Official FIFA South Africa World Cup Thread

[Art Vandelay]

It was the terrible call but the blame for the tie needs to be placed on the abysmal US defense not on the ref. I can't believe how sloppy the USA is on defense starting the last 2 games.

[falafel]

I wish I had a screenshot. They just showed a cute girl wearing a US jersey with anyone want to guess what number?

Sixty-nine, dude!

[statman]

I hope that ref is removed from further officiating duties at the world cup. Horrible call.

In FIFA's defense, that is one thing they generally do well. When a ref screws up a game, he generally doesn't get a chance to do it again...

[Surfah]

Apparently this ref has poor vision but being from Mali is unable afford corrective lenses.

[Art Vandelay]

Sixty-nine, dude!

Did you see it too? It wasn't a laugh out loud moment but definitely an audible chuckle.

[falafel]

Did you see it too? It wasn't a laugh out loud moment but definitely an audible chuckle.

They show that chick in the ESPN.com video discussing the controversial call. It wasn't until I saw the number that I realized that was who you were talking about.

[Hot Lunch]

Is there any video of the play online yet? We were just talking about it here at work and wanted to see it again.

I say we riot. I am in Utah, whose with me?

"Do you want me to get naked and start the revolution?" What movie?

[Hot Lunch]

here it is. Horrible call.

[YOUTUBE]KaqalHkuICs[/YOUTUBE]

[Guest]

Totally agree. If we were England we'd be rioting in the streets. This is horrible.

I don't think that point can be understated. If this call was against England they would be lighting cars on fire outside the stadium.

[jay santos]

here it is. Horrible call.

[YOUTUBE]KaqalHkuICs[/YOUTUBE]

Looks like there could been offsides called, but that wasn't the call?

[Hot Lunch]

I don't think that point can be understated. If this call was against England they would be lighting cars on fire outside the stadium.

Let's make it so there is new song about June 18th, 2010

[YOUTUBE]QCXR76VtW7w[/YOUTUBE]

[falafel]

Looks like there could been offsides called, but that wasn't the call?

No, that wasn't the call. And if you say the official replays you would see that there were no players offside when the ball was put into play.

[jay santos]

No, that wasn't the call. And if you say the official replays you would see that there were no players offside when the ball was put into play.

Looks like the first guy making the near post run (ball goes over his head) might have been offsides. At least close enough for them to call. Either way it's crap.

[SteelBlue]

Looks like the first guy making the near post run (ball goes over his head) might have been offsides. At least close enough for them to call. Either way it's crap.

Offsides was never the call. From CNN:

The U.S. got jobbed by Malian referee Koman Coulibaly. The U.S. made one of the most remarkable second-half comebacks in World Cup history, becoming only the fifth team ever to gain a tie after taking a 2-0 deficit into halftime. But this result should have been the first time a team had ever won 3-2 in the World Cup after going down 2-0 at halftime. Maurice Edu‘s goal was disallowed by Coulibaly, apparently on the grounds that Edu committed a foul on Landon Donovan‘s free kick. That simply wasn’t the case, and one of the greatest moments in U.S. soccer history was negated by the call. You have to wonder why FIFA lets referees from less-established soccer countries work in the sport’s most important games. How often does Coulibaly officiate a top-level game in Mali? Still, the amazing U.S. comeback puts the Americans in a position where they could qualify for the second round with a win against Algeria on Wednesday. This was an all-time game marred by an all-time officiating blunder.

[falafel]

Looks like the first guy making the near post run (ball goes over his head) might have been offsides. At least close enough for them to call. Either way it's crap.

Ah, I see what you're saying now. That's a possibility, I agree. Regardless, the side official did not raise his flag. The call was made by the main official who was directly behind that player and I don't think would have been in any kind of position to make that call.