We Were Robbed

I know that soccer, (and yes, I dare call it something other than the English term for it even though I think it's ironic that the US gets hell for calling it soccer and yet all these European countries that quibble over words in an attempt to keep their languages “pure” have no problem using the English word for the game) is not our most popular sport. It is probably not even our 4th or 5th favorite sport, but that does not mean that we should be punished for it. (In fact all of us play the game basically up until we are 13 or 14, and then move on to Ameican Football, while our women keep playing it. But it is not like we are unfamiliar with the game).

4 years ago we were stopped from beating Germany by a referee who was apparently personally offended that the US was dominating Germany. So offended was he that he felt obligated to decide every call, even ones that were obviously not close, in favor of Germany.

Today the referees were only marginally better. The send off of the Italian Player, Daniele De Rossi was a no-brainer, look at Brian McBride after that challenge, a cheap-shot elbow to the head opened him up.

And yet this referee sent off Pablo Mastroeni on a sure yellow, but a red… that was ridiculous. Eddie Pope’s two yellow were possibly even worse. On the last one he got part of the ball, didn’t follow through with the second leg and had his studs down, what exactly was the send off for?

To make it worse, DaMarcus Beasley scored a goal after coming on in substitution in about the 75th minute or so. IT WAS A GOAL, but they waved it off because McBride was in an offsides position. But it is only offside, if the player is making a play or involved in play… HE WAS NEITHER. Beasley's shot was not going to be played by McBride, had it been it could have been disallowed…But he didn’t thus it was a goal.

Even so, the US still did its side proud. We out played Italy at every part of the game. We showed initiative throughout. Especially in the first part of the game when it was still 11 vs. 11, the US controlled the pace and looked the better side. Italy’s goal came on a beautiful set piece, but other than that they had no sustained attack.

After the 2 send offs, it was 10 vs. 9 with the US only having 9 players they really showed their metal. The persevered over the odds and the so called Italian “dominance,” that according to most commentators should have easily supplied a finishing goal.

But time and time again the US put on a clinic in holding their defensive lines. And the only real chance for Italy was discarded by fabulous goal keeping by Keller.

We deserved better then the 1-1 tie, but it is a testimate to their willingness to win that the US is still alive at this stage. All we can do is win our last game and know we played our all.

The next game against Ghana is no gimme. Ghana looked strong against the Czech Republic, but they were without arguably their two best players, Milan Baros and their top goal scorer Jan Koller who had 43 goals in 69 games. In World Cup qualifying he had 9 goals in 8 games. He scored the first goal against the US, and controlled a lot of the game.

Ghana will be no push over, and with Pope, arguably the US best defender and without Mastroeni, our best defensive midfielder, it will be a test. But we can be proud after this game because WE WERE ROBBED.