[Game Rod]

Portugal defeated too many "Big" teams.
That linesmen only called for that penalty after the french players complained. Portugal went too far for them.

 

[Guest]

Exactly, He only did call that after they complained! Not to take anything away from France but when you are the World Champs it all goes your way. But I thought if a hand ball is incidental that it shouldn't be a penalty? I mean the guy kicked right at Xavier. What a way to lose if it was clean ok but I'd a rather of lost the right way not by a cheap penalty. I hope that linesman can sleep at night!!!

 

[Dan]

CRUSHING BLOW

What a crushing blow to the game. I am totally devastated and I don't want to go on about how we lost the match but it has to be said but I think the penalty was the correct decision although the average ref/linesman wouldn't of spotted it - just our luck

I was hoping we would hold out for penalties as the French looked most dangerous but all I can say is that I am very proud of the whole squad for putting up a fight.

We deserved to get to the final but football is cruel and we have to look forward to our World Cup Qualifying campaign.

The players done our country proud and we should also be proud of them.

Never mind we are gonna take Japan/Korea by storm!!

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE - DER DER DA DER DER DER!

Keep on smiling

 

[Rondinaire]

That decision was absolutely disgraceful. The ball was kicked so fast into his hand their was no way he could move it. I've never looked at Portuguese forums before but felt I should say something.
Thanks for a great championship!

 

[Guest]

It was a good show by our boys but what a way to end a semi final game! So if it hits his hands unintenionally then it doesn't matter it's still a penalty? Or is it if it hits a hand in the box then automatically it's a penalty shot? I'm very proud of our team!Viva Portugal!

 

[Paulo]

If the wanker of a ref could see that handball than why the hell did he miss the offside which led to Frances goal.

FFFFFFF%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&KKK
TTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
LLLLLLLLIIIIIIINNNNNNNEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSMMMMMMAAAAAAANNNNNN
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What did Coelho do ,Bento has been one of the best players in tournament definetly the best defensive midfielder.But hey he made good decisions in the bigining of the tournament.The only reason he looks like he is such a good coach is because he has all the players a coach could ask for and he cant even use them correctly.
Well i would not mind Inacio to be coach for 2002.And with Delfim,Simao and co.. coming.

Hey now that Portugal are out we focus on club football again.

Viva SPORTING CLUBE DE PORTUGAL!!!

[Edited by Razor on 30-06-2000 at 14:45]

 

[Guest]

I would have liked to not think about club soccer for a while and think about Portugal nationals but oh well! I'll just turn my sights to the rumors of my club and I also look forward to the Champs League!

 

[AMOROSO!]

Guys,it was a penalty.That's waht counts.It doesnt matter if the linesman call it before or after the French complained,the point is that he took the right decision.

It was a penalty because the ball was moving towards the net,when the ball is going in,even unintenionaly handball is a penalty.

 

[Guest]

After further review on RTP it was a penalty! If you look closely you can see Abel Xavier open his hand at the last second. It wasn't the best way to end a semi final game but rules are rules! It took the World Champs exratime to beat us and we had our chances! Good Luck to France! They are a great team!

 

[Guest]

Amoroso

Why don't you just take your Parma and just pis_ off?
I'll let you pick the appropriate consonant.

Go away

 

[ST]

Penalty or no penalty, who cares. Personally I dont think that was a penalty in a thousand years, anyone who's played the game knows that. Besides, if that situation had happened at the other end of the pitch, do any of you really think it would have been a penalty?? If so, you need to wake up from your coma...Thuram would have to pick the ball up with his hands and show it to the ref for that to happen.
Its gonna be a long time before I watch a football game again, im just too disgusted with the sport now..

 

[Santamaria]

Here's a challenge to anyone who really thinks it was a penalty.

Go to a playing field with a friend and a football. Get the friend to place the ball about 2 metres from you and tell him to kick it as hard as he can at you. Have you time to see the ball let alone consciuously handle it?

The ball wasn't going in so Amoruso's point is not relevant.
The right foot shot was curling across the face of goal and would have gone out for a throw-in if it had missed the near post.

Also try placing your hand by your side and try and pull it out of the way. The first movement your hand will make will be out and back before going behind your back (like a tennis backswing)

He moves his hand a few inches as part of an instinctive unconscious flich. Given reaction times you could prove scientifically that it was impossible for a human to deliberately handle the ball.

True it would never have been given at the other end. Do you feel cheated?

 

[Santamaria]

did you notice figo shouting "vai para o caralho, fila da puto" to an unspecified person (i presume the linesman or french bench) as he left the field without his shirt.

nice

 

[AMOROSO!]

Come on guys,I always blame bad reffering but since the ball was moving towards the net,or lets say it was a shot on goal,even if the hand is uninentionaly it is a penalty.

Picture this,a player is on the edge of the area and shots,a defender puts his hand on unintetionaly and hits the ball away,is it a penalty? YES! do we know if the shot was going in? NO! the ball may had hit the post or go inches wide.Shot on goal+handball = penalty! the linesmen could not predict where the ball WOULD HAVE GONE because it was a matter of inches,what counts is that it was a shot on goal stopped by a hand,the rules say this is a penalty.

Abel Xavier probably did not even try to hand the ball but he did stopped it with his hand,right? penalty...

ST.I say its a penalty,I guess I have never playd football,right? get lost...

 

[Santamaria]

Hey read the rules. A freekick/penalty shall only be awarded if a player DELIBERATELY handles the ball.

therefore there's no argument - NO PENALTY

Get you facts right before you try and argue a point.

 

[Guest]

A penalty or free kick can ONLY be given for HANBALL if it is DELIBERATE ie. INTENTIONAL

See the official FIFA Rules at http://www.fifa.com

 

[ST]

Amoroso, It went across the face of the goal and there was no doubt that ball would have missed goal. And my point isnt even if it was a penalty, it was a controversial situation...the point is that the ref would never have called it if it was the other way around. If you think that, go back to your dream world please.

Santa, the sad point to our guys reactions is the huge fines we will get from those wankers at uefa and probably some players will get banned too.

 

[Guest]

Here are a few observations from a non-Portugal fan (though I did prefer to see my Iberian brothers win since Spain did not):

1/ The ball was *not* going in. Unless a big gust of wind came or "the hand of God", it wasn't.

2/ Xavier most definitely did not intentionally hand the ball. I saw the replay a thousand times and he did not open his hand. I don't think he had the time to react. He was in position when the ball hit him. What? Should he cut his arms off in the future?

3/ France's goal was clearly clearly offsides. Why this went unnoticed by the ref I have no idea.

Obviously the world chapions get all the breaks.

 

[Paulo]

There would not have been this penalty saga if the linesman would have put up his hand for offsides against Anelka , but he only had the eyes to see a so call delibrate handball
which was even further away and happened faster than the offside.Penalty or not Portugal had already won their place in the Final.
What was the linesman name.
I have friends of mine who deal with people like him.
Just kidding
VIVA PORTUGAL

 

[Guest]

I believe his name was "ass". At least that is what it should be.