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Happy Monday
2015 MLS Cup at Crew Stadium: 14 vs. 11
Evidenced by the unbelievable (not an exaggeration) non-call on a pass that rolled an unmistakable two yards out-of-bounds by a Portland Timbers player just 6 or so minutes into the game, the continuation of this play that led to a cross into the Columbus Crew box that was headed into the net by a Timber in obvious offside position, the officials made it clear to everybody watching that they were biased against the Crew with destructible consequences.
These two consecutive embarrassing miscalls led to an early 2-nil lead for Portland (instead of 1-nil), defining the tone with a favorite in mind.
Important: The head official, Jair Marrufo (chosen by the league) was the same ref that years earlier had granted a controversial free kick to the Chicago Fire against the Columbus Crew. The Fire scored and won on this undeserved kick. After the game, Marrufo received a signed jersey from the Fire player (Blanco) who benefited from the controversial whistle.
From subsequent yellow card offenses that were never shown to a penalty kick not being awarded to multiple instances of diving by the Timbers (appropriate team name), the officials’ IQ of soccer would scrape the bottom of a grungy gutter.
Disgraceful (and completely inexcusable), especially for a championship game at the professional level.
The crowd was electric and the atmosphere and energy before and during the match was special. Unfortunately, the Crew did not play its best game. That’s the truth. However, the prejudiced officiating changed the game and gave clear advantages to the Portland Timbers that influenced the result.
The final score was 2-1.
There are moments when we just need to laugh to take a break from crying, so here’s a very short, temporary relief for Crew fans everywhere.
Laughing and crying (at the same time) at something completely unrelated to our frustrations can work pretty well serving as a welcomed distraction.
This game will sting for a long, long time, but Crew fans must look on the bright side. Life can be very unfair, yet it’s those who find that shred of light in the blinding storm in the present who are able to find success in the uncertain future.
Have a Massive Week.
No Lions in Paris
(EPA)
Dutch tourism to France may be at an all-time low next summer.
The Netherlands soccer team suffered a devastating 3-2 loss today against the Czech Republic, who were not very kind visitors in the Amsterdam Arena. Missed opportunities for goals throughout 93 minutes, porous defending in the back and Robin van Persie’s miscalculation that resulted in an own goal sealed their fate.
It should be noted van Persie did score against the Czech Republic, along with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Since the Dutch were hanging by a thread of hope and a prayer (a must-win game and Iceland victory) before kickoff, the odds against their qualifying for the playoff to then qualify to the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament in France were very high.
Still, the Oranje players and dedicated fans (myself included) had faith in an epic turnaround.
Despite injuries to key players (including, but not limited to Arjen Robben, Jasper Cillessen and much of its defense), it was expected that the Netherlands would be able to control its games and earn enough wins and ties to book its ticket to France in the summer of 2016.
They didn’t.
“…Netherlands finished fourth in the group and failed to qualify for the European Championships for the first time since 1984…”
–Tom Webber, Goal.com
Great teams in all sports experience injury woes that can paralyze their chances at grand success. Some of these teams manage to squeeze out wins, even when the odds were all against them. Even though the Dutch have had their pitfalls throughout its history (internal turmoil, lack of motivation), they have also had moments of glory and the best kinds of shock-and-awe. Just last summer, the Dutch finished third in the World Cup.
And this is where this defeat stings the most.
The expectations were and are sky high for this squad, as in a championship-level altitude. Some of the best players in the world are on this team. Let’s take a closer look with their age in parenthesis:
- Arjen Robben (31)
- Wesley Sneijder (31)
- Robin van Persie (32)
- Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (32)
- Rafael van der Vaart (32)
The fact is those listed above, a golden generation in their own right, have world-class talent, pace and vision. Age has not slowed them down. However, the reason for listing the aforementioned players who define the explosive and creative offense identity of the Dutch is to acknowledge that this was the last UEFA Euro tournament they could have competed for within their peak years.
As a tried-and-true Dutch fan for more than 15 years, it’s painful to even concede this reality.
The final score today was a disqualifying loss, but the opportunity to play for and potentially win a defining European championship was the real loss and it was (and is) gut-wrenching.
There are many questions to be answered in the coming days, weeks, months:
- Is head coach Danny Blind to blame when he had such a limited, bleak chance of success?
- Who will be the head coach for the 2018 World Cup qualifying?
- What players listed above will be leading the Dutch towards the next World Cup in Russia?
- Aside from Daley Blind, can the Netherlands find high-quality defenders?
- How quickly can this team fix its problems and return to playing world-class soccer/Total Football?
Fortunately, the KNVB’s current golden generation has a proficiency for answering its harshest critics every couple of years. They have one more chance lift a trophy to solidify their golden Oranje legacy.
From Russia, with love of strength and the World Cup trophy, 2018 is the mission of a lifetime.
Working 5 in 9
Robert Lewandowski did the impossible.
A display of pure brilliance from a Bundesliga match earlier today between Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg is going to seem unreal, utterly fanciful.
It’s not.
Soccer is the beautiful game and there have been countless goals, braces and hat-tricks throughout its extensive history that warrant great fanfare. Some of these moments define players forever. Forwards (for instance) cannot score off of every touch, pass or shot. That just doesn’t happen.
Or, that never used to happen.
For any striker, patience combined with relentless effort and vision is what creates opportunities to score and celebrate in style.
Okay, here we go.
Watch the entire video and pay close attention to Bayern Munich player Robert Lewandowski (#9 in red), his total goal tally AND the time frame of the goals. Oh, and he was a substitute at the beginning of the second half.
In one word: Epic!
1 = Goal
2 = Brace
3 = Hat-Trick
4 = TBD
5 = The Wolf Hunter
Jimmy's Daily Planet 