Seeing Red

I don't know if anyone watched the Italy-US match yesterday, but it was a good match and a VERY good match for the US team. However, the refereeing was absolutely horrible. Just terrible (and both ways, not just against the US).

As ESPN reported after the game, the ref in question, Jorge LARRIONDA from Uruguay, was suspended from the World Cup in 2002 for irregularity. The DeRossi card was absolutely deserved. He elbowed Brian McBride in the face, McBride's face was covered in blood and he required stitches. Agree 100% with this call. I guess the obvious follow up is a red card for the Americans to "even things up" (another reason to hate soccer), but the card against Mastroeni was not a red. It was a yellow card in any other game. He was late, it was violent, the Italian acted as if his ankle was physically removed from his body, but there is no way that that is a red card in any other game. I didn't see the Eddie Pope second yellow for a red, but I saw the first yellow to Pope and it was not really a yellow. Hard to argue against some yellow cards because a lot of refs pull them out for any reason just to calm things down. But the first booking was marginal. Apparently the second booking was even less obvious and to book a second American for a red after having already screwed up the first red for the Americans, inexcusable. His wackiness continued. He booked an Italian with a yellow for a push that was barely even worthy of a free kick. The waved off goal was probably offsides, but it doesn't make it any easier to swallow.

Anyway, getting to the analysis of something other than the ref: The Americans played with a lot of heart. If they got red cards and McBride got bloody and they came away with a draw it is because they played a real soccer game. They didn't give the Italians anything. They played physically, basically telling those guys - if you're going to dive, we'll give you something to dive for! Down one man for almost 40 minutes, they played hard, physical, inspired soccer, doing the right stuff and even scoring (even if they goal was waved off, it wasn't scored because of the offsides. Beasley broke in and ripped a shot from the left hand side, Gigi Buffon (that's his real name folks) couldn't control it and it went into the net. The line judge determined that McBride, in an offsides position, interfered enough with the play to wave it off). Great goal, terrible it had to be called back - that's the way it happens.

At the 80 minute mark, the Americans couldn't play anymore. They were just holding on by their fingernails with the hope of getting away with a draw (from 80 minutes on I was screaming for Arena to bring in some fresh legs, but I guess the 1000 kms from Bordeaux to Kaiserslautern was too far for him to hear me). Landon Donovan had to be replenished by IV after the game. Now, if the Americans beat Ghana on Thursday (this is not necessarily a given, Ghana beat the Czechs 2-0) and Italy beats the Czech Republic, the Americans are going to the second round (most likely to play Brazil!!).

Nike has a new set of commercials called Joga Bonita. Using French legend, Eric Cantona, as a narrator the ads discuss soccer and playing. There's one where the punch line is, "America: The world no longer looks forward to playing you." Even with absolute apathy at home, the American team is not too shabby. They won't win this year, they may not win in 2010, but sooner or later, the US will field 11 men who will be as good as their peers from Brazil and Germany and Argentina.