They’ll Be Singin’ the Blues in Berlin

July 6th, 2006 | by: Aaron | Comments(14)

Ten of the starting twenty-two players in tonight’s France-Portugal semifinal in Munich were sitting on a yellow card prior to the match. With Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda in the middle, I was wondering how many of them would be facing suspension by the time the match was over. Judging by Larrionda’s previous performances as well as that of the teams, it seemed likely that several starters might be forced to become spectators for their next match – the championship or third-place game depending on the outcome.

So let’s jump into the action and see how Larrionda and the teams fared. But before doing so, I’d like to give a special shout-out to ESPN announcer Marcelo Balboa and all of the American conspiracy theorists who think that this ref had it in for the U.S. in their 1-all draw with Italy. Clearly, FIFA disagreed with that biased assessment, not only by assigning Larrionda to a couple of matches in the knockout rounds (including one of only two semifinals), but they also suspended Pablo Mastroeni for three weeks as a result of how recklessly dangerous his red card offense was against Italian playmaker Andrea Pirlo.

But enough of that, how’d Larrionda do in THIS match.

In only the first minute of action, Malouda was through to goal, but a defender caught up with him and forced the Frenchman’s effort to go wide. And for the next several minutes, it was all France. Portugal would then take things back the other way and Deco would force Barthez to make a tough save.

A few minutes later I noted how surprising it was that there hadn’t been any fouls and that the teams clearly came to play. Moments later, in the 7th minute, France would win a corner. That amounted to nothing and then in the following minute Ribery was tracking a ball down but ended up on the deck after a bit of contact. No foul was called and rightly so as the ball went out for a goal kick.

Maniche cracked one just over the bar in the 9th minute after Ronaldo no-looked it back to him about thirty yards from goal. In the following minute, the first foul of the match would be called – it wasn’t all that much really – when Henry went down near midfield. I’m thinking that this probably set a record at this tournament for the longest stretch to start a game without a whistle for a foul.

Shortly thereafter Portugal had a call comin’ back out of defense. There was a lot of midfield play for a while and then France had an excellent opportunity, but Henry couldn’t latch onto a cross sent along the ground across the face of goal. But they were able to win a corner. However, a push in the back ended that threat though.

In the 16th, Figo took a crack at goal from twenty-five and then connected with Patrick Vieira on the follow-through. The Portuguese midfielder stayed on the turf and was eventually stretchered off, but it wasn’t a foul and Figo was back on a minute or two later.

More midfield action and then Abidal was called for going over the back in the 21st. It wasn’t the most high intensity match at this point, more like long-distance runners setting a slow pace. And then in the 26th, Deco won a call I thought he really didn’t deserve…and neither did Claude Makelele. Sure I was rooting for Zidane and Les Bleus, but I try to be objective in my analysis of the action. Just like when I’m refereeing a match.

A minute later, Zidane wanted a call as he was in the attacking third of the pitch, but I thought Larrionda made the right decision not to blow his whistle. However, Vieira definitely was guilty going back the other way even though he suggested that it was perhaps a dive by his opponent.

In the 28th, Henry did well to beat Miguel with a couple of fakes and shimmies, but he was unable to pick out one of his teammates in the middle. Going back the other way Cristiano Ronaldo won a call he really didn’t seem to deserve, but the AR called that one and Larrionda went with his decision.

And now we come to the game’s point of controversy. Did Carvalho trip Henry or not in the penalty box? Larrionda was emphatic in pointing to the spot upon blowing his whistle. And I have to say that after seeing the replay it was clear that the Portuguese defender did catch Henry’s ankle. And while it might not necessarily have seemed like much to the average viewer at home, it was very likely enough to stop his progress and knock him off balance. And while I don’t doubt that Henry may have “helped” the referee to make this decision, I believe that the penalty was the correct call.

And who stepped up to the mark to do what only one of four Englishmen was able to do against Ricardo in the shootout at the end of their quarterfinal match a few days ago? Zinedine Zidane. And just like he did so well against the English, Ricardo guessed the right way, to his right. But Zidane was perfect, cracking it into the side netting to give France the opening lead in the 33rd minute.

Barthez snagged a cross in the 35th and then a minute later stopped a thirty-five yard shot. On the next play a Portuguese player was down in the box on a cross. Was it a dive? Was it a shove? Or was the player just going for the ball? Well on replay it appeared that it was nothing more than Ronaldo diving to reach the ball with his head. It was a lame attempt really and maybe that’s why a couple of his teammates raised their hands in protest, but in the end, Larrionda got it right…no foul, no simulation…just a missed opportunity.

On the next play Ronaldo did well to win a corner. On the kick, there didn’t seem to be any infraction by the Portuguese strikers, but Larrionda called a foul for some contact on Barthez. It made no difference really as he had won the ball anyway.

France on the attack now and Ribery wriggled between a couple of defenders near the touchline. As he broke free, one of them seemed to stick a leg out as the Frenchman ran by. No call from the AR and nothin’ from Larrionda, but a few seconds later he’d award the French a kick at midfield.

Zidane was “fantastiche” (this according to our German kommentator) in the 42nd, but Figo put a stop to his former Real Madrid teammate’s progress and got whistled for it as well. Another call went France’s way, but then it was Henry with a little touch foul in the Portuguese defense to end the attack.

Ribery was fouled by Nuno Valente with an arm to the back of his head on an aerial ball, but a minute later the rising young French superstar was done an injustice when he got knocked in the back.

In stoppage time Portugal mounted an attack of their own and took a shot that hammered Vieira, just a few yards from the shooter. The Portuguese wanted a call for handling the ball, but no referee would ever give that as it was without question NOT deliberate and Vieira’s arm was not extended away from his body.

As the halftime whistle blew, I noted that despite the lack of any cards, a number of Larrionda’s decisions did surprise me a little. However, the most important call of the match was one that I believe he got right. No doubt, some will disagree, including a few of the guys who I watched the game with; but the onus was on Carvalho not to make illegal contact with the attacking Henry. And on that point, Carvalho was guilty.

In the 47th minute Figo was rightly called for a foul as he tried to go over Thuram while he was on the ground. You have to go around a player to get to the ball, not over him; and the Portuguese attack would end.

Going back the other way Henry almost beat Ricardo from a tight angle, but the keeper did well to get an arm to the ball just as it was about to slip underneath him and into the goal. Instead, it spun out of play for a French corner. From that, the ball would eventually find its way to Ribery who wheeled and dealed and ripped a shot from twenty-two yards, forcing a tough save by Ricardo once again.

The following minute Henry begged for a call he didn’t deserve, but then the French would win the ball back when Figo was called for the high boot. A few minutes later it was Pauleta’s turn to beat Thuram, turning on him quickly and sending a shot into the side-netting left of the goal.

Ronaldo won a corner a minute later. Nothing. Back the other way Henry won a corner after finding some space down the left touchline on a counter-attack. Nothing for France.

Portugal then won a foul, er actually a throw-in, which confused and annoyed Figo who had some words with the referee. Thuram was then fouled on a French counter, but then the Portuguese turned things around and Miguel beat a couple of defenders before dishing the ball off. As he did so he went to ground and thus, was unable to receive the return pass.

The Portuguese players remonstrated extensively that Miguel had been knocked to the turf, but the replay clearly showed that Larrionda got this one right as the attack-minded defender landed oddly after passing the ball and injured himself on the play. Three minutes later he would leave the game for good, unable to continue.

And before the Chelsea defender Paulo Ferreira entered the match in the 63rd minute to replace his fallen compatriot, Abidal was down for the count for France after taking a stinging cross to the face. It seemed legit as I doubted that he was trying to work some time off the clock.

In the 64th, Barthez snagged a cross and a minute later the ref played the advantage when Figo went down to the turf. The play would end, however, when Pauleta was flagged for being barely offside.

On the next play of the match, Larrionda emphatically said “NO” to Pauleta who clearly wanted a call to go his way. Two minutes later, the Portuguese striker made his exit to make way for Simao Sabrosa. Immediately, he seemed to be obstructed on an attack, but the referee whistled him for a hold; a tough decision I thought.

Then Wiltord came in for Malouda to bring on some fresh legs for the French midfield. Barthez would then collect a cross, however, Portugal, now a little desperate, would soon win a corner.

Still on the attacking end a minute later in the 72nd, Portugal was called for offside, but I think the AR might’ve been a little hasty on his decision as the ‘guilty’ player appeared to have been the one who ran back towards his own goal, thus allowing one of his onside teammates to play the ball that came over the top. But who really knows?

Govou would then come in for Ribery like he did against Brazil. And then two minutes later Portugal was offside once again.

Postiga came in for Costinha in the 75th minute, clearly an offensive move as a striker replaced a defender. On the very next play two Portuguese players went down in the box almost on cue it seemed as the ball passed their way. But Larrionda saw nothing untoward and he was probably right as neither player protested the decision.

But a minute later, in the 77th, Ronaldo did well to trick the referee into giving him a call when he went down without virtually any contact about twenty-five or so yards from goal. The shot was directly at Barthez, but it must’ve been a knuckler because he misplayed it, allowing it to bounce off his body and directly back to a couple of hard-charging Portuguese attackers. But the best that one of them was able to do was to head it over the bar.

In the 78th, Zidane was clipped in the ankle. A couple minutes later Ronaldo went down to ground far too easily in the penalty area and Sagnol rightly yelled at him for trying to unfairly win a call from the referee.

Moments later Thuram DID hold Ronaldo, but the ensuing free kick was easily cleared. Going back the other way, Carvalho was way late AND came in from behind on Henry. The only thing that saved him from being tossed out was that his studs were not showing. And this, folks, was the very first caution of the game – in the 82nd minute.. But it would cost Portugal as it meant that Carvalho would only be a spectator in his team’s next match.

Figo then won a corner that was poorly kicked. Three minutes later, in the 87th, Manchester United striker Louis Saha, who only played a total of about ten or fifteen minutes combined in France’s matches with Brazil and Portugal, received his second booking overall (his first of the night) as he came in a little recklessly from behind. He might have gotten the ball, but he got the man too. As a result, he too would be unable to participate in France’s next match. Maybe David Trezeguet will get some playing time as a result.

France would then win a foul in their defensive third after some nice work by Zizou. Figo would not get the call he wanted in the 89th. And then Zidane was fouled by Nuno Valente as we learned that there would be four minutes of stoppage time.

It was all Portugal in these desperate final moments. They’d win a foul in their own defense and then Meira had a good opportunity from twenty, but the shot was blasted well over the target.

In the next minute a cross was misplayed by Barthez and Portugal would win a corner. Ricardo came up from his goal to join the attack now.

France would knock the ball away, but the Portuguese keeper kept it alive by kicking it back up over his head with his back to the French goal, sending it into the mixer. Figo was able to latch onto it on the left eventually, crossing to the far post, but Barthez ultimately got his hands on it, and as he so often does, made a poor decision.

He played the ball only about twenty yards to a teammate in the middle of traffic. Not much time was left now, but Portugal stole it back and played it through with one last desperate attempt to score…but it was stopped by a flag from the AR. The attacker had clearly mistimed his run. And now, it surely was all over. It would be an all blue final pitting Les Bleus from France vs. Italian Azurri. The French have been dominant in their white tops at the tournament, so watch out if it’s Italy and not France who comes out wearing their blue unis.

Zizou congratulated Larrionda and then traded jerseys with his former teammate and friend, Luis Figo. This is the end of Portugal’s “Golden Generation”. Cristiano Ronaldo will obviously be the heart of his country’s future football glory. Thierry Henry was seen hugging and having a few words with the talented young midfielder. Perhaps he was telling him not to pay attention to the hate-filled garbage in the English media. Hopefully when he steps back on the pitch again at Old Trafford with his teammate Wayne Rooney, life will go on and the English fans can stop blaming him for their country’s failings in Germany.

And in the end, I can’t help but wonder if maybe some of FIFA’s new mandates have finally begun to sink in with the players as most of the quarterfinals and certainly the two semifinals were carried out in a manner befitting of the motto “My game is Fair Play”. Certainly, tonight exemplified that to the maximum extent possible for a match of such gravity. But then again, maybe the players were holding back just a little, perhaps fearful that they’d miss a chance at the final if they were to receive another yellow card. If so, don’t expect the players to worry about such things on Sunday.

And lastly, to all my new friends at WorldCupBlog.org HQ here in Berlin – Sean, Chris, Bob, Nick, Mika, Peter, and Mihai – thanks for a great week. I didn’t have any idea what to expect before I got here, but you’ve all made me feel quite at home. Hopefully, when the World Cup concludes later this week, it will only be beginning of greater things to come.

Until next time…

peace,
ac