There were some terrible calls on both sides this game, but I can't imagine how anyone could think that Scotland were robbed (unless they selectively ignore the bad calls that went against Italy). Let's see how things would have turned out with the questionable calls reversed: -Non-handball against Italy - I thought this was borderline, but let's call it a PK. Sco.1-1 Ita. - Disallowed goal by Di Natale - obviously should have been allowed. Sco. 1-2 Ita. - Scottish goal - looked clearly offside on the replays I saw. Sco. 1-2 Ita. - Late FK that leads to Italian goal - should have been a foul on Italy. Sco. 1-2 Ita. So, giving Scotland the benefit of the doubt on the handball and reversing the clearly wrong decisions seems to make the score... exactly the same.
Hey, I just wanted to congratulate the SCottish team AND its fans on a wonderful campaign. I usually have a patent dislike of British sides (for style reasons), but I've had a soft spot for Scotland ever since you became our greatest foreign cheering section during the World Cup (I'm well aware that it had everything to do with us playing England, but still). I saw both of your games against France, part of the first against Italy, the first half against Ukraine, and the last 20 minutes of tonight's game, and I think you really meritted a qualification, not just for your great fan support but for inspired and well oiled play with relatively limited ressources. I'm confident that you will qualify for the World Cup if things are kept as is. As for tonights game, you were really hard done by on that free kick call, but MCFadden should have killed it twice before. I heard that the referee was all around awful though, so I'm not going to jump on the 'dirty Italians' brigade. Until next time. Keep fighting the good fight. It'll pay off soon
Why do some of you feel the need to say Italy payed the referee and dived for the free kick? Over the balance of the game things faited out (even though the referee was awful) as Di Natale had a sure goal, which would have kept the game at 2-1 anyway. This is nothing but poor refereeing and has nothing to do with any team cheating.
The referee was terrible for both teams, I think that much is clear. Nonetheless, we did not deserve to lose, particularly in that fashion. I would blame Chiellini but I doubt even he thought he'd get the free kick off that
Good game Scotland, nothing to be ashamed of but after reading through this post, I see alot of complaints about the last call where Italy scored. Granted that was a bad call. 1) Italy scored to make it 2-0, but was called back for offside, the goal was clearly not offside 2) Scotland's goal was clearly offside 3) Italy's bad call on the free kick where they score BUT, Italy didnt need to win, it was Scotland that needed the win. So take that bad call away and game is 1-1 final.....then what? Italy beats up on Faroe's and France gets their point in Ukraine and Scotland are still out. Makes no difference. Good game overall though, nothing to be ashamed about. Scotland where drawn in a tough group and put up a brave fight. All the best in WC qualifying, hopefully Scotland can pull through and get to South Africa
Bad luck fellas. You could sort of see it coming, a bit like one of those slow motion car crashes but, nevertheless, you deserved to get through over the campaign as a whole... which is probably more than my lot can say Still, see you in the next one
there's a couple of complaints by people who don't actually happen to be scottish, don't let it get to you, cheer up, here's a video. [youtube]utAvZ5vo4gg[/youtube]
I feel bad for Scotland, that game should have ended in a tie. But please don't say this ref was bought by the Italians because he was clearly horrible for both sides. If anyone follows Spanish La Liga, you already know that Spanish refs are the worst on Earth and there was no reason to bring them in to officiate this important game !!
I see your point but you can't say that this sort of thing has not happened before. Can you blame us?
lmao that one guy looked like donadoni..ahh tough luck for us very dissappointing, its gonna hurt for a while
Yes thats how I would see it to..however, based on static events happening or not you have no idea if the rest of the stuff in the next series of events falls into place the same way. Obviously I feel relieved and happy about this result. I wish you guys then would have won vs. Georgia and France would be the team out. THE VERY GOOD NEWS and 1 thing you guys can take heart in...a very good young team that could be a nucleus for 10+ years...WC2010, 2014 and Euro 2012 are definitely within the realm of possibilty for all of them
An outrageous decision, atrocious officiating and the customary Italian theatrics. Unfortunately it was all to be expected. The anger over that freekick at the end is understandable but it was only the last in a long line of shocking decisions that have went against Scotland not only in this game but the entire qualifying campaign. Not two minutes before that 'freekick' a Scottish player had tried to play a one-two but was blatantly taken out off the ball, which subsequently rolled out of play. The referee, as he had done all game, turned a blind eye and awarded Italy the throw which allowed them to keep the presure on for their eventual winner. A truly sickening way to end the campaign. Yes we had a few poor performances and should have done better against Georgia but every side has had similar problems. Unfortunately for Scotland that was coupled with not getting the correct decisions in numerous games. Ultimately we have been unsuccessful in the group of death but not because of a lack of desire or perfomance. I am finding it very difficult to disagree with those claiming bias in favour of the 'big' teams at the moment.
nothing unlike what Italians had said after their loss to South Korea in WC2002. Emotions after a tough loss are a tough thing to deal with. There is always more opportunity around the corner (ie WC2006 for us instead). Refs were not bought, conspiracy theories never amount to anything...feel pain and sorrow for now, but trust me, over time it will turn to joy and back to heart ache again as more and more games are played. This Scottish side is young and will be good for years. One of the best young goalies in the game and just look at Italy to see how good goaltending can get you far. Take heart and we will definitely see this team at WC2010.
Great game fellas, your team fought tooth and nail to the very end. You should be proud of them . Your goal was offsides though, it was the same exact goal that Di Natale scored in the 1st half that was called back, but again the foul at the end that lead to the 2nd Italy goal was BS! If anything it was a foul on Italy. I was hoping for a tie to have to make France play and sweat it out on Wednesday and hopefully get both Italy and Scotland through but it wasn't to be! Congrats again on hard fought game and qualifying campagn!
I don't think I have ever been more proud of a Scotland team! We were excellent tonight, absolutely excellent. We know that we don't have the talent that Italy do but we made up for that tonight and we played the world champions off the park at times tonight. Defeat, the way it was, is very very hard to take. Nobody deserves to be in that Championship more than we do, nobody! Congratulations Italy, you deserve to be through. I love every one of those men, our whole country does. Thank you for giving us some fantastic memeories and we'll be behind you all the way in South Africa! WE'LL BE COMIN' WE'LL BE COMIN' WE'LL BE COMIN' DOWN THE ROAD WHEN YOU HEAR THE NOISE OF THE TARTAN ARMY BOYS WE'LL BE COMIN' DOWN THE ROAD!!!!!!!!!!!
The future certainly looks bright. I was impressed with every man on the field. The linkup between Fletcher, Brown, Ferguson, and Hutton was fantastic.
Shattered for you guys, the Italians/Ref did it too us (the Aussies) in the world cup. It sucks but you just have to look past the initial disappointed and be proud of your teams effort. Scotland!
We've had our share of "being f'd" ie: KOREA but all we heard was why didn't Vieri score that 2nd goal. I will return the favour .......why didn't McFadden score that 2nd goal......and you all know Scotland's goal was offside. Why did you lose to Georgia ? If you want to argue about it I can make the same arguments about the free kick.
both scotland`s goal and italy`s disallowed goal were very similar. it just depends on who gets the breaks and i actually thought that we got the break that we needed and deserved for all of the hurt the scotland supporters had to endure in the history of the scotland NT. everyone said mcfadden was unlucky in georgia because his chances fell to his right foot..well an open net on his left foot, i dont want to talk about it..and the free kick i think everyone who saw it agrees how bad it was, but hey no use crying over it now. italy are a great team and i see no reason why they wont do well in austria/switzerland, the draw for the WCQ is next week i think? but we should prevail with this group of players and we must take great heart and pride from this qualification run.
Fair point. I think what we (and Italy and France) can take from this campaign is that even small mistakes could be fatal in a group of death. For Scotland, the mistakes were not getting at least a point today, not getting 3 points in Georgia and (in retrospect) probably not getting anything out of the match in Kiev. If France had been eliminated, they could only really blame that on the fact that they got nothing out their two matches with Scotland. If Italy had been eliminated, the draw and home to Lithuania could have probably been looked at as the biggest contributing factor.