# 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 10, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677 "2010-06-10T17:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 41
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/801 "2010-06-18T17:56:11Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > If that’s true, the nullified goal doesn’t seem much of an injustice. As I recall the play, calling it a dive is not accurate. There was certainly contact. Whether he “made the most of it” is perhaps up for debate - but it was no dive. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/802 "2010-06-18T18:04:13Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Whoah, steady! Example: 1966 World Cup North Korea are 3-0 up against Portugal, Portugal then score 5, with the god-like Eusebio getting 4 of them. This article: [http://worldcup.si.com/2010/06/18/united-states-2-slovenia-2/?hpt=C1](http://worldcup.si.com/2010/06/18/united-states-2-slovenia-2/?hpt=C1) claims that “…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”. I guess that’s not true? I took the writer’s claim at face value. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/803 "2010-06-18T18:07:38Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > This article: [Soccer News, Scores and Analysis - Sports Illustrated](http://worldcup.si.com/2010/06/18/united-states-2-slovenia-2/?hpt=C1) > > claims that “…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”. > > I guess that’s not true? I took the writer’s claim at face value. Well, yes, that is true (note the specific score given, 3-2, and the specific half-time score, 2-0). It would not be the first time a team has been down 2-0 and come back to win by any score though. Note that in the '54 final example, the score was 2-2 at half-time. ---
**Author:** ![wintertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c68b51/32.png) [@wintertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wintertime)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/804 "2010-06-18T18:07:45Z")
1954: **Switzerland - Austria 5:7** ; The host of the WC led by 3:0 to everyone’s surprise but was beaten in the end by a much better team from Austria. 1954: **West Germany - Hungary 3:2** The legendary final. Germany had been beaten by Hungary in the group stage 8:3, Hungary was the best team of the world at that time and led in the final game 0:2 after eight minutes. The game looked as if it was over. But it wasn’t. The decisive moment came in the 84th minute and every German football fan knows by heart the words of the reporter Herbert Zimmermann (sorry for the following in German): > [@](#): > > "Sechs Minuten noch im Wankdorf-Stadion in Bern. Keiner wankt. Der Regen prasselt unaufhörlich hernieder. Es ist schwer, aber die Zuschauer, sie harren nicht aus - wie könnten sie auch! Eine Fußballweltmeisterschaft ist alle vier Jahre, und wann sieht man ein solches Endspiel, so ausgeglichen, so packend, jetzt Deutschland am linken Flügel durch Schäfer, Schäfers Zuspiel zu Morlock wird von den Ungarn abgewehrt, und Bozsik, immer wieder Bozsik, der rechte Läufer der Ungarn am Ball. Er hat den Ball verloren diesmal, gegen Schäfer - Schäfer nach innen geflankt - Kopfball – abgewehrt - aus dem Hintergrund müsste Rahn schießen – Rahn schießt! – Tooooor! Tooooor! Tooooor! Tooooor! … > > Tor für Deutschland - Linksschuss von Rahn, Schäfer hat die Flanke nach innen geschlagen, Schäfer hat sich gegen Bozsik durchgesetzt. Drei zu zwei für Deutschland fünf Minuten vor dem Spielende. Halten Sie mich für verrückt, halten Sie mich für übergeschnappt, ich glaube, auch Fußballlaien sollten ein Herz haben, sollten sich an der Begeisterung unserer Mannschaft und an unserer eigenen Begeisterung mit freuen und sollten jetzt Daumen halten. Viereinhalb Minuten Daumen halten in Wankdorf…" 1970: **West Germany - England 3:2** England led 0:2, Bobby Charlton was substituted to rest for the semifinals. Good move. Germany won in the end and had a little revenge for the Wembley goal. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/805 "2010-06-18T18:12:42Z")
Ah, I guess I glossed over that “halftime” part. So the other times a team has been down by 2-0 or 3-0 and come back and won had scored at least one goal in the first half of the game. Which of course would have made the American achievement even more noteworthy had we not been jobbed out of that final goal! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/806 "2010-06-18T18:14:49Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > This article: [Soccer News, Scores and Analysis - Sports Illustrated](http://worldcup.si.com/2010/06/18/united-states-2-slovenia-2/?hpt=C1) > > claims that “…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”. > > I guess that’s not true? I took the writer’s claim at face value. Oh, right. That’s not what you posted though. I must admit that’s a nice subtle bit of journalistic overselling in the article. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/807 "2010-06-18T18:18:54Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Interesting, so there shouldn’t have been a free kick in the first place. Would anybody have been berating the refs if the americans had been allowed to _win_ by virtue of the refs being fooled by a dive? So you’re commenting on the game and didn’t even see it? There’s a surprise. The foul that gave the free kick came from a Slovenian guy who put his arm across Altidore’s chest, wrapped him up, and pushed him down. It was absolutely a legit foul, and there was no dive. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/808 "2010-06-18T18:26:10Z")
Ok - new goalie - let’s go! ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/809 "2010-06-18T18:29:25Z")
Both teams have dropped their goalies, wonder if that is a World Cup first. ---
**Author:** ![Parenchyma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Parenchyma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parenchyma)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/810 "2010-06-18T18:32:09Z")
As usual, running something through Babelfish is entertaining: Translation from **wintertime** ’s post: "Six minutes still in the staggering village stadium in Berne. None staggers. The rain sizzles incessant down. It is heavy, but the spectators, it do not await to out like could it also! A soccer world championship is every four years, and when one sees such a final game, so balanced, thus packing, now to Germany at the left wing by shepherd, shepherd passes on to Morlock of the Hungary repelled, and Bozsik, again and again Bozsik, the right runner that Hungary at the ball. It has the ball lost this time, against shepherd - shepherds inward geflankt - header - repelled - from the background would have Rahn to shoot - Rahn shoots! - Tooooor! Tooooor! Tooooor! Tooooor! … Gate for Germany - link shot of Rahn, shepherd struck the flank inward, became generally accepted shepherds against Bozsik. Three to two for Germany five minutes before that playing. If you consider me moved, consider me over-snatched, I believe, also to football laymen should a heart have, should at the enthusiasm of our crew and at our own enthusiasm with be pleased and should thumbs now hold. Four and one-half minutes of thumbs hold in staggering village…" My favorite is “consider me over-snatched.” ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/811 "2010-06-18T18:38:23Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > So you’re commenting on the game and didn’t even see it? There’s a surprise. > > The foul that gave the free kick came from a Slovenian guy who put his arm across Altidore’s chest, wrapped him up, and pushed him down. It was absolutely a legit foul, and there was no dive. Differing opinions are always going to happen in football, some will say it was diving or simulating and others will claim it is legit. There isn’t always a black and white answer. I would say the USA started the game poorly and Slovenia finished it poorly as they tired and the USA’s fitness held out. Overall a draw seemed a fair result for both teams. Now onto the main event, come on England!! ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/812 "2010-06-18T18:41:21Z")
Everyone in the US is all atwitter about the referee’s call, but I’m letting it go. It was a bad call, yes, but it was a single bad call. Those sorts of things happen during games, it just so happened that it aborted what would have been a tremendous comeback. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/813 "2010-06-18T18:42:01Z")
Is it just me, or does Capello look a bit like [this](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZiGsbZ8br1M/SJabmrZ_yKI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/SLtoxvl2Rr8/s400/review_muppets8_1d.jpg) when he is angry? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/814 "2010-06-18T18:46:28Z")
> [@MD12](#): > > Everyone in the US is all atwitter about the referee’s call, but I’m letting it go. It was a bad call, yes, but it was a single bad call. Those sorts of things happen during games, it just so happened that it aborted what would have been a tremendous comeback. There wasn’t a “single bad call”. There were numerous bad calls, most egregious of which was the yellow card on Findley for the phantom handball that cost the US team his services for the game against Algeria. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/815 "2010-06-18T18:48:16Z")
One might happen to be thinking with the amount of money being wagered in various legal and ilegal venues, that a USA victory may not be viewed as desirable in some quarters. Thus should Slovenia have failed to put the plucky American team down in the natural course of events, then other arrangements may have needed to be in place. Declan ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/816 "2010-06-18T18:49:13Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > There wasn’t a “single bad call”. There were numerous bad calls, most egregious of which was the yellow card on Findley for the phantom handball that cost the US team his services for the game against Algeria. That call didn’t have a material effect on the game. If they had called a non-yellow card offense on Findley, it would have made no difference in the game. I am undecided whether losing him for the game against Algeria is a good thing or a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/817 "2010-06-18T18:50:35Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Interesting, so there shouldn’t have been a free kick in the first place. Would anybody have been berating the refs if the americans had been allowed to _win_ by virtue of the refs being fooled by a dive? Free kicks that result from fouls are purely a judgment call. The problem with soccer is that too many players take dives and its often impossible to tell whether a fall was intentional or the result of an actual foul. Telling whether a player is offsides or not is much more straightforward. A “dive” resulting in a free kick is common. But a blown offsides call when the player was obviously not offsides is not as common. Now tell me why you hate America so much. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/818 "2010-06-18T18:51:39Z")
Thought from earlier; the German manager makes me laugh. Pretty much all the coaches are large, somewhat jowly men with boring suits or a team tracksuit. And then you have the German manager with a v-neck sweater and a tshirt, looking like a catalogue model or something. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/819 "2010-06-18T18:52:58Z")
Algeria looking the better side at the moment. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/820 "2010-06-18T18:53:05Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Whoah, steady! Example: 1966 World Cup North Korea are 3-0 up against Portugal, Portugal then score 5, with the god-like Eusebio getting 4 of them. Out of curiousity, what is the largest deficit that has ever been overcome in WC play? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677.md?page=40) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677.md?page=42)