Yeah James, Bacca and Cuadrado would be good to see, but I bought these seats to watch with my girlfriend who is Brazilian. I don’t think she’ll want to go and I feel I can get close to my money back as there are many Colombians around here who will be looking for tickets. I’m also still recovering from a torn Achilles, so really should be resting anyway.
I don’t think that there is a replay official for soccer. The commentators on the broadcast went on an on about not having replay.
This article talks about this call being an example of why FIFA should add video review.
The referee was talking to
The referee was talking to someone off the pitch for several minutes according to this article. Im not sure whi he was talking to though.
I was watching the game, and it was truly an embarrassment to the sport of soccer. The referee was covering his mouth and ears talking to someone for minutes, literally. Meanwhile, the players were all chasing him around trying to sway him one way or another, pushing each other aside, etc. Since it was clearly a hand ball, I was secretly hoping that they would eschew the no-replay rule and secretly steal a look at the replay. Then at least they would get the call right. But even after all that, they got it horribly wrong and erroneously eliminated the greatest soccer nation of all time from the 2nd most prestigious prize of all. Plus they only added 6 minutes of stoppage time when this incident seemed to last at least 5. I predicted at least 9 minutes.
I went to bed at about 60, so didn’t see the goal (or handball, as the case may be), but the ref hadn’t been calling anything all evening. So it appears that nothing changed there.
But, you know, if Brazil is so great, why were they in a position to have one bad call knock them out? If Brazil is so great, why didn’t they score any goals against Ecuador or Peru?
The ref “not calling anything” is fine if consistent, but that usually refers to fouls and cards. Not a right hand batting the ball into the net. It did happen fast, so I’m not saying it was an easy call.
I hear you on the other point, but completely irrelevant. This is soccer, so there’s no reason to think that Brazil couldn’t have put it all together and gone on to win the whole thing. I personally felt that they “deserved” to lose anyway, since they left Neymar off the squad to play the Olympics. But to go out the way they did is another stain on the sport itself.
Clearly (on replay) a bad goal, but maybe it makes up for the goal Ecuador had disallowed, which looks like it was a bad call too. I’m not sure this is a solvable problem; when a single goal has such a huge impact it will always be possible for a single bad call to change the result.
2nd most prestigious prize of all? Shirley, you can’t be serious.
I mean, Neymar, for one, clearly doesn’t think so.
IIRC, Neymar wanted to play in the Copa, but Barcelona said they wanted him in the Olympics.
And say what you will, but aside from the World Cup, there is nothing bigger to the Brazil national team than the Copa America.
In addition, our laughter at Colombia’s shooting themselves in the foot by playing a B team against Costa Rica now turns out to be quite the lucky accident as they get to play Peru while the US has to play Ecuador. How unlucky for the US…
There is no doubt that Neymar would have wanted to play the Copa over the Olympics. But I am curious what you think the 2nd most prestigious prize is to Brazil football.
Well, I’m willing to be educated about Brazil’s perspective. I hadn’t realized that the Copa America was the entry to the Confederations cup as well for South America. For the U.S. team, I think the Copa America is way less important than the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but I guess I’ll accept it’s important for Brazil.
For individual players, my impression is that (for any top-leaguer, anyway), a Champions League win is nearly as desirable as the World Cup, and, while it’s often not very exciting or dramatic in practice, winning their club’s league is also a biggie.
I’ll concede for the sake of argument that Neymar might have wanted to play, but that just means someone else – who evidently has more power than Neymar – cared less about the Copa than the Olympics.
Yes, that someone else isn’t the Brazil national team. You know, the group for which the Copa America is the 2nd most prestigious prize of all.
And, of course the US team considers the Gold Cup the more important tournament. The Gold Cup is their confederation’s championship (ie, their 2nd most prestigious prize of all), while they are just invitees to this year’s Copa America.
What am amazing goal by Tecatito! Really an amazing game by him for Mexico. He made several jaw dropping runs.
As a US fan I’d far far rather win the Copa America as an invitee than win the Gold Cup. I imagine most of the players feel the same. It’s infinitely more prestigious and would be the best result the US has ever had. Sure the Gold Cup qualifies you for the Confederations Cup, that that tournament doesn’t carry much esteem.
The Copa definitely isn’t “the second most prestigious tournament of all” though. If you restrict it what Brazil can play in, then sure, but that’s not what was said originally.
That was a fun game all around. Really great end to end action. And shocked that Venezuela is doing so well.
The later is the impression I got from the comment and the poster clarified in a subsequent post that’s what he meant.
Yeah, I’m aware he clarified later. Thanks for letting me know there were additional posts.
Surely the Euro tournament is 2nd most prestigious?
Yes, but Brazil can’t play that tournament. For some reason.
Anyway the second most prestigious tournament available to South American nations is the Copa America, **but **the Olympic medal can sometimes be considered a more important objective if, like Brazil, you have never won it.
Man, now that Colombia is playing right outside my work, I want to get tickets! But they’re so pricey! $450…