Poll Nearly Flawless in Ukrainian U-Turn…and Memories of Valencia ‘05

Well, there’s not really much to say about the Ukraine - Saudi Arabia match from Hamburg; a 4 - nil reversal of fortune for the former Soviet Republic in which England’s Graham Poll doled out six cautions. The EPL’s top ref showed why he was invited back to the world stage as he did a nice job talking with players when necessary and keeping things positive throughout. But then again, this was a fairly easy match to officiate as the score was already 3 - nil in the 46th minute with Shevchenko’s header off a free-kick. Sheva’s little nudge on the defender was little more than that and was rightfully not whistled for a foul.

Brazil’s Carlos Simon, who like Ronaldinho, hails from the southern city of Porto Alegre (a place I visited last October) took charge of the Tunisia - Spain match in Stuttgart. And unlike, the Ukraine victory, this encounter would not be decided until the dying moments.

For it was only eight minutes into the match when the Tunisians took a stunning opening lead when Mnari latched onto his own rebound that Casillas should’ve done better with initially. From that point on the Spaniards would have their hands full as the chase was on to turn things around.

Simon would issue Spain’s first caution of the tournament in the 30th minute when Puyol took one for the team by stopping an attack only twenty yards from goal. But the rest of the half was all Spain as two Tunisians would enter the referee’s book as well. The North Africans were fortunate to hold their slim advantage at the break after one of their defenders headed a ball off the goal line in the 44th minute.

By the 56th minute Aragones had played all of his cards by throwing on three new attackers, and even though I was convinced that Spain would eventually win, I was beginning to wonder if this was like deja vu all over again. For it was almost exactly a year ago that I was in Valencia, Spain for my cousin’s wedding to the lovely Raquel. And as luck would have it, Spain was playing two World Cup qualifiers IN Valencia while I was there - the day after the wedding and then another four days later.

The first was a tight 1 - nil win over Lithuania, but the second a 1 - all draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina had about as much drama as one could hope for. Much like this game against Tunisia, the Spaniards were thoroughly dominant. But on that day, they gave up an early second-half goal following a horrible back-pass to Casillas that was intercepted by a Bosnian striker. And for the rest of the way it was all Spain.

As stoppage time approached, their relentless attacks kept coming up empty. The English referee (the slender bald one whose name escapes me now) added SIX minutes of time at the end - about right considering all of the injuries, substitutions, and time-wasting by the Bosnians. During that time the referee sent off two of the visiting players for their second cautions - one for a needless deliberate handball that ended up costing Bosnia the victory.

For on the ensuing free-kick and now 6:15 past the ninety minute mark, Spain finally cracked through the Bosnian defense to earn a well-deserved point towards qualification. Half-an-hour later drinking a beer at a pub down the street from the Mestalla, some visiting supporters expressed their dissatisfaction with the referee’s time-keeping, but it was only the two red-carded players who were to blame as one of them actually earned both of his cautions in the final ten minutes of the match.

So anyway, as I watched Spain continue to come up empty against Tunisia, I kept wondering if we were about to see a repeat performance of last year. Simon was calling things tight, which seemed to favor the Spainards who continued their relentless attacks. And then only moments after Jaidi earned a fairly light yellow card in the 70th minute, it was Spain’s all-time goal-scoring leader - Raul - to pick up the pieces after a nice build-up. Their patience had finally paid off as they had outshot the Tunisians 10 - 0 during the second half.

Five minutes later it was Atletico Madrid’s young Fernando Torres with a beautiful onside run, latching onto the pass with his first touch and then on his second flicking the ball with the outside of his right foot to beat the out-of-position keeper and a defender - finishing with all the aplomb of a seasoned veteran.

In the 80th it looked like Tunisia might have tied things back up at two, but the assistant ref called the play back for offside. And although Tommy Smyth was insistent that it was an “obvious” call, I would suggest that he use his tivo - as I did - and take a second look. Unlike the assistant, Tommy and I have the benefit of replay and it clearly showed that there was a Spanish defender at the top of the screen who was lagging behind the rest of his mates, thus keeping the near-side Tunisian attacker onside at the moment the ball was played to him.

Seriously, take a look if you haven’t already erased the game. I only mention this because it is yet one more example of a bad offside call going in favor of the defense…as they ALWAYS do. Bad offside decisions almost NEVER favor the offense…and this is a shame in a game where goals so infrequently occur. It’s a big part of the reason why I think it’s time to amend the offside rule or do away with it altogether. Perhaps a blue-line like in hockey could be one possible solution.

And although this was a wrong decision, I don’t really blame the assistant referee because there were several Tunisian players blocking his view of the Spaniard on the far side of the field, so it would’ve been a VERY difficult call for anyone to make. But again, this is why offside needs to be changed - to cut down on these errors and to reward the attacking style of play that fans want to see.

Moments after that decision a Tunisian was booked, I assume for dissent since there had been no foul. And a minute after that Spain were correctly called for offside at the other end of the field.

Another Tunisian card for dissent in the 85th, one for a deliberate handball by Fabregas in the 89th, and then another point of disagreement between me and Tommy Smyth. Again, Simon got the penalty call on Torres right when he was hauled down by a defender as he went up for a header inside the box. In real-time it was tough to see the foul, but as Tommy and I and you all have the benefit of replay, it was clear that Torres had been practically bear-hugged as he went up for the ball.

So when Tommy Smyth says that call was “a little harsh”, what does he mean exactly? Was it a foul or not? If it was, which it clearly was, then it’s a penalty. I assume that Tommy has never refereed a soccer match and like Eric Wynalda, has never met a referee he didn’t like. And, therefore, comments like this are better left unsaid.

It would do ESPN justice, as well as the viewing audience, to have someone in the booth who didn’t have a pre-disposition against the referees. Maybe former referees might be biased towards their comrades on the pitch, but at least we might get a variety of opinion from the commentators once in a while. Plus, it might do the American footie-loving public some good as we all gain a better understanding of the game from those of us who have actually enforced the rules over the years.

Until next time…

peace,
ac