Much ado has been made about the officiating at this World Cup. It started in the opening match as Brazil got a very favorable penalty call that allowed them to take the lead against Croatia. It continued on day two as Mexico was the target of many poor officiating decisions. It came to another head yesterday as the Dutch eliminated Mexico on another controversial call by a referee.
The Netherlands tied the score late when Wesley Snijder volleyed in a rebound off a corner in the 88th minute. In the second minute of stoppage time, Arjen Robben carried the ball along the end line and tried to carry it in front when he was seemingly tripped by Rafa Marquez. Going full speed, the speed at which the ref has to make a decision, mind you, it looked like it was a trip. It looked like Marquez stuck his leg out like a high school jock tripping up nerd in the hallway.
Closer examination showed otherwise. A slow motion replay made it look as if Robben was already on his way down when Marquez's foot came in. This, of course, would constitute a dive and not a penalty. The ref, however, does not have the benefit of slow motion replays. He has to make a decision on the spot having seen the play at game speed. As I said before, at full speed it looked like Marquez tripped Robben, so I cannot fault the referee for the call he made.
I suppose I could fault Robben. A dive is dishonorable in any situation, let alone one that decides the fate of the match. But, what can be considered a dive and what is merely a player falling down? That is the grey area here. Robben was trying to make an athletic move around a defender who was trying to impede him. Can anyone reading this blog go and say they would not have fallen if put in his situation? I'm not saying I would have, but I am saying it is a lot harder to stay on one's feet during a soccer game than the average person thinks.
I believe that people who complain about soccer players diving, or embellishing injuries, or any kind of swaying of the referee have no idea what they are talking about. Every time a non-soccer person calls a soccer player a coward (or usually something a lot more vulgar) for clutching at their shins after being tripped, I ask them if they want to run full speed at me while I kick them in the shin. I am willing to bet that they would roll on the floor in pain as well. Getting kicked in the shins hurts. A lot. So don't complain about someone else writhing in pain after taking a boot to the tibia.
I don't like the way people complain about flopping in soccer. Is it a problem? Yes, but the problem isn't exclusive to foreign soccer. Diving and simulation of fouls happen in any sport. How many times in a football game do wide receivers flaunt and flail to get a pass interference call? How about hitters in baseball over dramatizing getting hit by a pitch? Or a hockey player embellishing a trip? Don't even get me started on the flopping in the NBA's high stakes games. As far as I am concerned, you cannot knock soccer for diving and then go out and watch the NBA, but that's a completely different rant that I would rather not start right now. The point is that, believe it or not, flopping is no worse in soccer than it is in any American sport.
The Robben dive is sadly overshadowing the exciting match that unfolded in the second half yesterday in Fortaleza. Mexico thought they had it won, then thought they could take the Dutch in extra time, and then were heartbroken. They went from elated to deflated in a span of four minutes. The heartbreak for them is crushing, while the Netherlands can enjoy the excitement riding into a quarterfinal match with Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is in their first ever quarterfinal after beating Greece in the second World Cup match to go to a penalty shootout. This one was a tightly contested defensive affair. Very little was created by either team's attack until Bryan Ruiz trickled one into the Greek net in the 52nd minute. In the 66th, Costa Rica's Oscar Durante was shown a second yellow and sent off for a dubious challenge on Jose Holebas. The ten man Los Ticos gave up the tying goal in the first minute of stoppage time. The teams played the extra 30 minutes out to a draw. During the shootout, the teams traded goals for the first three rounds before Greece's Theofanis Gekas saw his shot saved by Keylor Navas. Michal Umana buried Costa Rica's next shot to win the match and send them through for a July 4 date with the Netherlands.
Today's action should be fairly straight forward as a warm up for tomorrow's USA-Belgium showdown. First, at noon, France takes on Nigeria, who come to the knockout rounds for the first time since 1998. The more experienced French should handle the Nigerians. I predict a 3-0 win for them. Germany take on another less experienced squad in Algeria. Algeria's first trip to the round of 16 should end quickly, as well. I like a 3-0 German win.
Have fun with today's fairly predictable affairs and I will be back tomorrow to get us all set for USA-Belgium.
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