Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Archived Boards => 2010 World Cup - South Africa => Topic started by: Bitter on June 11, 2010, 06:42:42 PM
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http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=249722/match=300061460/index.html#argentina+nigeria+preview
After 16 years, Diego Armando Maradona makes his return to the FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa. The Argentinian bowed out of world football’s showpiece in 1994 after Argentina's match against Nigeria, a team he now faces as head coach tomorrow in the opening match in Group B.
The Africans, meanwhile, will be looking to avenge the defeat in the final of the Olympic Football Tournament 2008 in China, where La Albiceleste triumphed with a number of players who will be present in Johannesburg. They will be hopeful Swedish coach Lars Lagerback, one of the masterminds behind Argentina’s elimination from 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, will help them settle an old score.
The Match
Argentina-Nigeria, Group B, Johannesburg, Saturday 12 June, 16:00 (local time)
Having come through a difficult qualifying campaign, the Argentinians are ready to start afresh in South Africa and, for the third time in a row, an African side will provide their first test - in 2002, they edged out Nigeria in a 1-0 win, while in 2006 they were 2-1 victors against Côte d'Ivoire. Maradona has at his disposal two of the top goalscorers in Europe this season as they look to secure their third consecutive victory over an African side: Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain, who amassed an astonishing 61 goals between them. Starting hopeful Carlos Tevez, for his part, notched up another 22 for Manchester City.
The Super Eagles also struggled during the qualifying phase, although they will be hopeful head coach Lagerback can help them rediscover their rhythm. They will go into this game anxious to reverse the trend of their previous two FIFA World Cup encounters with the Argentinians, in 1994 and 2002, which saw La Albiceleste run out winners on both occasions. They will look to exploit their 'home' advantage, and also build on their recent 3-1 friendly victory over Korea DPR.
Key duel
Gonzalo Higuain vs Vincent Enyeama
The Argentinian scored 27 goals for Real Madrid in La Liga last season, and has reproduced the same clinical form for his country: he has found the net twice in four games and seems ready to add to that tally. "My dream is to be among the top scorers at the World Cup", Higuain said on his arrival in South Africa. To fulfil that dream he must first find a way past Vincent Enyeama, one of the few Nigerians to have kept his place in the Super Eagles' rearguard despite constant changes to their defensive formation. Enyeama, whose reflexes have earned him the nickname 'The Cat', already boasts FIFA World Cup experience, including a clean sheet against England in Korea/Japan 2002.
The stat
10 – The number of players that took part in the final of the Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008 who will come face to face again in Johannesburg: Sergio Romero, Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Dele Adeleye, Sani Kaita, Peter Odemwingie, Chinedu Ogbuke and Victor Obinna.
What they said
"Nigeria is a physically strong side capable of creating problems in attack. However, I think they are still a little disorganised in defence. That’s where we have to make the most of our potential," Diego Armando Maradona, Argentina coach.
"Messi is a good player and we respect him. We hope he respects us too. We’re not thinking about Messi, we’re thinking about playing Argentina, a good team," Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Nigeria forward.
Voice of the fans
"Great game in prospect. I reckon Argentina will win because their attacking style will push Nigeria back. That’s where the game will be won by Argentina, who I am supporting along with all the other South American teams." FIFA.com user AlanLeo-URU
The question
Are Nigeria strong enough to upset Argentina in their opening match?
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This will be a real good game if Nigeria play to it full potential..if they dont play to their potential then expect Argentina to win EASILY..but Nigeria has been inconsistent over the years so you dont know what to expect from them
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Just enough time to grab breakfast before this one start...
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I love mih African teams so ah backing Nigeria, realistically though ah cyar see them beating Argentina....
that said...
GO NIGERIA!!!
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Go nigeria
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Argentina defence is a mess but I expect them to win 3-2.....not too impressed by nigeria so they could get a blowout but playing in africa might help them.
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How the hell Higuain miss that?
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It not looking good for Nigeria right now...
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I ent even finish press "post"
This could get ugly.
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1-0 GOAL!!! - nice header
not looking good for Nigeria
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Nigeria a bit too casual in their defence. They about to get POISON
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argentina will have tuh outscore sides their defence is weak. Messi running thru nigeria like hot knife thru butter.
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Argentina still looking a mess in defence too. Dem eh lasting.
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Nigeria frustrating meh already wit dey wayward and indiscipline play. Sorry mikel out,coulda help!
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Nigeria just too casual. Disappointed
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Maradona really start Higuain in front a Milito boy?!
He wearing a nice suit, though!
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Maradona really start Higuain in front a Milito boy?!
He wearing a nice suit, though!
shocking isn't it. before the match he will have thro way a beaver.
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argentina goale looking like a squad player who pull on the jersey in goal. the ponytail doesn't help.
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listening to the horns in the background in high definition dolby digital 5.1 surround sound is very annoying ;D
Picture quality is amazing though :)
They saw it's like running a chainsaw as the noise is defeanig...
:beermug:
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Nigeria Goalie is the only thing keeping them in this game.
This could be 4-0 easy.
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listening to the horns in the background in high definition dolby digital 5.1 surround sound is very annoying ;D
Picture quality is amazing though :)
They saw it's like running a chainsaw as the noise is defeanig...
:beermug:
I learn a new word today
Vuvuzela: A vuvuzela, sometimes called a "lepatata" (its Setswana name) or a stadium horn, is a blowing horn, approximately one metre in length, commonly blown by fans at football matches in South Africa.
Described as a locust swarm during the Dust Bowl or a herd of 94,000 stampeding elephants
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Nigeria clearly has some individual quality but they're playing this game with the pace and intensity of a fete match.
Argentina is clearly the superior of the two teams though playing below their best in my opinion.
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Argentina still looking a mess in defence too. Dem eh lasting.
I agree, especially Demichelis and Gutierrez
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I not seeing Argentina as the clear superior team at all. In fact, I watching them play and saying they good to collect 4 from somebody.
Nigeria need better coaching.
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Nigeria need better coaching.
This *is* the better coaching. They shoulda call Beenhakker.
Nigeria survive that first half only 1-0 down. This game should have been put away, but they still in with a chance. If I was Argentina I would be feeling nervous.
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nigeria team is crap..plain and simple
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ARG - NIG
shots on target : 5 - 0
shots off target : 3 - 4
possession (%) : 57 - 43
corner kicks : 3 - 1
offsides : 0 - 0
fouls : 5 - 3
yellow cards : 1 - 0
red cards : 0 - 0
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Nigeria need better coaching.
This *is* the better coaching. They shoulda call Beenhakker.
Nigeria survive that first half only 1-0 down. This game should have been put away, but they still in with a chance. If I was Argentina I would be feeling nervous.
Better coaching on what evidence? What you want him to do? Are you gauging his reactions? He's more animated than I've ever seen him with Sweden ... then again he eh have no co-coach here to keep him occupied like how Sven and McLaren were (yeah, ah know McLaren was not ah co-coach.) He's probably left his instructions to half-time.
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Nigeria need better coaching.
This *is* the better coaching. They shoulda call Beenhakker.
Nigeria survive that first half only 1-0 down. This game should have been put away, but they still in with a chance. If I was Argentina I would be feeling nervous.
Better coaching on what evidence? What you want him to do? Are you gauging his reactions? He's more animated than I've ever seen him with Sweden ... then again he eh have no co-coach here to keep him occupied like how Sven and McLaren were (yeah, ah know McLaren was not ah co-coach.) He's probably left his instructions to half-time.
I was actually referring to the fact that the Nigeria coach is supposedly the improvement over the (local) one who took them through qualification.
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/fifaworldcup/nigeria/story/2010/02/06/sp-nigeria-coach.html
Local newspapers had speculated that Amodu would be fired after sloppy passing and wild shots on the goal marred the Super Eagles' games during the African Cup of Nations in Angola last month.
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Nigerian off the ball running is strocious. Very frustrating to watch. They reming me of Trini. On the other hand as Bitter say, if I was Argentina, I would be worried.
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I will have to try that in my next game.
When (not if, but when) I mis-kick it on an open breakaway, shout at the man running off the ball.
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Higuain need to sit on the bench and watch the rest of this game.
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Maradona acting like he wish he was still kickin ball, or he had a double dose of his stimulant!
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Enyeama is the man.
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Look how Maradona nearly start back taking cocaine.
Nigeria keeper, Enyeama for MOM
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How many clear easy chances both these teams will have boy? If there was ever a game that should end with neither side getting points is this.
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Based on these 2 games.
South Korea is the best team in this group.
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South Korea can take Argentina.
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Based on these 2 games.
South Korea is the best team in this group.
It certainly looking so based on these 2 games. But I think Nigeria just beat them 3-1 or something so in a friendly. So me eh know. Argentina in trouble I believe. Even in that win Nigeria had some easy looks on goal. Nigeria like they on vacation or something. They need to go home with that.
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Nigeria frustrating meh already wit dey wayward and indiscipline play. Sorry mikel out,coulda help!
I don't think even JESUS coulda help with this team because
nigeria team is crap..plain and simple
This is one of the most uninspiring performances I have ever seen by Nigeria. Their entire forward line coulda stay home, including Odomwingie wit he crap! big, loud, hard STEUPS!!
I am not convinced of Argentina's potential in this tournament. Yes, it is only their first game and they are in a relatively "easy" group, but I wouldn't see any of the opposition in the knockout phase playing them like they 'fraid them so. Messi is poison!!
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1-1 woulda be nice.
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I will have to try that in my next game.
When (not if, but when) I mis-kick it on an open breakaway, shout at the man running off the ball.
Dat yute deserve clout... straight up. Odemwingie only saving grace is that he changed the game for Nigeria after he came on. Agree with you that Enyema deserve MOM for Nigeria. I'm happy that after getting pilloried for years, African goalkeepers are enjoying a bit of vindication thus far. Khune for S. Africa, and now Enyema both played brilliantly.
Socafan... totally agree with the pedestrian attitudes of the Nigerian players. 10 mins from time and dem men jogging all over the pitch. The way Messi and Tevez was chasing and pressuring to the final whistle yuh'd never thought is dem was ahead.
I slept thru the S. Korea - Greece game (some sacrifices have to be made) and glad I did. That said, more and more I'm starting to like the way S. Korea plays... them men does attack and chase whole game. Pace fuh days, boundless energy... positive attitudes, playing together, no dissent... sound in the fundamentals. That first goal was a lot more difficult (I think) than it appears, given all the traffic that flash in front of the goal-scorer. His concentration was superb, as was the finish.
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South Korea can take Argentina.
Yuh wishing or stating a fact ;D. South Korea will be exciting but I can't see them taking Agentina, no matter how yuh look at it
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South Korea can take Argentina.
Yuh wishing or stating a fact ;D. South Korea will be exciting but I can't see them taking Agentina, no matter how yuh look at it
Not wishing, SK-will be 10 pitbulls trackin down Argentina's players, they will not be standing off the ball and watchin Argentina past the ball. Plus SK have the composure to score on Argentina's defense. We goh see ;D
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South Korea can take Argentina.
Yuh wishing or stating a fact ;D. South Korea will be exciting but I can't see them taking Agentina, no matter how yuh look at it
Not wishing, SK-will be 10 pitbulls trackin down Argentina's players, they will not be standing off the ball and watchin Argentina past the ball. Plus SK have the composure to score on Argentina's defense. We goh see ;D
I wish you were right, but these Argentinians are too skillful and used to pressure and tight spacing themselves to be outdone by SK's pressure alone. But SK can score on this Argetina team in trute!
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Argentina looks really good going forward but top teams than Nigeria, like Brazil and Spain will exploit their defence which seems to have problems
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Based on these 2 games.
South Korea is the best team in this group.
allyuh quick to come to a conclusion...south korea play greece, doh read too much into it...korea defence have real big holes in the center but greece was too dead to exploit it.
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nigeria keeper real do he wok today....coulda swear messi was gettin on de scoreboard
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Nigeria need better coaching.
This *is* the better coaching. They shoulda call Beenhakker.
Nigeria survive that first half only 1-0 down. This game should have been put away, but they still in with a chance. If I was Argentina I would be feeling nervous.
Better coaching on what evidence? What you want him to do? Are you gauging his reactions? He's more animated than I've ever seen him with Sweden ... then again he eh have no co-coach here to keep him occupied like how Sven and McLaren were (yeah, ah know McLaren was not ah co-coach.) He's probably left his instructions to half-time.
I was actually referring to the fact that the Nigeria coach is supposedly the improvement over the (local) one who took them through qualification.
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/fifaworldcup/nigeria/story/2010/02/06/sp-nigeria-coach.html
Local newspapers had speculated that Amodu would be fired after sloppy passing and wild shots on the goal marred the Super Eagles' games during the African Cup of Nations in Angola last month.
I got that. I was asking Socafan, but quoted your comments because I thought they were relevant to the exchange.
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South Korea can take Argentina.
Yuh wishing or stating a fact ;D. South Korea will be exciting but I can't see them taking Agentina, no matter how yuh look at it
Enough said. ARG was pedestrian today relative to what they will bring v SK.
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Based on these 2 games.
South Korea is the best team in this group.
allyuh quick to come to a conclusion...south korea play greece, doh read too much into it...korea defence have real big holes in the center but greece was too dead to exploit it.
....don't underestimate what "effort" can do for a eam. I'm sure their defense had big holes in it back i Korea-Japan (linesman notwithstading) and look how far it got them. Nigeria could have done with some of that same effort today.
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i think south korea will give argentina a good run and could even win on any given day but i think argentina will get the job done because of messi.
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the most shocking thing about this game for me is that Maradona start Jonas Gutierrez at right back.. The man look lost and totally out of his depth.. Getting beat, overcomitting, missing headers, scrambling.. ah done know Maradona is a mad man but of all the suggested lineups ah really didnt see this one coming.
ah hate to beat out the point, but imagine instead of yuh pick Zanetti yuh prefer to makeshift a winger at right back.
Milito need to start the next game.
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Credit to Maradona. Anyone got the sense that Heinze's goal was worked out on the training ground? Look at Walter Samuel's action, the positioning of the players, and Maradona's reaction following the goal.
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Credit to Maradona. Anyone got the sense that Heinze's goal was worked out on the training ground? Look at Walter Samuel's action, the positioning of the players, and Maradona's reaction following the goal.
The critics were bashing the Nigerian defense for "leaving" heinze so wide open, but I not so sure there was anything they could have done to defend against that goal.....it seems like he started his run from outside the 18 and behind the furthest defender away from the corner kick.
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Credit to Maradona. Anyone got the sense that Heinze's goal was worked out on the training ground? Look at Walter Samuel's action, the positioning of the players, and Maradona's reaction following the goal.
The critics were bashing the Nigerian defense for "leaving" heinze so wide open, but I not so sure there was anything they could have done to defend against that goal.....it seems like he started his run from outside the 18 and behind the furthest defender away from the corner kick.
Every single NIG player is in the '18' and accounted for. They are not necessarily badly positioned if one is preparing for a traditional delivery. Indeed, there is some recognition of the danger by Nigeria's # 19, but he's locked in by Samuel ... Heinze started outside of the 'D', and enters BEHIND the defender. Interesting corner kick isn't it? It's a 9 v 3 situation essentially ... until Heinze enters, and distorts everything. Nigeria were numbers-up. Veron's target is the penalty spot, given the spacing between the players. Well-conceived.
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Credit to Maradona. Anyone got the sense that Heinze's goal was worked out on the training ground? Look at Walter Samuel's action, the positioning of the players, and Maradona's reaction following the goal.
The critics were bashing the Nigerian defense for "leaving" heinze so wide open, but I not so sure there was anything they could have done to defend against that goal.....it seems like he started his run from outside the 18 and behind the furthest defender away from the corner kick.
Every single NIG player is in the '18' and accounted for. They are not necessarily badly positioned if one is preparing for a traditional delivery. Indeed, there is some recognition of the danger by Nigeria's # 19, but he's locked in by Samuel ... Heinze started outside of the 'D', and enters BEHIND the defender. Interesting corner kick isn't it? It's a 9 v 3 situation essentially ... until Heinze enters, and distorts everything. Nigeria were numbers-up. Veron's target is the penalty spot, given the spacing between the players. Well-conceived.
Just goes to show, corner kicks, free kicks, balls played into the box, etc., isn't all about numbers or height. I agree that it's quite likely a well-practiced tactic on Argentina's part.......and kinda hard to defend against....
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And ... It wouldn't be the first dramatic goal Heinze has scored for ARG. His movement in the attacking third can be unpredictable. ARG has relied on him in unexpected set play scenarios before. Successfully. Great commitment by him.
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man start off backing Nigeria now backing korea ..I guess it eh have nothing to do wid Argentina . ....ah read all de posts and eh see nothing about a little detail which makes a lot of difference. ...altitude.
This game was played at high altitude ....this was not a fast running around game .....this was about keeping possession, conserving energy and trying to get a goal without expending too much effort or tactics.
I dont know how many of you really believe that Korea will beat Argentina ..but I suspect quite a few haters would have backed many of the unfancied teams before this Cup is over ..any team playing Argentina will do ...
The A game is still to come folks .... 3 pts is what we were after...
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Credit to Maradona. Anyone got the sense that Heinze's goal was worked out on the training ground? Look at Walter Samuel's action, the positioning of the players, and Maradona's reaction following the goal.
The critics were bashing the Nigerian defense for "leaving" heinze so wide open, but I not so sure there was anything they could have done to defend against that goal.....it seems like he started his run from outside the 18 and behind the furthest defender away from the corner kick.
Was a very well executed free kick.
Defensively Argentina didn't look as tenacious as I'm used to seeing them...
They should stroll through this group though....
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Fifa slams ref over Argentine goal
Posted: 2010-06-15 17:03
The referee in the Argentina versus Super Eagles match on Saturday has been severely criticized by Fifa’s referee’s committee for allowing the South Americans’ goal.
The Fifa referee's committee criticised Wolfgang Stark’s decision not to give a foul for Walter Samuel’s obstruction in the build-up to the goal.
Argentina missed several gilt-edged chances on their way to a 1-0 victory on Saturday; however, according to Fifa the one attack that did finish with the net bulging should have been disallowed by referee Wolfgang Stark.
Ole reports that a Fifa post-match analysis ruled that there was a foul in the build-up to Gabriel Heinze’s stunning header, and that Stark should never have allowed the goal.
The Fifa referees’ committee released their findings on Tuesday, as a guide for future judgments in this year’s tournament. And among other rulings, they made it clear to referees that they must watch for infractions at corners and free-kicks - specifically attacking players blocking markers, as happened on Saturday.
As Juan Sebastian Veron’s cross floated over Walter, Samuel enveloped Chinedu Obasi and stopped him from moving, thereby giving Heinze all the space he needed to propel the ball home.
Stark should have therefore penalised Samuel for obstruction and awarded a free-kick to the Super Eagles - a judgment that could have changed the course of the whole game for Argentina.
Although the ruling comes too late for Nigeria, it has interesting implications for the rest of the tournament; a sign that Fifa will not tolerate the pushing, shoving and holding commonplace on both sides at dead-ball situations, and that in future such offences will be punished with either disallowed goals or penalties in the case of the defence committing an infraction.
http://www.kickoff.com/news/16122/fifa-slams-ref-over-argentine-goal.php
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look I didn' even see all dat play off :(
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look I didn' even see all dat play off :(
Discussed it on the match thread. FIFA is spot on!
Either ref didn't notice it (but assistants should have) or ref interpreted it as not interfering with play. He may have concluded it did not?
A lot of factors could have conspired to let the goal stand .... that latter perception and the spectacular nature of the finish among them. Had Heinze been static at the PK spot it may not have stood, but ref seems to have dissociated Heinze's run from Samuel's holding, whereas from the video there's no doubt in my mind Samuel knew what he was doing ... not that knowing matters.
Other thing is I don't recall any protest from Obasi or the NIG bench. I can see how other players may have missed it because they were all behind the ball.
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This is a joke... Obasi wasn't even trying hard to shake free... no complaints as mentioned above from any Nigerian player or coach... but FIFA decide tuh make noise on it's own. Proper to point out that an infraction should have been called.
The real story though are the other controversial calls/non-calls, such as by the Argentinian ref in Ghana's win over Serbia... among others. Not a peep.
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Fifa shoulda do dat since crouch climbed up on sancho's shoulders in 06. too late too late shall be the cry!
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I wonder if they going to slam the refs that din't give cronaldo any warnings for his theatrics.......
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Fifa shoulda do dat since crouch climbed up on sancho's shoulders in 06. too late too late shall be the cry!
Ent!
The amount of shit calls we see from refs already, that is what they come up with
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Too late. But honestly who played the better football and deserved to win?????????
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Too late. But honestly who played the better football and deserved to win?????????
Not an acceptable benchmark :devil:
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Maybe that's why the ref call a foul on the US goal today. He must was scared FIFA might have slammed him. With all the pushing in the box for set pieces, it's hard for an official to see everything, especially with several bodies in the area. Still bad call by the ref today so maybe they may give him a tongue lashing for calling the foul :P
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Any FIFA update on Luis Fabiano's second goal :devil:
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Any FIFA update on Luis Fabiano's second goal :devil:
Keep liking youself big man. You entitled to your Maradona wet dreams same way some of we who see Pele et al play have we own.
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Any FIFA update on Luis Fabiano's second goal :devil:
Keep liking youself big man. You entitled to your Maradona wet dreams same way some of we who see Pele et al play have we own.
So is is that FIFA missed that one ? It was done twice on the same play .... and now referees have all kinda headphones and ting .....
Maradona has laughed off the incident with Fabiano...asking why the referee was smiling if he saw nothing ......
in 2 months all will be forgotten .......