Disgrace in Nuremburg

Yesterday, the Netherlands and Portugal battled, literally, in a round of 16 game won by the Iberians, 1-0. Russian referee Valentin Ivanov showed 16 yellow cards (which tied a single game World Cup record) and 4 red cards (which broke the record) to the two teams. I've been critical of the massively excessive number of yellow cards given at this World Cup. But this is probably the only game where the avalanche of cautions and ejections was completely merited.

ESPN's Soccernet called Ivanov's performance a disgrace and a farce; many other media outlets concurred. FIFA president Sepp Blatter, never shy about sticking his foot in his mouth, said the ref deserved a yellow card for his performance.

Noticeably absent was much criticism for the two teams. Sepp Blatter who condemned the official who tried to enforce Fair Play.is the same Sepp Blatter who refused to denounce the actions of the two teams who constantly cheated. He is the same Sepp Blatter who constantly trumpets Fair Play.

Reuters called it 'stormy,' which is like calling Iraq a skirmish. Others preferred euphemisms like spirited and spunky.

Only the AP had the guts to call it what it really was: a brutal foul-fest... one of the dirtiest matches in World Cup history.

It added Cleats bashed into thighs and shoulders, heads butted and elbows flew. Players faked injuries, complained and brawled.

And most observers and media outlets had the unbridled audacity to blame the referee. The ref showed yellow cards for intentional hand balls, divings, muggings and brawling... some of which led to ejections. Take a look at The Laws of the Game and tell me which of those actions do not merit yellow cards.

It's not the referee's fault that both teams, especially the Portugese, played cheap, dirty soccer. Mr. Ivanov did the best he could in a game where one team was determined to cheat as much as possible and the Dutch insisted on responding in kind. It's enough of a shame that a game between two of the most skilled teams in the world descended into such a farce. But it's even more disgusting that everyone seems to be blaming the referee for punishing the disgraceful play.

Referee Ivanov did a good job in difficult cirumstances; it's just to bad he couldn't disqualify both teams so as to prevent either from polluting the next round with their poisonous play.



Update: For example, Soccer America's Ridge Mahoney lamented Ivanov's 'his prickly adherence to the rules chopped up a match that featured some flowing, mesmerizing play from both teams.' Actually, brutal tackles, melodramatic diving and shameless mini-brawls chopped up the match. Maybe Ivanov's 'prickly adherence to the rules' wouldn't have been necessary if the two teams had shown even a modicum of respect for them or for the game.