That’s what it took to decide the semi-final in women’s Olympic soccer yesterday. That is the regular 90 minutes, plus two 15 periods of extra time, plus added time. It was a dramatic sporting event. It was exhausting for the players and exhilarating to watch. As the time wound down, athletes from both side had to find extra reserves of energy and several of them (mostly Canadians I might add) took a long time to regain their feet.
All that aside, this wasn’t a 1-0 game. This was a 3-3 deadlock as regulation ended. Each team had plenty of chances. Each team committed plenty of fouls. No one can say that one play decided this game, except for perhaps Alex Morgan’s header off a cross from Heather O’Reilly in the 123rd minute. There were questionable calls and questionable non-calls against both sides. In a game this long, there are bound to be.
Both teams left it all on the field.
But instead of showing great sportsmanship, Canada has a plate of sour grapes…
That was our game. That was our win. And it was just taken away.
More…
We feel like we didn’t lose, we feel like it was taken from us. It’s a shame in a game like that that was so important, the ref decided the result before it started.
And to the refs…
I said, ‘I hope you can sleep tonight. Put on your American jersey. That’s who you played for today.’
Even the coach gets his digs in….
To watch them women just keep getting up was phenomenal. It felt like it was America and the referee against us. … And not to come away with something?
And why shouldn’t the reporter pile on….
Canada played the world’s No. 1-ranked team, the double defending gold medallists, a side they had not beaten in 11 years.
And they lost, unfair and unsquare. But they were magnificent.
What Canada is complaining about is a penalty called on the Canadian goalkeeper for delay of game, and a hands call on the ensuing free kick, which resulted in a penalty kick that tied the game at three. This was with 20 minutes left in the game.
Nearly an hour left, actually.
i don’t think nuff said… it’s a call they never make and to suddenly enforce is b s – warning or not… it went our way so lots of people are willing to overlook the basic unfairness of it. if you want to talk about whining look at the balance beam bronze we won… our person gets a second review of her routine and an upgraded score while the other poor girl never got a second look… if one competitor gets a review, why not both?
My point in posting was to simply call to attention, that even if it was a bad call, which I will concede your point it was, in a game of that length and number of opportunities, Canada had chances to overcome that call. The fact they didn’t was not certainly not evidence of a conspiracy which had predetermined the outcome, and Canada’s whining was uncalled for.
she was warned, nuff said. didn’t see the hands call.
whining canucks
goalkeeper had been previously warned
i know nothing about this game… being in the middle of BFE during the sturgis bike rally, driving incessantly, and falling asleep before my head hit the pillow… but if the the ref called a penalty shot against canada for the goalie holding onto the ball too long, then he or she absolutely was out to influence the game and canada has every right to be be pissed
have not seen it but plan to…