A MONTH OF MAYHEM: U.S. Gets Robbed by Referee

By Mark Vincent Lincir

All you Michael Bradley lovers can enjoy it while it lasts, because for all he did great today be scoring the game tying goal…he cancelled it out by performing very poorly defensively as his over-commitment way out in the middle of the field led to both Slovenia’s goals.

Watch the replays and watch how on both Slovenia’s goals Bradley gets pulled out of position and decides instead to ball chase instead of being patient and letting the play come to him and being the flat four shield that he is supposed to be. But I give him credit for the game-tying goal, it was nice. But again, he does just as much harm as good when he is in the lineup.

I also like his storming around after the ref after the final whistle…didn’t he already earn a suspension for that a while back? His Dad, Coach Bob, called it passion in an interview after the game. It’s classless and immature. Sure, the United States absolutely got robbed on the game-winning goal by Maurice Edu…but ranting and raving about it isn’t going to help anybody.

As far as the game-winning goal that was called back. The referee needs to be held accountable. He should have to explain to FIFA…who can then explain it to us, who the foul was on and what the foul was?

We’ve all seen the replays two-dozen times by now…Michael Bradley being engulfed in a bear hug by a Slovenian defender (penalty kick)…Bocanegra being mugged (penalty kick)…all the holding and grappling going on in the box on set pieces is a joke and needs to be addressed…ON THE DEFENSIVE END…not offensive holding.

FIFA needs to step in and make the ref explain himself. All too many times referees blow whistles, call fouls, ruin games and aren’t forced to explain what they called. Is that a bad thing? To ask what was called and on whom? Aren’t the players (for both teams) entitled to at least know that?

We’ll find out this week if FIFA does anything about it or if referees can keep calling phantom fouls and changing the outcome of games without any repercussions. There was no offensive foul on the play. A goal was disallowed and massive points were not earned because of it. This does not end without an explanation. The referee…thru FIFA are the only ones that can offer one up.

It needs to happen and quickly. And not just out of respect for the U.S. team, it’s out of respect for the game. A phantom call in a World Cup match doesn’t bode well for anybody, most of all…the integrity of the sport.

Dare I say that the fix might have been in? Unless somebody explains what happened…we can only speculate. And nobody wants that.

OTHER MATCHES – Klose did deserve a second yellow in the game against Serbia this morning. He was already carrying a yellow and came from behind on a player to needlessly hack him. Yellow card in anyone’s book…game over Klose. Players need to be smarter, if a ref is calling it tight, which he was…don’t commit stupid fouls. Credit to Serbia for taking advantage of the man up and taking home all of the points 1-0.

ENGLAND is even making me depressed. But why is Capello still playing Lampard and Gerrard on the same field? Didn’t I say that doesn’t work the other day? And you still try to force it and what happens…0-0 tie and now at risk of not advancing. Who cares whose feelings you hurt! Both guys are pros and will handle it accordingly. But it wasn’t just their fault…the whole team looks awful.

Mark Vincent Lincir is the Editor-In-Chief of 90:00 Soccer Magazine. You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter now too!