Saturday, June 7, 2008

Switzerland Was Robbed!



I'd like someone to explain to me how this wasn't a handball. A penalty kick absolutely should've been awarded for this, and the fact that one wasn't is a disgrace.

The non-call cost Switzerland at least one point and with the momentum gained from converting a penalty, I don't doubt that Switzerland could've won this game in the 10 minutes that remained. Every point is valuable in a group stage that only lasts three matches.

If Switzerland end up missing out on progression to the quarterfinals by one point, look no further than this as the reason why. They definitely have a legitimate gripe here.

3 comments:

SoccerShoutPhil said...

I dunno Michael - it was played at him from just a couple of yards away and he kept his arms tight to his body.

It's not an offense, in and of itself, for a defender to have arms. :)

Michael said...

The one right as the game was ending hit the defender kind of in the upper arm/chest, where yes, his arms were tight to his body.

This one hit him in the hand, which was above his head. It had to be a handball, there's no way it isn't -- it's not a natural position for a player to have his arms above his head and he prevented a goal-scoring opportunity, not necessarily from that header but what could've resulted from it if it would've went through.

Anonymous said...

you should have been watching the other match today.

Simao had a pretty blatant handball from the camera angle but he gets 99 out of a 100 for disguising it so well from the officials and so much so that the protests coming from Turkey was awarded a yellow.