Group G - BRAZIL, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal

[LongLegs?]

This is why every game should be reviewed and suspensions handed out for dives. No player will dive if they risk being suspended for one match.

This.

I agree with Ollie. Kaka shouldn't have got a red, regardless of any other tackle he made. That moment was not a second yellow. Keita would've won an Oscar for that performance.

And the blatant handball on the second goal...the refereeing has been mediocre all tournament.

Still, Brazil look sharp. They don't look flamboyant like they have in the past, but they're getting the job done, like I expected them to do. Semi-finals at least, I'd think.

@ dutchad - The referee is not supposed to assume. If anything, he can ask his linesmen if they saw anything, but he can't assume something he didn't see! It's not Kaka's job to be in a better position. In the heat of the moment, you tend to overlook things like that as a player.

 

[Ollie_H]

My point still is though that the referee would have added all the little things up, even if not consciously, and would have thought: mmm I saw this and that and that so he will probably have done this as well.

I totally agree with this part, and that's what I'm saying about Keita playing a very clever card. He exploited a very tense situation and it was clever, but it doesn't half piss me off.

I wouldn't say it was the referee would just have been looking at Kaka, but the way the whole match situation was bubbling over.

 

[Dutch]

This.


@ dutchad - The referee is not supposed to assume. If anything, he can ask his linesmen if they saw anything, but he can't assume something he didn't see! It's not Kaka's job to be in a better position. In the heat of the moment, you tend to overlook things like that as a player.

I agree, but the fact of the matter is, he will. The clever players really know this and know how to walk the line without crossing it. Until there are replays and appeals or a fourth referee or whatever this kind of thing will continue to happen. On the other hand it also makes football so brilliantly unpredictable.

If it had been England in this scenario; nil nil with ten minutes to go against Slovenia. Wright philips goes down like he has been attacked by Jack The Ripper. We get a penalty and they get a man sent off, how would we be reacting now? (Be honest!)

 

[Ollie_H]

If it had been England in this scenario; nil nil with ten minutes to go against Slovenia. Wright philips goes down like he has been attacked by Jack The Ripper. We get a penalty and they get a man sent off, how would we be reacting now? (Be honest!)

In all honesty, ofc I would be ecstatic that we won, but after it died down, it would leave a hollow feeling that we didn't deserve it. But that is a different scenario to the one at hand here, Ivory Coast were well out the game in this case.

 

[Dutch]

In all honesty, ofc I would be ecstatic that we won, but after it died down, it would leave a hollow feeling that we didn't deserve it. But that is a different scenario to the one at hand here, Ivory Coast were well out the game in this case.

True and I am not trying to condone what happened but if it happened to England I can honestly say that I would probably be sitting here saying: Oh well the referee should have seen it and any way it was really clever of SWP to get the penalty and any way we are through and that is all that matters!

On another note Brazil looked freaking awesome every now and then. By far the strongest team at the moment. Who can stop them. The way they scored their goals was frightening. The ability to just let a team come at them for half the match and then lash out so quickly and powerfully was mesmerizing and will have many teams hoping that they don't have to play them all to quickly!

 

[TumTum]

I like Ivory Coast, they have great talent.

 

[AkshayS]

Brazill ftw.:banana2

Fabiano was way to great and Elano was awesome, loved the speed shown by Robinho on the ground, surely classy, Kaka was at his best in passing.

Brazil looking very dangerous for every team now, pretty solid players there are.

 

[ZexyZahid]

For the next match I've got a feeling they will lose Elano, because of his injury. Also Kaka is suspensed next match. So this increases the chance of a Portugal win.

 

[Hitterman]

LOL at Ivory Coast. They somehow eliminated Kaka when he was playing well.

Elano, FTW

 

[Themer]

North Korea currently standing up and outplaying Portugal. Awesome. :laugh

Themer added 5 Minutes and 58 Seconds later...

Well thats a shame.

 

[treva]

North Korea playing well. I think the weather might help them as well, they just need to test the keeper as often as possible. Good game so far.

 

[LongLegs?]

North Korea can't seem to find the final product.

Portugal converting their opportunities now.

 

[Themer]

Well that game changed. For the first 20-30 minutes North Korea were having the most of the ball and chances after that however...

 

[MasterBlaster76]

North Korea can't seem to find the final product.

Portugal converting their opportunities now.

Just a bit! They got 7 and it could easily have been 10!

 

[ARay]

Half time 1-0. Then 6 goals in the second half! Korea lost complete hope after that!