They should find a way to stop Croatia nicking their best players, though.

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Too be fair, half-a-dozen players on "our" side were also Croatian, so it's all a bit swops really.

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I wish a certain striker would stop thinking he is Pele and going for the big over-head kick. He did it in all 4 games, and missed every single time.

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Given that Kewell has gout, it may just be that a certain striker has a painful and sudden back spasm problem...

Must be embarassing at parties.

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While I think that the tackle was at the very least slightly dodgy, I'm pretty well convinced that had it not happened Italy were very well placed to score regardless.

I'll have to look again in the replays (because it was 2 fricking 30 by the time it wrapped up) but Italy looked very menacing on that final run and I think that the defender made a questionable tackle out of desperation. Had he actually kicked the ball... oh, how different things would have been.

We can only hope that next World Cup we can (a) make it in and (b) at least do this well.

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I think that the defender made a questionable tackle out of desperation.

Having just watched the replay, I think it was a dodgy decision. The Italian guy tried to leap over the Australian, who was already down as he'd buggered the tackle, and then tripped on his shoulder. There was no effort on the Australian's part to trip him, he was too busy thumping on the ground. As far as I know being unable to go around someone or jump over them successfully isn't cause for a bloody penalty.

Meh.

Italy looked very menacing on that final run

Yeah, I agree with you on that. I tend to think the result probably would have been the same, and it's still better than going out on a penalty shoot out. Just.

Oh well. 2010 here we come.

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heh. like south australian's fencing in nsw...

i'm still mad about the reffing in germany-tunisia!

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There's a perception that the Aussies haven't had a "fair go" from the referees over here, possibly because Australia isn't rated as a serious football nation.

That's been brought up here too, most notably in an opinion piece in today's Age (I'd link but my browser hates their website and I can't see half of it.)

The number of fouls awarded against "old" footballing vs "new" footballing nations is quite unequal, even allowing for some skills bias. But not much skills bias - this is the World Cup after all, and everyone fought hard to get there. The stats are interesting though, and being Australian the author is making the case for a second ref and/or video umpiring. Heh.

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