This is why I have never liked Italian Soccer teams. They play physical against their opponents and beat up on them whenever they get a chance. Even throw cheap shots if given a chance. But when the opposing team tries to do the same to them, they start flopping all over the place. Italian soccer players have a history of being punks. That ref from Uruguay was suspended from World Cup 2002. Safe to say he will be suspended from this World Cup too. Even safer to say, he will be back in 2010. Reyna sucks. He sucks bad. He is old and turns the ball over way too much for a midfielder. He is the Juwan Howard of US World Cup team. Everyone raves about him and his experience but when you watch him play you realize how much of a scrub he is. Beasley is too fragile to play against the top dogs. In last two games I have seen him lose the ball multiple times because he could not handle the hard shoulder challenge or physical play. Johnson should be playing instead.
1. Italy defeats the Czech Republic. 2. Italy ties the Czech Republic 0-0 or 1-1 AND the United States beats Ghana by at least four goals. 3. Italy ties the Czech Republic 2-2 or with a higher score AND the United States beats Ghana by five or more goals. 4. Italy ties the Czech Republic 2-2 or with a higher score AND the United States beats Ghana by four goals AND the U.S. team scores at least three goals more than the Czechs do in their tie. 5. The Czech Republic beats Italy AND the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is six or more. 6. The Czech Republic beats Italy AND the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is five AND the U.S. team scores at least three goals more than the Italians do in their loss. 7. The Czech Republic beats Italy AND the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is five AND the U.S. team scores exactly two more goals than the Italians do in their loss AND the Americans win a drawing of lots by FIFA. WOW. foxsports.com
Wow, just heard that this ref was sent home in 2002 for "irregualr calls." I'll post the pics of the Mastroeni red card in a second, but it clearly proves that it wasn't a card. Why the hell was the ref on the pitch?
He was sent home for being guilty of not just irregular calls but straight up corruption and bribery charges.
Despite their less than desirable ethics in their play, I for one will root for the Italians to beat the hell out of Czech. You should too if you want US to advance.
LOL! You're kidding, right? Please tell me I am misunderstanding you... clearly it was the correct call (Goodbye from the game and NEXT GAME, might be fined). CRIMINAL, as the Univision dude put it: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6708702901321541167 What exactly are you showing in those pictures...? That it WASN'T that hard? EDIT: I forgot to add that the EE.UU. hasn't won in Europe in a World Cup YET, and Keller is winless.
I've seen similar plays this year that got yellow cards. This definitely doesn't compare to a dirty elbow to the face. And the Italians do great sales jobs when it comes to fouls. You have to be really hesitant to hand out red cards and this ref was anything but hesitant.
i beg to differ, gee, and I don't think it's disputable. Maybe other calls may have been off, but this one is correct. Straight to the ankle, no ball at all, leading with the cleats. AUTOMATIC. I would not argue this point even if it were a Mexican player. Send any dirty player off.
I love Dempsey, when he steps on the field he believes he can play with anybody in the world and it shows, he has some flaws in his game but you need players with that mentality on the field. And I thought Reyna played well yestrday, he controlled the midfield well and the Reyna, Dempsey, Dolo combination worked well on the right early in the game. Keller was awesome, his best play last night was punting the ball and the Italian that was on the sideline getting "treatment" after his flop. At the end of the day we stepped on the field with Italy and outplayed them for most of the game (I do wish we would have kept attacking at the end of the game), but we still don't have the consistancy that we need. On any given day we can beat any team in the world. Now we just have to take care of business against Ghana and hope for the best. And I think this is appropriate to post again. Italy training video
He was late on the tackle and his cleats were not up. A definite yellow card, but not an automatic red card. Pope's however was right, he should have been smarter than that, hell, Arena should have substituted for him to protect our man advantage. Also, was McBride called offside on Beasley's goal? The American papers are saying that was the call....however, that would be irrelevant unless he touched the ball. DD
