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June 26, 2006

FIFA World Cup 2006 : Portugal 1 - the Dutch 0 : The dirtiest game thus far 
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Did anyone watch this game?

I was going to sleep but I am on leave today. Then I checked the World Cup updates and I found out Portugal 1 and the Dutch 0. Well I like Luis Figo and it was half time. I rushed down to watch (about 4.05am Malaysian time) and what a game! I mean this should be during the England-Ecuador timeslot!

It was by far the dirtiest game. Almost everyone was yellow carded, 4 were sent off, each team reduced to 9 men each!!

Anyway I watched the commentaries by local football expert, Shebby Singh who commented that the following which I totally disagree:-

1. Luis Figo head butting the Dutch player. Should have been red-carded, instead he was just yellow carded. This I kinda agree but then the Dutch might have insulted Figo's mother. Anyway the FIFA will look at this and Figo may face possible suspension for the next game. I hope not because he is a brilliant player and for most of the game he was pretty cool until that head butting. We all know the Dutch will not hesitate to play dirty and they're so good the referees usually missed the dirty parts. Not this game.

2. Luis Figo kinda pretended to be very injured when the Dutch player "accidentally" elbowed him in the face when Figo was running with the ball and the Dutch was doing some defending. This I totally disagree. The sending off of that Dutch player was a good call. I remember seeing Figo after he walked back into the pitch, his left side of his face where he was elbowed was very very red. It meant there was a major contact and believe me that elbowing was not accidental. Not with the Dutch. Not that the Portugese were lembik also. I also remember the game before this where Luis Figo's face was scratched by the soles of the opponent's boots. He had a scar on his face, looking rather raw but he continued playing. This is not a man who pretends to be injured. He was injured and the yellow cum red card was spot on.

3. Some players squabbling and one Portugese player was sent off. The Dutch player was on the ground and one Portugese player kinda pinched him. Another Dutch player pushed the Portugese player who went flying onto the floor. That was a bad diving acting. I totally disagree. Sometimes you lose your balance and he was pushed and so he lost his balance and he fell hard. Maybe he was pinching on the fallen Dutch player, or maybe not. But that player who pushed this Portugese player who went flying onto the floor should have been booked too. That was losing cool and that wasn't right.

4. The Portugese player was told to stop the game and he did, picked up the ball and another Dutch tried to take the ball, stupid Portugese player refused AND the Dutch then kinda spin or spun or whatever the Portugese player around who fell to the Pitch. Another lose of control and both should have been booked.

5. Oh this game was ugly. But the Dutch would win hands down FIFA SO NOT FAIR PLAY TEAM. There is this unspoken rule in football that when a player is injured, whoever is kicking the ball would kick the ball out. If this is opponent team injured, the other team will kick the ball out. That means opponent will have the right of the ball. There is no official rule which says you can't then run away with the ball instead of kicking it out, because your opponent due to injury kicked it out first. But never have I seen that very opponent running away with the ball, trying to score with the other team totally unprepared and thinking that because of this unspoken rule, this opponent will kick the ball out and give them the right of the ball. The Dutch did just that. Dirty fellows. Anyway the Portugese was so angry one stupid player deliberately fouled one Dutch and guess what? Yep, yellow cum red carded.

I tell you, this is one game where both sides after all while aimed for the legs/arms/heads/ anywhere except for the ball.

And yet it was really well played game that showcases skills. Just 9 men and yet the Portugese attacked and attacked. Just 9 men, and yet the Dutch kept attacking and attacking. Ok, Dutch plays dirty. That we know. The Portugese are no shy guys too. Shebby Singh, whom I value his opinion was wrong to say they all acted like school boys. Tension was high. Even Portugal's coach was hopping mad but good sense in him to stop the other reserves from running amok into the pitch. The Dutch acted the same but of course their coach was more cool since it was not injustice to them.

And then Shebby commented that the referee would be refereeing his last World Cup because he wanted attention to himself. He allowed the game to go beserk. He allowed way too many yellow cards when rough play is expected and some should have been red card. He tried to manipulate the game.

I am sorry Shebby, I disagree. The referee was indeed much too soft, many deserved a red card and he didn't give straight red cards because let's face it...there won't be any players left. Moreover most players were already yellow carded so what's the point of a red card anyway? And he did tried to contain the players from fly kicking one another, but he is one man alone with many many players and even the coaches very very angry. Anger not because he sent them off but because of how the players treated one another. I think he did his best to control the situation and it couldn't be contained much because everyone was beyond angry. The stoppage time for the 2nd half was 6 minutes but he allowed for another minute of play, because there was so incidents before that. Of course the Portugese were angry. Put it this way; I think the referee was mostly fair. A yellow must be given for an aim to the leg. I have seen a yellow card/red card given for a lesser offence. I personally feel he should have yellow carded the players who punched/pushed the other player.

Anyway wanna read a joke? One player called Deco I think got sent off, he was in tears. Minutes later another Dutch was sent off. Emotions were running high. And then camera zoomed at the stairs by the side and there they were, this Portugese player and the Dutch player sitting side by side talking passionately. They are club mates. This shows it's only football, whatever happens on the pitch stays on the pitch.

That being said, some players offered hands to the other who then rudely shoved it away. Talk about temper.

I already knew the Dutch will play dirty. I saw how the Portugese play, mild mannered but good football. Both play good football. But I sided with the Portugese because I didn't like the Dutch's tactics which are unchanged since decades ago. Whilst this game showed the ugly side of football, it also showed the skills in terms of defending and try and try again attitude with both sides reduced to just 9 men.

Anyway Shebby was right about one thing.

Portugal will meet England later I think next week? Anyway they will meet, my heart is with England. If Luis Figo got suspended, I could safely predict England is going to the next round. With almost all players booked and some key ones injured, Portugal may be flying home next week. The way England plays, I doubt there will be any bust ups since they're very much into fair play. And England plays very boringly whilst Portugal showed immense skills.

Put it this way; I won't be surprised Portugal is going home next week and yet I won't be surprised too if they win over England because the way England played tonight, I'm sorry Beckham, Luis Figo is more handsome than you, he can play better than you and England can't rely on free kicks on win the World Cup!

I wonder what the Dutch would say now? Perhaps If only Ruud played?

The next dirty game; Australia vs Italy later today I think. Italy is boring but they are no sissies. Australia is like Dutch only less skills. I think this World Cup is not who is going to win the cup but which team will be booked the most.

When Australia I think accused the referee for siding with the Brazilians because Australia had more fouls, my sister commented that that's pure b.s. Brazilians play dirty? Maybe but more fouls? No way. They're samba kings, they samba all the way to the goal post. Except of course can they just put in the ball into the goal post. I have seen how Australia plays and believe me, this match with Italy will be very interesting.

Anyway congrats to Portugal. But I worry for them about the next game with most of their players out/injured/yellow carded.

2 COMMENTS

 Anonymous writes ...

awww... Can't believe I missed this game!!! Sounds really interesting from your point of view. Its not everyday you get to see both sides dishing out their "specialities". haha.
Still, the only proper full game I have watched was England vs err.. where Owen got injured not even 10 mins into the game! rofl!! =p See how much this game left an impression on me.

x

7:51 am, June 26, 2006  

 Anonymous writes ...

Yeah, Portugal vs Netherlands was by far the dirtiest game in this Cup, yet there was not a single dull second! My hubby and I had a hard time tracking who's fouled and who got what card. Cards flashing more than poker themselves LOL. Both teams are no saint, and even the man of the match (Maniche) has a yellow card himself!

BTW, Beckham's free kick today is beautiful. Go Becks!
I'm rooting for England in the next game and hope they will play better as they advance further. For now, I am looking forward to the Gemany - Argentina match; that's going to be a marvelous one. Klose forever, but I love Messi, too, arrrgh!

7:56 am, June 26, 2006