Portugal vs Netherlands: Who Will Win?

[Monique]

I think this will be a hard game to win for us.. a few more hours to wait.

 

[ukmicky]

i hope portugal win , but i feel holland will win

 

[Gokul43201]

Portugal is up 1-0 at the half, but they're also down a man (Costinha?) for the rest of the game.

 

[NateTG]

Things are getting pretty ugly out there... With the replay it looks like Figo should have been sent off (second yellow) for diving, rather than the duchman.

 

[Monique]

Its raining yellow cards, this is crazy! 9 for portugal, 7 for netherlands.

Correction, another one for Portugal..
And 3x red.

 

[Monique]

I'm hoping for 15 minutes extra time

 

[Monique]

nooooooooo

 

[NateTG]

...The officiating could have been better.

 

[PPonte]

Victory for my Portugal! What a suffer...

 

[Gokul43201]

Can't say that wasn't a colorful game! Lots of red and yellow.

 

[heartless]

Gokul Upload Your New Form Asap! Next Round Has Already Begun!

 

[LeBrad]

Wow that was pathetic. The Portugeuse players flopped so much they made the Italians look tough. This is why so many people hate soccer. Take a note from the Americans (they may suck, but they're not pansies).

Elbow to the face? Open wound requiring three stitches? I don't care, just give me a bandaid and let me back on the field!

That's the attitude I like to see. These Euro-weenies care more about keeping their perms neat than actually playing soccer. First they flop, then the refs have to make judgement calls that may have a huge effect on the outcome of the game, then the other team flops in retaliation, and then the fans get mad and riot. Yay soccer.

 

[-Job-]

The only reason the USA didn't play the clock was because they were losing. It's not just the European teams. Every team employs this tactic at one point. As far as i remember the USA did the same thing against Portugal in their 3-2 victory in the last world cup, or maybe you didn't watch that game?

 

[LeBrad]

I'm not referring to 'playing the clock'. Brazil was ahead of Japan and didn't flop, they actually played quite manly. And I'm not [too] upset that teams switch to keep-away mode and kill time when they're winning. I'm upset that they take a dive, get a player carded, get a foul, get a pentaly kick, and completely change the course of the game. They need to add replay or have some other refs watching replays to eliminate this. Judgement calls have too much impact on the outcome of the game.

 

[-Job-]

That went both ways. I don't agree with Deco's red card for instance. Not to mention the unsportsmanship on the part of the Netherlands for not returning the ball to Portugal.
And i'll "simmer down" if you stop proposing that the European teams are weenies or pansies.

 

[DM]

Wow that was pathetic. The Portugeuse players flopped so much they made the Italians look tough.

Flopped?

You need medical attention.

Elbow to the face? Open wound requiring three stitches? I don't care, just give me a bandaid and let me back on the field!

Like it or not, Figo was hit in the face. Now, don't blame it on him just because you didn't agree with the red card shown.

 

[Monique]

Like it or not, Figo was hit in the face. Now, don't blame it on him just because you didn't agree with the red card shown.

Did you see a swollen blue eye? I didn't see anything. His reaction was way overdone, knowing that Boulahrouz would get a red card.

 

[DM]

Not to mention the unsportsmanship on the part of the Netherlands for not returning the ball to Portugal.

I couldn't agree any further!

 

[DM]

Did you see a swollen blue eye? I didn't see anything. His reaction was way overdone, knowing that Boulahrouz would get a red card.

Figo was hit in the face, his reaction reflected the pain incurred at that moment. And yes, indeed, there might have been a little bit of over acting but then again if you closely studied Holland's side in the match, they weren't miles away from acting either!

By the way, just because you didn't see any swollen eye, it doesn't mean the player wasn't hit. Again, the red card was shown by the referee, not the player.

 

[-Job-]

Figo was fouled in a dangerous attacking play down the left. This is enough for a yellow, independently of an elbow which the referee might or might not have seen.

 

[shmoe]

I don't agree with Deco's red card for instance.

His first yellow was well earned. Can't remember which of the many yellows was his second?

Not to mention the unsportsmanship on the part of the Netherlands for not returning the ball to Portugal.

Agreed, that was just garbage. Didn't justify Deco's sloppy tackle though. This lack of sportsmanship was the turning point where I started to cheer against the Netherlands.



I didn't see the Brazil/Japan game, but when you're up 4:1 win 10 minutes to go, there's not much need to waste time. Brazil's not afraid to employ time killing tactics though (no Denilson this year though) or flop around like nonces (thankfully no Rivaldo either).

 

[dav2008]

Russian ref was a bit tipsy

 

[Monique]

By the way, just because you didn't see any swollen eye, it doesn't mean the player wasn't hit. Again, the red card was shown by the referee, not the player.

They showed the replay many times, you think the elbow was intendful?
A referee should have an independent way of judging such issues (2nd opinion, replay), not based on a player's ability to fall to the ground and grasp a body part.

 

[DM]

They showed the replay many times, you think the elbow was intendful?

Deliberate or not, Figo was hit in the face. You can't possibly blame him for the yellow card shown to Boulahrouz. Again, Figo did fall based on the pain incurred at the time, he was not aware of Boulahrouz's intents.

 

[shmoe]

They showed the replay many times, you think the elbow was intendful?

I didn't think it was intentional (to strike Figo I mean, hampering him with the arm was probably the goal). This is irrelevant as far the yellow card goes, it was still reckless.

 

[NateTG]

I'm pretty sure we can all agree that especially the second half, didn't show the players off to their best. The referee didn't really have a whole lot of choice about several of the cards considering the FIFA edicts regarding time waisting and the like.

It's really unfortunate because there were sparks of brilliance.

 

[-Job-]

The Portugeuse players flopped so much they made the Italians look tough.

The italians are tough.

 

[J77]

Refereeing of the highest ****wittery.

Shame the Dutch have gone. I guess Amsterdam will seem a whole less orange this week.

Was gutted last night but this morning I was a bit relieved we get to play Portugal.

Hope we stuff the whingers for the Dutch!

 

[marlon]

I think this will be a hard game to win for us.. a few more hours to wait.

i am actually very disappointed that Holland did not win. I enjoyed the match yesterday evening and i must say that olland has a great team IMO. Robben, what a player, no ?

Ok, Portugal made a great goal but Holland had more ball pssession and had more chances, especially the attempt of Cocu.

marlon

 

[Andy]

Figo was struck in the face, but accidently. No yellow card should have been shown to the dutch player because the elbow wasnt that high when you consider that Figo was leaning forward at the time trying to sprint after the ball. Just an unfortunate incident. Deco on the other hand should have received a straight red card for his first tackle, it was late, high and very reckless. Enjoyable game but i was disapointed holland didnt take it to extra time, could have done with some more suspended players!

 

[BobG]

Figo was struck in the face, but accidently. No yellow card should have been shown to the dutch player because the elbow wasnt that high when you consider that Figo was leaning forward at the time trying to sprint after the ball. Just an unfortunate incident. Deco on the other hand should have received a straight red card for his first tackle, it was late, high and very reckless. Enjoyable game but i was disapointed holland didnt take it to extra time, could have done with some more suspended players!

It evens out. Boularouz should have gotten red for his tackle on CRonaldo. He got off easy on one and harsh on the other. Personally, if I were refereeing, I'd have a yellow with Boularouz's name on it at the start of every game. The guy's a hack and the quicker he's taken care of, the better.

Deco was the one that took down Heitinga for not sending the ball to the Portugese keeper? I agree. That should have been a red. But then again, the tackle should have been a lot more violent. Was Heitinga really that clueless? Did he not remember why play was stopped and who had the ball? Didn't the fact that Portugal didn't contest the drop ball provide him at least a clue?

As it was, there could have been a few more cards. The player that threw the Portugese player down when he wouldn't give up the ball should have gotten a caution. A few more could have been handed out for the altercations occurring during bookings - at least one more player (the one that went barreling through the cluster of players) and at least one or two on players on the Portugese bench.

As many cards that were given, it was almost as if the referee wore down and just couldn't keep up. Should have been about 20 cards, with two being straight reds. He either wore down or was afraid of getting below the minimum number of players in the event the game went into extra time. With thirty more minutes and no more substitutes, there would have been a real possibility of the game having to be stopped because one of the teams had less than 7 players.

 

[shmoe]

Deco was the one that took down Heitinga for not sending the ball to the Portugese keeper?

Yes he was. A yellow wasn't unreasonable- I don't remember it being terribly violent, but I wouldn't have disagreed if it was a red either. I haven't seen replays though.

What was Deco's second yellow for?

Enjoyable game but i was disapointed holland didnt take it to extra time, could have done with some more suspended players!

I shamefully admit I was hoping for the same thing.

 

[BobG]

Yes he was. A yellow wasn't unreasonable- I don't remember it being terribly violent, but I wouldn't have disagreed if it was a red either. I haven't seen replays though.

What was Deco's second yellow for?



I shamefully admit I was hoping for the same thing.

Deco was the guy that wouldn't give up the ball when Netherlands had a free kick. Kind of a dumb decision for a guy already carrying a caution.

Yeah, things are looking good for England. Costinha and Deco are definitely out, and Ronaldo won't be full strength if he can play at all. The only good news for Portugal is that Figo won't be suspended for the head butt. That's probably fair, since I don't think it was a violent head butt - it was more like Figo got in his opponent's face a little too close. He was still lucky not to get a red just on general principle.

 

[J77]

Everyone's taking their flags down in Amsterdam

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

I'm really dissapointed I didn't see this game, but just from hearing about it I'm pleased that the ref flashed his card around so much, maybe this'll serve as an example to all those teams who think gamesmanship is going to advantage them if they keep on playing like dishonourable goats.

Personally I tihnk the captain of each team should be hung up by the neck until virtually unconscious and then dragged around the stadium to the derision of a baying crowd until there bought back to the block where there disembowled and then there heads and legs removed, the body should be quartered and then each body part placed at the four corners of the city to serve as a warning to others, but that's most likely just me.

Bring back some honour into the game, get up you primadonna, this isn't the damn Oscar performance of your life, a triple back summersault with a half twist is not warranted when someone wafts gently at your leg!

Still at least Protugal have a few less players to pit against us English on Saturday.