I'm putting 30 euro on Croatia to beat Brazil.
Forget the hype. They have been shockingly poor. They have the makings of a good team - nowhere near the level they used to be - but this WC is too soon for them and home advantage will stifle them.
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I'm putting 30 euro on Croatia to beat Brazil.
Forget the hype. They have been shockingly poor. They have the makings of a good team - nowhere near the level they used to be - but this WC is too soon for them and home advantage will stifle them.
Samuel Eto'o has a bodyguard waiting outside his room at all times because he believes the Cameroonian FA want to kill him.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
When have Brazil been shockingly poor?
A random fact to make you feel old, for the day that's in it.
We all remember this goal -
The son is now a Brazilian under 20 international.
I think when they won the Confederations Cup, beating Spain 3-0.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
And that's the value of a guy being able to carry the ball from midfield. Rakitic's burst of pace with the ball there was beautiful.
Another player playing that day was Maizinho, the father of Thiago who plays for Spain, the Barcelona/Bayern playerQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Penalty me arse
That was a terrible dive. The ref could. not. wait. to give it.
Some corruption thats actually working for the good of the Brazilian Nation at this world cup .... wont be protesting about that!!!!
Wow. Didn't see Brazil getting those decisions.
Eugh!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuichi_Nishimura
Somebody has edited the ref's wiki page.
Quote:
2014 FIFA world cup
Not wearing any glasses(due to his illness "asian eyes", causing him to always have them partially closed) he couldn't do his referee duty to full extent and thus screwed up Croatia which should've gotten draw if not, victory against Brazil. Thank you yuchiyuchi mishishishi
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Nishimura was also chosen by FIFA to referee the opening game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. [5] FIFA immediately regretted their decision to select him after he awarded Brazil a penalty for literally no reason whatsoever that changed the course of the game. Croats burned effigies of Nishimura in the streets of Zagreb. He loves the D.
Anthony Buttimer may make the world cup yet.
Interesting that hes the ref who sent off Felipe Melo during his meltdown against the dutch at the last world cup. I thought that was a good decision, but i hope he wasnt trying to overcompensate for that tonight
Disgusted. Such high expectations for the tournament, and to open like that. What incompetent, environment influenced officiating. He was looking right at that "penalty" shout.
Is it a bit much to draw a link between most of the controversial refereeing decisions of recent years and the referees being from Asia/Africa/Central America?
Tonight - Japanese ref. Awful call.
Other random examples off the top of my head (well, maybe with a bit of googling!)
- The disallowed Spanish goal against South Korea in 2002. Awful call; Egyptian ref
- Rivaldo getting the Turkish fella sent off in 2002. Awful call; Korean ref with linesmen from Singapore and El Salvador (I don't know which one was right beside the incident)
- Maradona's handball - Tunisian ref
Obviously you've got to add Graham Poll's three yellows and Howard Webb's performance in the 2010 finals to balance things (though Webb I see did book almost the entire Dutch team, and maybe only really missed de Jong's kung fu kick). What other examples are there? Lampard's goal was missed by Uruguayan officials. Maybe I'm way over the top to say that some officials are invited to ensure a spread among the continents. Looking back on wiki's list of refereeing controversies probably doesn't help my argument either! Just a random 1am thought though.
Not a great game; thought Pletikosa in goals for Croatia was poor throughout. Should have saved one of the goals I think; neither of the goals from play seemed particularly well-struck, and he'd have saved the penalty if he'd kept his lower hand strong. Didn't think Croatia offered too much, and ultimately the result was probably right. Brazil will need to improve though.
Pletikosa certainly could have done better for all three goals, the last especially. Neither Neymar's first nor Oscar's strike had much pace in them.
It was like the "slower ball" in cricket which often leads to a mistimed shot and a catch. The keeper saw the line of the ball but not the pace, so his footwork was poor. He had time each time to take another half step before diving, especially the first one.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
Brazil got lucky really. I hope Croatia proceed.
Dead on there. Croatia have to be kicking themselves this morning. There was a period from the second half to the 60th minute where Brazil were there for the taking. Croatia fluked a goal and did nothing after. They gave away very cheap possession and the goalkeeper should have saved all three goals. Brazil had more heart to go for it, albeit the ref played a nice hand with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I was pretty repulsed by that opening and this particular Brazilian side in general. Cheating rewarded by a weak referee. Even outside of the penalty and disallowed goal, he seemed very eager to blow for every minor or non-existent infraction by the Croats.
I don't agree that the result was probably right. Croatia were obviously pretty happy with 1-0 and 1-1 so they never really needed to force the issue at that stage, but they were in cruise control until the penalty. I know you could argue that Brazil were the team trying to win the game, but you have to do enough to win the game and they didn't... well not by themselves anyway.
There was one stage after the penalty where Croatia made their way up the right wing from full back to the edge of the area; they shipped three heavy Brazilian tackles - a late body check, a rugby tackle and a lunge. Advantage was played each time - which was correct - but the ref didn't go back to book any of the Brazilians. I thought that really typified the referee's performance.
Referee was poor at times. Penalty was a shocker.
I agree with Delorean that Croatia were comfortable up until then - they were conceding territory and possession, but doing so on their terms, and Brazil had created very little. It was one of those games where, if Brazil scored, I couldn't see Croatia coming back into it, but Brazil didn't look like scoring either.
Whoever is reffing Brazil's next few games is going to be under crazy international scrutiny now.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
The Croatians are now calling him "Referinho"Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I bet on bosnia to get to the semis. Do you chaps think it could happen?
Had a quick look at the groups and fixtures and I'd say the best they could hope for is a quarter final exit to Germany (after finishing second in their group to Argentina and beating the winners of the France/Swiss group in last 16), but who knows?!
Hmmm...
I'd not call that offside.
Yes another f-n horrible call. Mexico looks better than them though. They will get a few. There are bad calls in every sport but some of these officials have to be getting paid by the mafia.
It was very close. Certainly his arm was offside, but that doesn't count. I think the linesman possibly had a better view than the camera tbh
Great defending from Mexico there; stopped a certain Mexican goal.
Decent game so far. The Cameroonerainians are big fellas.
Ah come on to fupp!
The officials are way out of their depth here. That was a nailed on goal with no earthly reason to disallow it.
Stuff technology, just use competent officials.
You can have that one alright! Linesman didn't see it came off a Cameroon head. Referee had a better view of who got last touch and should have overruled I think.
Actually, thinking about it, I've been very soft on the ref. If he saw the Cameroon lad getting the touch - and he should have - then it was literally impossible for that to have been offside.
Understandable error from the linesman. Shocking from the ref
The linesman should only have given it if he was sure. I think you're being lenient on the linesman.
I can't speak for him obviously, but I'm happy to give him the benefit of thinking that the last touch came from a Mexican, in which case he was offside.
Opposite extreme now; Peralta half a yard offside but not flagged
Mexico ahead, thankfully. Only right given the first half events
Cameroon are offering very little.
Delighted Mexico are winning.
Enjoyed that Mexico performance.
Cameroon are gonna be the whipping boys here. They showed very little.
I was frothing at the mouth at half time. Thank God Mexico got the winner. Was impressed by them, but I suppose Cameroon really were terrible at times. A goal down, and keeping Eto'o as a lone striker for another ten minutes!?