First off, tough break on the last (non) goal, guys. By my estimation the ref got it wrong, and that sucks. But this is hardly new in CONCACRAP. There are very few good refs. Having said that, all this conspiratorialism is pure fantasy. The ref was pretty bad on both sides of the ball. By my count, he missed three clear handballs that the Canadians committed, one of which was iirc right on the edge of the box. He didn't whistle a single foul against the Canadian forwards who kept barging into Kasey Keller at the beginning of the game as he was clearing the ball -- all clear fouls, imo. I don't recall him showing Onstad a card when he fouled Beasley in the box when (I'm pretty sure) he should have. He missed what looked like a halfway decent penalty shout when Heydude grabbed a Canadian player by the shirt in the box (although the player did go down pretty easily). And he would have been completely justified in showing Bocanegra a straight red. And if the confederation really wanted to move the U.S. into the finals, he would have shown Bradley a yellow instead of a straight red, and the refs wouldn't have added four minutes of stoppage time when the U.S. was on its heels with a man down. There is no doubt Canada was unlucky (to say the least) with regard to the offside call at the end of the match. However, it should be acknowledged that they were also pretty lucky not to be down 3-0 or 3-1 at that point. If Donovan doesn't commit the worst whiff I've ever seen a professional make (man, was that embarrassing ) it is a whole different ballgame as Canada is down 3-0 and pretty much out of it. Your boys played a hell of a match and deserve all the respect they get. But it is also important to remember that when you're dealing with Concacaf refs, you're always going to get screwed. In this respect most USMNT fans can commiserate as the U.S. has been getting screwed by crappy officiating for over a decade now (which is why there have been so many on this board showing solidarity). As much as it hurts, a blown offside call is fairly standard in soccer, and happens at every level. Imagine how much it sucks when you lose a WC qualifying match because a referee (in this case Peter Pendergast) awards a penalty for a "handball" that hits a defender in the nose (while his hands are at his side). In any event, tough break. You guys played a great game and were definitely robbed. Good luck in the future. EDIT: It turns out that Onstad did get a yellow for taking Beasley down. I didn't realize that until this morning.
My prediction My pre game prediction came pretty close, eh? Little did I know it would be the same ref who so screwed us in WCQ it made soccer news around the world. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11871737&postcount=49 My prediction. 1-0 USA, Landon Donovan PK. Seeing as the USA and Mexico have to be in the final, and this being a Concacaf tournament, and Canada has yet to be screwed by a Mexican referee, we are long overdue. Donovan dives in the penalty area, ref buys said simulation, Donovan scores on PK, end of story. PS Pat Onstad will have a fantastic game in vain. Only Jack Warner can save us and change this dastardly outcome.
Yes, the last goal should have counted, and yes, Bocanegra should have been sent off but my concern is how Canada showed absolutely no energy until the 60th minute. Where was DeGuzman in this game? He is a Donovan-caliber player. If Canada wants to qualify for South Africa, they will have to have a more energetic, attacking attitude when on the road. Canada could have played with the U.S. last night, but they sat back until it was too late.
It's a little hard to maintain a level of performance when you nearly had your career ended in the first half. Bocanegra was nowhere near the ball, two footed, took out his shins and knees, and made him do a 360 degree flip onto his head. In any European league, that's a sending off, even the EPL. Total bullshit. As for Donovan comment, laughable. DeGu is already better than Donovan, the fans seem to recognize this in their voting for player of the tournament even though there's far more US fans than Canadian fans. Even they can admit DeGu is better. Oh, and I wanted to stab Donovan in the eyes when he was doing all that stupid shit before the penalty. Crouching down, blessing himself, kissing his fingers, touching the ground... what an absolute clown this guy is.
It seemed to me that Keller saw the offsides call and gave up on the play. It looked like he did. He made a half hearted attempt at a save and was immediately pointing at the ref saying he had called it offsides... So we can't assume that even if the call was not made that the goal would have been scored. Saying Canada was "robbed" can only be on the assumption that they would have scored on that play, which is Keller had not given up is not an assumption you can make. It was a bad call, but not necessarily one that waved off a sure goal.
I understand you are upset at the loss. I am gutted too. But even this amount of hyperbole is going a bit far in my books. I hope we seriously trounce the USA in a match in the not-so-distant future, but I think that suggest grave hurt to their players is too much (even if it is hyperbole). Cheers!
Bull ********ing shit. The first half score-line was in no way indicative of the play, and I felt Canada carried the play for most of the first half. The 10 minutes before the US goal were all played in the US half with Canada enjoying a TON of possession. We forced the American defense into numerous tactical fouls, and were unlucky to have not been a man up with a 0-0 scoreline, and unlucky to not have gotten a penalty on the botched long ball where Keller took our player down after he played the ball. Anyways, the Americans are learning how to play pansy ass dirty and flopping soccer. Beyond the botched call at the end, the Americans employed every gay ass timewasting technique in the book, and they committed tactical fouls left right and center. They are lucky to have not picked up an earlier red. For a team supposedly far superior to us, they sure didn't play like it. BTW, Onstad got a yellow for his challenge on Donovan
I'll respect your perspective, but I disagree that Keller should have been giving up. Players are told repeatedly to not assume the play is over until the ref has blow the whistle. If Keller voluntarily stopped playing to save the shot because he assumed the ref would call it back and the goal had counted he would look like a class-A idiot and would have let his team down in a massive way. It's all conjecture at this point, but as a biased Canadian, I will stick with, "We were robbed!" Cheers!
No, saying Canada was robbed is because we scored a legitimate goal and it was called back. The Keller-Gerba incident adds to it, but just slightly. The whole case is around that goal that was 100% legit.
Agree that the Boca challenge was red-worthy, but I thought DeGuzman's play was stellar after the tackle.
canada deserved a quality referee who knows the rules of the game not some Concacaf clown who was out to help the home side advance. Canada played a great tournament and showed the team is making improvements, now the CSA has to keep this team together and playing more often, it;s another year yet to the Concacaf WCQ starts lets hope they don't sit idle again.
Choice of the referee really hurt, no other way to look at it. But I definitely welcome this talented Canadian team, it can only make the region better. As a US fan, I was mystified by the 4 minutes of injury time added at the end of the second half, but the offsides call was attrocious, blatant Bush-league reffing. It marred an otherwise fantastic game between two teams that are going to play some classics in the WCQ Hex. I hope you all feel proud of Canada, and justifiably pissed at the level of CONCACAF reffing and the audacity of putting Archundia (a Mexican) on the field for the semifinal. Our rivalry will only make our national teams better. I could even stomach losing to you guys in a friendly, just not when it counts. Heads up, you have a team with a lot to look forward to.
for those that didn't see it..the highlights of the game and they focus on the disallowed goal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmc7lkaIKtE
I totally agree that he never should have given up. That said, if he saw the ref call the offsides and then made a half hearted attempt at a save, it really does change this discussion. Certainly the offsides should not have been called, but you can't assume it would have led to a goal. The offsides call changed the play for both teams. Certainly if Keller didn't pull up when he saw the call, he may have made that save. Maybe he wouldn't have... Fact is that Canada didn't get a goal stolen from them, they got an opportunity stolen. What would have happened with that opportunity is impossible to say.
I think the angry Canadaien fans should write a letter to the land of I don't give a crap...USA won live with it!!!
It's not a legit goal. It was a legit opportunity. If the goal keeper barely tries to make a save after he sees an offsides call, albiet a bogus one, that's not a legit goal. Keller clearly checked out of that play when the call was made. You could see him pointing at the ref. Kicking the ball into an open net when the keeper stops because a call was made is not a legit goal. Like I've been saying, Canada were robbed of an opportunity, not a goal. If the call hadn't been made, Keller wouldn't have stopped. From that point, it's anyone's guess as to what would have happened.
Quoting half a sentence from a post and responding to it is lame. Read my whole post and you'll get your answer. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11918417&postcount=217
Lol, sorry dude, watch the game. Keller made every effort...he was beaten, goal should have counted. No professional keeper stops in that situation, and Keller didn't.
Nope. It's pretty clear in the replay. He saw the offsides call. I'm not saying he should have given up, but his effort looked halfhearted. He stood there like the play was over and then dove. Believe whatever you like. I'm not saying that the goal might not have been scored anyway... Just saying that we don't know. I'm just calling like I see it, he saw the call. I think he even said as much after the game. I'll have to check though, I'm not sure on that one.
This is rationalization. I don't blame you, it sucks winning and not being able to be proud of it, but watch it again (trust me, every canadian here has probably watched it 8 times). Keller did not make a half assed attempt. A half assed attempt is sticking an arm out to block it. Keller DOVE at the ball hard. He was beaten, fair and square.
Ok then, Keller is an incompetant douche who goes against one of the most basic things that is taught to goal keepers, which is to never give up on a play, even if it is obviously offside. Can someone like that really be expected to make a miraculous save? I don't think so. That was a legitimate goal for all intents and purposes.