Two Stoppage-time Thrillers

The youngest referee in the tournament, Australia’s Mark Shield, took charge of the final opening match of the first round as Tunisia squared off against Saudi Arabia. Early on, in only the 3rd minute, I thought he should’ve awarded the Africans a penalty when one of their strikers was tripped up as he sprinted into the box with the ball at his feet. The defender made no attempt to get the ball and only got the attacker instead. Shield blew this one and I’m not sure why Shep Messing felt fit to defend him for this error.

There were quite a few fouls leading up to the opening tally – a side-footed volley by Jaziri following a free-kick that the Saudis should’ve done a better job of clearing.

In the 26th I thought Jaziri got fouled like he did in the 3rd (this time about twenty-five yards out), but again Shield waved for the striker to get up off the pitch.

Tunisia would earn all four of the game’s cautions – two in each half. In the 25th Haggui pulled an attacker down and on the ensuing free-kick Bouazizi encroached.

In the 43rd Shield missed it when Haggui stepped on an opponent and then at the end of the half he whistled for the break just as Saudi Arabia was about to take a dangerous free-kick. It seemed he should’ve given them the chance to take the opportunity and I found his timing to be quite odd.

The second half was better from both a refereeing as well as a spectator standpoint. Shield was more in control and made fewer mistakes. The two cautions for Tunisia, in the 65th and 79th minutes, were quite justified. And other than that, it was very good football as three goals were scored. First Saudi Arabia tied it up in the 57th off a nice one-touch by Al-Kahtani in front of the net following a precise cross, and then the country’s all-time leading scorer – Al-Jaber – netted one in the 84th only minutes after coming on as a late substitute.

But Tunisia refused to say die and it was Jaidi deep into stoppage to level things up at two goals apiece for perhaps the most dramatic finish so far.

…until the next match, that is.

Yes, Oliver Neuville provided the only goal of Germany’s match with Poland by latching onto an Odonkor cross with little more than a minute left to play. Relentless pressure eventually paid off in what was one of the best officiated matches of the tournament.

It was Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantelejo (sp?) in the middle of this one and right off the bat the cards were flying as more than forty fouls were called in this passionate match between longtime foes and northern European neighbors. In only the third minute Kynowek (sp?) was booked for taking down Sebastian Schweinsteiger.

After that, things calmed down a bit for a while and it wasn’t until the 25th that Sobolewski was cautioned for his late foul on Ballack. In one of the few surprising calls of the night, Polish forward Ebi Smolarek was lucky not to be booked for showing his studs on a challenge in the 35th minute.

The Poles were fortunate that it was still scoreless at the break as Podolski (a Polish-born German) missed from two yards in front during stoppage time.

In the 56th Polish stalwart keeper Boruc was warned about wasting time and two minutes later it was Ballack who would see yellow when he clipped Jelen after the Pole ran by him.

To me, the moment of the truth came in the 63rd minute when Sobolewski was fortunate not to receive his second caution when he put a boot on Ballack’s foot. At that time, I wondered if he’d be able to compose himself for the remainder of the match.

Two Germans were then cautioned in the 68th and 70th minutes respectively; Odonkor – a recent sub – for pulling down Jelen after he’d beaten him down the right touchline, and then Metzelder for a similar foul on Smolarek. Both seemed like wise plays as either had the potential to result in a Polish goal.

In the 72nd the referee ignored his assistant’s flag, believing that Odonkor was not fouled. Probably a fair decision even though the bereaved German midfielder didn’t agree.

Three minutes later my premonition came to fruition as Sobolewski couldn’t hold back, taking out a surging Oliver Neuville as the German raced by him. This would be Sobolewski’s second caution, earning him a red and reducing Poland to ten men.

Boruc made some incredible saves as the German intensity was relentless. As time was winding down the Polish keeper eventually earned a card for delay of game and in the 90th minute the bar twice saved him before Ballack was called offside when he collected the ball on the ground moments before the ball whizzed past Boruc.

It seemed that Poland had managed to withstand the pressure, but alas, just a minute later and with little time left in the match it was one sub passing to another as Jurgen Klinsmann and the whole stadium in Dortmund were rocking following the Neuville goal in what now is certainly the most exciting finish yet at this year’s Finals in Germany.

Until next time…

peace,
ac