with Arjen Robben in particular excelling.

Yes, Ivanov failed to protect Ronaldo early on, but he can hardly be blamed for not seeing Luis Figo's headbutt while he was trying to separate warring factions in one of numerous second-half melees.

Figo - like Deco - has to take repsonsibility for his own actions, and he is incredibly lucky to have escaped the red card he deserved.

The two coaches must also share their part of the blame.

Luiz Felipe Scolari said on Monday: "We accept that we made some disciplinary mistakes, but we cannot accept in any way the red card for Deco."

This in itself is an utter disgrace.

Yes, the second booking was dubious. Yes, the Dutch should have given the ball back and - as Scolari alleges - Marco van Basten may have encouraged his side to play on instead, but that cannot excuse Deco's shocking tackle.

SENTENCE: Both sides have already paid the price for their behaviour - Portugal are severely depleted for their quarter-final, the Dutch are on their way home.

Defendant: FIFA

It was far too easy for Sepp Blatter to lay the blame at the door of Ivanov by saying straight after the game that the Russian was not up to the task.

If this is so, Blatter only has his own organisation to blame as they select the referees for the matches.

The guidelines for the tournament - set out by the FIFA president himself before it started - ordered (not advised) referees to clamp down on tackles from behind, from the side and with studs showing, which all but outlawed any full-blooded challenge.

Time-wasting and protecting the talented players were the referees' other main duties - what did Ivanov do more than actually put that diktat into action?

SENTENCE: The game itself - and the already record number of red cards in the tournament - are testament to FIFA's role in taking things to the extreme - guilty as charged.

[cavallino 2]

The other extreme doesn't help either. Yesterday apparently the ref was under instructions not to show cards, unless a player shot another ( that would have been a yellow card). (SWI vs UKR).

[sevag00 0]

i didn't watch the first half of ukraine v switzerland, coz i had to watch 24, but what i saw in the 2nd half, it was a boring game, but in the penalties it was great

[cavallino 2]

Poor match again, Ghana offered no competition. They looked like amateurs at this level, sitting halfway down the pitch with their flat back four, wht were they thinking? I hope the Spain France match is decent, so far this round has been woeful