In the muni off season -- yes I know our LAML cup finals are still to be played this coming Tuesday -- my attention turned to the current World Cup action on ESPN this weekend ... both the Women's World Cup and the Men's U17 have offered some high and extremely low notes over the past few days.
If anyone wants an example of extreme courage, one had to see the U17 semi-final match-up on Friday between host-country Mexico and Germany ... a game which, no matter your allegiances, was one of the best of 2011 for sheer excitement.
After suffering what could have been a game ending head injury when he clashed in mid-air with a German defender twice his size during Jorge Espericueta’s direct goal from a corner kick, Mexican star and Manchester United prospect Julio Gomez returned to the field so bandaged up he looked like he was wearing a turban. Mexico, tied at 2-2 in the late stages of the game, were playing with 10, having already used the last of their substitutes.
Gomez brought the squad back to full strength ... but what could one expect from a player whose cage had been severely rattled? The winning goal, no less -- in the 90th minute, Gomez struck a perfectly executed bicycle kick goal off another corner kick to send Mexico into the finals against Uruguay. Classic football ... while we all play and watch the game.
Then we have the other side of the sport ... the Women's 2011 World Cup, being staged in Germany, has already been plagued but what can only be described as atrocious officiating ... inexplicable calls which have often determined the outcome of important matches ... offsides called, where there were none, legitimate offsides ignored, and numerous highly suspect free kicks awarded as if officials were instructed that they had a quota to meet after being light on carded offenses in the early rounds.
Such was the case in Sunday's quarterfinal match-up between Brazil and the US ... two calls (a retaken PK and an obvious offside) threatened to knock the US women out, but thankfully heart and more than a little karma eventually kicked in.
A completely manufactured Brazilian injury in overtime, as the clock was winding down, was so ludicrous a time-wasting effort it bears looking up on YouTube ... but to describe the incident ... the Brazilian back Erika (13), after a US goal-scoring opportunity was cleared, walked back towards her goal completely fine, then flopped and rolled around like she was dying.
Stretchers came out as she was still writhing in pain ... but even before the med team could clear the corner of the field with her strapped down, she had bounced off the stretcher and proceeded to run (not walk) back to her bench, so she could come back on the field on the next whistle. She was yellow carded for the maneuver ... but really FIFA should have harsher punishments for this sort of behavior which lowers the game ... -10 in the no class department, -20 in the lack of honor department.
I'm happy to say though that karma kicked in twice, as the ref did add the lost time onto the clock (go figure), even though the teams were already in extra time, and the US tied the match on an inspiring Abby Wambach header with the clock already over the 120 minute mark. Then the US netted all five of their PKs while US goalkeeper Hope Solo saved her second legitimate PK of the match to knock out Brazil.
Sometimes things work out.
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