Quote:
Originally Posted by GirlySports
It's fine with me. A ref sees a push and blows the whistle. Everyone has a different interpretation of the call. It happens. If FIFA feels the call was wrong they can easily send the ref home. Other than that, I can't see an instant solution.
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You are absolutely right, there is no solution.
Therein lies the problem. The United States was robbed of two points (it looked like both teams were rather grabby in the box, so the goal should have stood). No one was offside, so it can't be that. Lets say the ref is sent home, how does that in any way help the United States? Satisfaction means nothing if they are watching the knockouts at their local pub, even if they beat Algeria, they could get lost in the goal differential/head-to-head shuffle.
Germany is a little less straight forward, but objectively, if Klose wasn't given two straight yellow, and/or Vidic was given a straight red for his hand in the box, how would the game go? We don't know, and that's the problem. The referee became too visible, and enormously impacted the game beyond repair. Win, lose, or draw, that game is tainted.
How does FIFA fix this? There's a couple options, both of which require a rule change.
Option 1: Institute instant replay and coach challenge. If there's a stupid call, send it upstairs.
Option 2: Say FIFA wants to stick with the human aspect of the game, allow Coaches to request a game tape review. If the game is damaged beyond repair due to poor officiating, declare the game void, and order a re-play. I think this is a poor option, but I've heard this idea bandied around.