DeBleeckere Avoids Controversy in Lackluster English Victory

It certainly wasn’t the most entertaining of matches, but the English managed to make it through to the quarterfinals off a 60th minute free-kick strike by David Beckham. Belgian match official Frank de Bleeckere doled out three cautions in each half as Ecuador was simply unable to mount much of an attack in the late-afternoon Stuttgart heat.

There were quite a few fouls and offsides in the early going during this start-stop affair. In the third minute Carrick was fouled in his own penalty area and Marcelo Balboa’s partner Dave O’Brien incorrectly believed it had been a handball against the Ecuadorean attacker, but the occasionally accurate Balboa informed the viewing audience of what had really transpired.

In the 11th minute it looked like Ecuador might take the early lead as the English defense gave the ball away in their own end. But just as Tenorio struck the ball Ashley Cole came in to save the day and the shot deflected off him and into the crossbar. O’Brien, apparently watching a different match, couldn’t believe that Tenorio had “missed” the target. Dave, he missed it because Cole got a piece of it. It was quite clear in real time and on the replay, when he finally did correct himself.

In the 14th, Ecuador did well to challenge Rooney and win the ball in their penalty area. Four minutes later we’d see the game’s first caution when John Terry’s high kick caught his opponent. It was only England’s fifth yellow overall in this, their fourth World Cup match.

In the 21st the English had a free kick from about thirty yards out and the wall was only about seven yards back, but perhaps the kicker didn’t ask for the full ten. Ironically, Valencia would be cautioned three minutes later when he stood directly in front of an English free kick.

In the 24th, Tenorio came in pretty late on Joe Cole and then in the 25th it was Ferdinand who took a swipe at Delgado as things seemed to be getting more physical. De Bleeckere was willing to accept much of this without any negative repercussions for the players.

The ref missed it when Beckham got pushed off the ball in the 29th, but he was right on top of it a minute later when Hargreaves got nutmegged in the corner then obstructed and pushed his opponent off the ball.

Good no-call in the 32nd when Joe Cole went down and in the 37th Tenorio was booked for a late, reckless foul that was flagged by the Assistant Ref. A heavy challenge in the 38th resulted in an England advantage, but I was suprised de Bleeckere didn’t come back to caution the offender after the play was over.

In the 40th I thought Rooney was pushed even though he embellished it a bit, but there was no call…and then the attack was snuffed out when the ball hit the hand of a sliding defender. The decision not to call a handball here was the right one as it didn’t seem to be deliberate.

Hargreaves crawled off the pitch in the 44th after being injured, but then crawled back on by the corner. When Ecuador soon had a corner kick down there, the ref made Hargreaves and the England trainer move off the pitch and out of the way of the kicker.

The first half would end without a goal and without any major developments for the referee.

To start the second half, though, I thought Gerrard did get fouled at the edge of the box. The replay seemed to show it too and the Liverpool midfielder was livid about it.

A couple minutes later Rooney was called for a push in the back as his challenge wasn’t quite shoulder-to-shoulder. As so often is the case, Marcelo Balboa disagreed with the Assistant Referee’s decision, but he (the ref) seemed to get this one right.

Lampard got clipped after making a long pass and the call was correctly made. Then in the 51st Ecuador earned an advantage call in their own defense. De la Cruz wanted a card for the English player, but de Bleeckere wouldn’t go for it. Marcelo Balboa seemed confused as to why the foul hadn’t been called, but to do so would’ve taken away Ecuador’s advantage.

In the 57th Rooney tried to force his way through two defenders in the Ecuador penalty area. He ended up on the ground and the no-call was the right call.

In the 59th an Ecuadorean blocked an English player about thirty yards from goal and slightly to the left of the left post. Beckham, who is most useful for his team in situations like this, curled it over the wall and just inside the near post and just off Mora’s fingertips. He had now scored in three successive World Cups - the first English player to ever accomplish that feat.

Lampard appeared to get a nudge as he shot in the 65th, but no call was made. A minute later De la Cruz was cautioned for a handball that stopped an England attack. For a change, Balboa understood this decision by the referee.

Hargreaves put a little body on Tenorio in the corner and the foul was called. On this occasion, it might have been a situation where the Ecuadorean turned his ankle and fell on his own just as the slight contact was made.

Three minutes later, in the 72nd, Joe Cole was called for a foul that he clearly disagreed with, but the referee seemed to be doing a good job walking that fine line between calling a game too tight or too loose. Both teams would have a few opportunities but none would result in goals.

English keeper Paul Robinson was booked for time-wasting in the 78th, Ecuador would commit a couple of fouls, and then it was Carragher’s turn to see yellow for trying to kill the clock in the 82nd. These kinds of cards are always a little tough in my mind, but then again, this is what FIFA has asked of these guys - more action and less bullshit.

There was a good no-call in the 90th when the ball hit the arm of an Ecuadorean defender, a foul on Castillo called by the AR down in the corner in stoppage time, an English offside, and then Aaron Lennon got shoved to close out this rather pedestrian affair.

Nothing of any real significance occurred in this match that should prevent the Belgian crew from officiating again at this World Cup. And I doubt many of you will have much to comment on either as it was a pretty tame affair in comparison to many of the previous matches at this year’s tournament.

Until Portugal v Holland…

peace,
ac