The controversial calls

A couple of points from a Croata fan:

1) it was an all around great game

2) There was no offsides. It was a pretty horendous call.

3) I think Inzaghi pulled the jersey, therefore, a good call.

Now....I think people aren't realistic when they say it shold be a 2-2 or 3-2 game. The fct is, we on't knowhow the game would end up if the offsides goal was allowed. Itly could have won 3-0, or lost 3-1. It's like when you get in an accident. You think, if only I left 2 minutes earlier or later, I wouldn't have been at tgat spot at that time. If the goal was allowed, it would have changed the entire structure of the game. Don't get me wrong, I understand why you guys are pissed. If it was allowed, Italy would have probably gone into there defensive style like they did after the 56th minute header by Vieri. Croatia pobably would have reacted the same way by pressuring them. Italy should hae kept going towards th Croatian net. They obviously had times where they broke down the Croatian defense. Instead, they gave Croatia the opportunity to break down their own.

Now, about the second call. I don' know what station you watched it on, but ESPN didn't have a clear angle. The only good angle was from a distnt and o me, it looked like a pull on Simic's jersey. However, it reminds me of the Norway-Brazil game in '98. Norway was awarded a PK because a Brazilian pulled on a jersey. All replas could not pik it up, so everyone called it a bad call. Norway went on to win. Te next dy, a new ngle surfaced that cleary showed what the ref called. Who knows. Maybe another angle will surface.

All in all. A great game. Bit all my nails off I ws so nervous. I still expect Italy to come in firt and make it to the finals. Italy will come out on a vengeance against Mexico, just like Croati did toay because of the Mexico game. Best of luck to Italy. Think about it. We may even meet again in the knockout stages.

The only bad calls were in the first where Italy and Croatia deserved a yellow card each. Also whistling the end of the first half when we had a dangerous free kick, and not repaying us that injustice by running the game a full minute into overtime while Italy was attacking.

In my view, I've just spent 50 minutes watching the replays, the calls were good!

CALL ONE :

At first I thought it was bad and we were lucky, but upon viewing it again, I changed my mind, rightfully so.
Vieri wasn't offside when the ball was played originally, but his head was when Doni got the touch on it. You can see it clearly on the replay, and the linesman saw it best. The NZ broadcasters looked at it 3 times, and 4 experts agreed it was a good call. Also, Vieri is big, all the linesman saw was his big frame infront of R. Kovac, not by much, but a rule is a rule.

GOOD CALL !!

One of the best in the WC so far.


CALL TWO :

The ball is played in, Inzaghi pulls Simic so hard, it sends him flying 2 meters. He pulls his arm by the shirt sleeve, and flings him 360 degrees to land on his ass. That's a foul in anyone's book, maybe some would have disregarded it, but it was certainly a foul. A blatantly obvious one at that.

GOOD CALL !!

Italy were not cheated, only outplayed and outscored.

hahaha i'm not even really concerned with the calls cos if Italy are the team I want to believe they are those calls would have been irrelavant.

But u obviously don't understand teh off side rule.

Vieri was not offside because Zambrotta was not offside when the ball was played but by the time the ball had reached Zambrotta, Zambrotta was well behind Croatia's last line of defence

And his cross was yes...forward and Vieri was indeed behind Croatia's last line of defence.

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When two players are both behind the last line of defence and the player(VIERI IN THIS CASE) is behind the player doing the pasisng (ZAMBROTTA) in this case it is not seen as an offside.

The last line of defence for Croatia was not BETWEEN VIERI and Zambrotta in a forward pass. But Zambrotta's pass was forward to a fellow player(Vieri) who was behind him(Zambrotta) also behind the last line of defence (of Croatia) when the ball was released

It is not offside by any stretch of the imagination of anyone who understands the concepts of offside.

Go to FIFA's web site buddy and read up on offside rules.

U'll find that i am right.

Vieri has every right to protest...but in my opinion he should concentrate on the goals he missed with careless shots