World 
Referees 
Egyptian Ref Saved by Australian Super Subs
With less than ten minutes to go it looked like Japan would win a match with a goal they never deserved. Essam Abd El Fatah had called a Japanese player for the same foul earlier and also one on Mark Viduka at the other end as well, but in the 26th minute when Nakamura sent a long free-kick in towards goal, the referee ignored the obvious contact between Takahara and the Australian goalkeeper, thus allowing Japan to take the lead as the ball floated over everyone en route to the back of the net with Schwarzer lying on the ground.
Without question, this was the biggest blunder we’ve seen yet. As Shep Messing - a former goalkeeper himself - pointed out on ESPN2, it is a foul to make contact with an opponent before making contact with the ball. But perhaps the referee incorrectly believed that it was Schwarzer who initiated the contact. In real time, these things can be tough to discern. But then again, this is the World Cup and these kinds of errors will not go unpunished. My guess is that we will not see this referee in any future matches in the coming weeks.
There were a number of other questionable decisions throughout the remainder of the match, but none rose to the level of importance as the foul on Schwarzer. In all, six cautions were issued as the referee was challenged to keep things from getting out of control.
But Australia’s Dutch mastermind Guus Hiddink seemed to play his cards right by bringing on Everton’s Tim Cahill and Alaves’ John Aloisi at about the same time that it was clear that his squad was desperately lacking offensive creativity. Each of these feisty players would earn cautions before becoming national heroes.
In the 84th Cahill would become the first Aussie goal-scorer in World Cup history following a long throw-in misplayed by Japan’s keeper Kawaguchi. Shep Messing was dead wrong two minutes later when he believed Japan deserved a p.k.; the attacker had already lost the ball and a foul would have an injustice.
Three minutes later Cahill ripped it from the top of the arc and the ball caromed off the left post and back across to the other side netting just behind the right post. If he was bowling it would’ve been the 7 - 10 split.
And in stoppage time it was Aloisi to add Australia’s third in less than ten minutes as he surged up the middle. By this time, el Fatah was probably breathing a heavy sigh of relief comfortable in knowing that his earlier poor decision didn’t have an impact on the game’s result.
Next up…the U.S. Hopefully Mr. Amarilla will be free of controversy in their match against the Czechs.
Until next time…
peace,
ac
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Comments
By ben | June 12th, 2006 at 6:40 pm 
so true.. so true.. that ref mate.. there were some livid australians. i think most people who watched that game would have been outraged.
Posted from 
Australia
By Vittorio | June 12th, 2006 at 11:49 pm I disagree. The Japanese player did not push the keeper, just the standard raising of your arms when you go up for a header. The keeper simply did not play the ball correctly. The Japanese player had no effect on the outcome of the goal, good call.
Japan also should’ve had a penalty.
Posted from 
United States
By June 12: The Daily World Cup Wrap - FIFA World Cup 2006 - World Cup 2006 Blog | June 13th, 2006 at 1:27 am […] Easily the big story of the day, the Socceroos scored three goals in the last ten minutes to overturn Japan. There was some debate around Japan’s opener (visit our referee blog for an expert opinion), Nakamura’s free kick floating straight in while Schwarzer was tangled up with Japanses players. The ref saw nothing wrong, but Guus Hiddink did and looked ready to punch his way through officials until he found one that agreed with him. […]
Posted from United States
By Tom Smolarek | June 13th, 2006 at 9:48 am How is a player not playing the ball contacting the keeper not a foul Vittorio?
Besides the contact occurs at the knee not the shoulder.
Posted from Australia
By Nacho | June 13th, 2006 at 9:58 am Essam Abd El Fatah must be fired, another egipcian referee in the eye of the huracan.
Posted from 
Spain
By Martin | June 13th, 2006 at 4:12 pm Nice to hear comments from a referee.
When this happened I was as stunned as Schwarzer and my fellow Aussies. I couldn’t believe it. Then after watching replays, I still couldn’t believe it. There might be a case of both Japanese players causing a foul. Our boys seemed to lose their way a bit after the initial anger wore off.
Master Hiddink pulled us through even though I am still 50/50 with the Japanese penalty decision. Slow replays make it even harder to determine if a player falls over the defenders leg or trips over the leg. But reading Aaron’s comments about the play already lost, I feel better that it was not a penalty.
At the end of the day, the decision did not affect the result of the game and the referee was brave enough to admit his error. At least he goes out of this tournament (if this is indeed his last match) with his dignity intact.
Great blog!
Posted from United States
By 2wheels | June 15th, 2006 at 5:20 am Will some of you alert viewers have a comment on Cahill’s clip on Komano in the 2nd half? This was just a minute or so before he equalised.
Could this have been a penalty? Siegler (FIFA’s Commun Dir) was reported to publically admit the M-i-M’s (ref) mistake.
By Damien | June 15th, 2006 at 2:26 pm 2wheels, I think many of the previous comments have been right on the money.
Cahill’s tackle was clumsy, but as Komano had already lost the ball Essam Abd El Fatah showed good judgement in not giving a penalty.
It was especially fair considering that his decision had favoured Japan in the first goal.
Officially, two wrongs don’t make a right to FIFA, but most of us will think justice was done.
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By Mark | June 15th, 2006 at 5:39 pm people the ref has been already cleared of any wrong doing by the refeereing commitee. They also stated that this was the hardest decision of the first round. so i guess u would be seing more and more out of him…
By ayman | June 15th, 2006 at 6:19 pm Indeed, the refreeing committe clearence should be emphasized more cause apparently, this ref has done a good job and it is unfair to judge him wrong if experts opinion was in his favour add to that it was quoted as the Hrdest Decision.
By bit | June 16th, 2006 at 2:53 am >Martin
That guy is not a referee is a former goalkeeper.
But a foul in the area is penalty. It doesnt matter if you already lost the ball or not. And it could have been a yellow card and Cahill already had a yellow card.
I still have doubts about Japan’s goal though.
Posted from 
Japan
By matilda | June 16th, 2006 at 5:27 am In the article I read (from the Guardian) Zeigler stated two opinions publicly;
1. He think Cahill should have been penalised.
2. He thinks Schwarzer was fouled on the first goal.
As Martin said, FIFA seem to be saying “both teams benefited so they should both just shut up about it!”
I’m not attacking the ref because he had difficult decisions to make (and God knows I’d hate to be one.) However, I suspect that behind closed doors FIFA isn’t thrilled about this minor drama.
Posted from Australia
By » Primera polémicas con un árbitro egipcio | Planeta Especial Mundial de Fútbol, Tu Portada en Internet | June 17th, 2006 at 7:24 pm […] Lleva por nombre Essam Abd El Fatah, y seguramente sea el primer árbitro del Mundial que pase a la nevera. Otro árbitro egipcio de protagonista ¿Cómo es posible que no viese el penalty que le hacen a Japón? La FIFA se empeña en llevar árbitros de diferentes nacionalidades, incluso fuera de lo que se pueden considerar ligas realmente competitivas, y termina pasando lo que pasa, que termina influyendo en el resultado, aunque otros piensen lo contrario. […]
Posted from Spain
By ron | June 18th, 2006 at 2:22 am many errors in this one. The missed call on japan for wiping out the keeper. The take down of a japanese player across his knees in the 80th min. in the box. This ref showed no knowledge, courage, I’m outraged
Posted from United States
By john | June 19th, 2006 at 6:02 am this ref at least had the guts to admit that he was wrong top stuff
Posted from Australia
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