I was talking about goals scored in all of group play if it somehow came down to Portugal/USA tie in goal differential, the 2nd tie breaker.
I don't understand that extra time stuff. Why don't they just stop the clock when necessary during regulation. I didn't even know there were only 15 seconds left at the time when Portugal scored. Are the players aware of when the clock is running out?
I understand the "how", but not the "why." The referee is also the official timekeeper, and it is solely in his judgement how much stoppage time to add at the end of the half. Determining the end of stoppage time is discretionary, to keep a team that is leading from stalling the clock, i.e., the goalkeeper gets possession and just holds the ball instead of putting it back in play. So, if the referee allows 3:00 minutes stoppage time, when the 3:00 mark hits, he will usually allow play to continue if the team in possession is making an attack. As soon as the attack is complete; either by a goal, turnover or ball out of play, he'll end the game. That said, I thought the ref kind of screwed us Sunday. There were 5:00 stoppage play, and the goal was scored at 94:30. However, once order was restored and we put the ball in play, he did not allow another :30 for us to start an attack. He ended the game as soon as the ball was put in play. And no, I don't know if there is a clock the players can see, but that sign they use to announce substitutions is also used to display the number of stoppage minutes.
The last world cup we would not have made it to the round of 16 without stoppage time, we did what Portugal did to us to Algeria. Stoppage/injury time has been a part of soccer for a long time, when I reffed you had to keep it yourself. I kept a stop watch and started it when play stopped for injury or if it took a team to long to get the ball back in play. Then I would just yell out how much stoppage time once we hit 45 and 90. In the world cup its not up to the ref on the field how much time is added, I believe another sideline ref does that. Now once the stoppage time starts the head ref can add more beyond that, it is up to his discretion. I know its a bit foreign to new comers but this is not really the issue that you should be stuck on. The players and teams understand it and there is not much debate around it. We were at fault for most of the stoppage time in the Portugal game. They only add time for injuries and subs and long celebrations and maybe some penalties. As long as the ball is run to midfield in timely matter and there is not much celebration there is no time that needed to be added. So it was the right call imo. Could it be better, yes, but it is the status quo. The real issue is why were we not double teaming the one person that could hurt us at that point. Why were there 4 people on the other side of the field. Only one person, at tops two should be trying to bring it to the corner to kill time. To be honest we should have been parking the bus and just clearing. Everyone else should be back on our 50 marking the top threats.
I think Ghana will win, I can only hope that Portugal comes with a much better game. Our best bet is they tie. Portugal is the worst team in this group by far, we took it to them and should have won. They were lucky we gave them two goals from bone headed play. Ghana and Germany are the two strongest teams in this group with the US right behind them. We were very lucky to beat Ghana, they were taking it to us. We had probably one of the best defensive games of all time for the US team. We need to tie or beat Germany period which is a huge task.
Suarez bites another player for the 3rd time in his career. He should be expelled from this World Cup.
One, two, three bites your out at the old World Cup! I just don't get him. He is so talented but so flawed. He could get a max 2 year ban from FIFA. I don't know if they will carry out the max but his history shows that is the kind of player he is.
