Match 38 | United States vs Algeria | June 23 | Post-Match Thread [R]

I was glad to see you guys go through especially after that awful call against Slovenia and the very debatable one in the first half yesterday. Even more so as it looks like you have much the easier draw now with Ghana which is only good for MLS/soccer popularity in the states if you can overcome them. I seriously wouldn't be surprised if you go further than England in this World Cup now.

If England go out, which I think is probably likely against Germany, I'm going to adopt the States as my second team

 

On ESPN's SportsCenter last night, they took a moment to acknowledge this point. They didn't show a full field angle, but it seemed like a long, strong throw! If this was ice hockey, it might even have been a goalie assist!

 

Don't worry I hear they're going to fight them on the beaches


Anyway, glad to see that the media is making sure to give Howard credit for that amazing throw. If this whole soccer thing doesn't work out for him, he might have a career in American Football.

 

I guess he realized that he couldn't beat a bunch of men, so he tried to beat a woman.

He failed at that, too, apparently.

 

Take a look at the video, and you tell me if it was a close call.

1) the tape shows clearly that Dempsey is squarely level with the defender when the ball is passed.
2) doubt goes to the attack, per the rules
3) the configuration of players is such (only 4 players inthe area, keeper clearly back, passer clearly upfield, the two players in question essentially not moving during the period in question, and within a clear field of vision from the touchline) that a *properly positioned AR* would have had no difficulty making the correct call.

This wasn't a case of trying to time the moment when players moving in opposite directions pass each other, which the linesmen generally have been beasts about getting right. Stunning, really. This was not a hard call, it was easy, and they still totally blew it.

You show me someone who thinks that call was close, and I'll show you someone who needs to spend some time reading the Laws of the Game. It wasn't close. It wasn't even close to close. You could use this play as a diagram to demonstrate the definition of "onside"

 

I can't believe that dude smacked that chick out of nowhere....in America he would be locked up immediately.

 

They apparently have a history. Similar incident happened last year.

 

It goes back even one step further. For Donovan to be that open, he had to recognize it and break. He was probably on his horse before the header came in to Timmy. Perfect throw and from that moment Algeria were in trouble.

 

Just so you know, Saifi is known for being a hothead and unpredictable. He's kind of the Algerian Cassano.

He has scored a lot of international goals. I think he has almost as many as the rest of the Algerian roster combined.

 

Cassano? Oh pshaw.

Seems more like Edmundo "O Animal" from Brasil.