Good on the All Whites for drawing against Italy.
But it’s a pity people here are complaining about the ref – from what I’ve seen we were the beneficiaries of poor decision making, not the other way around.
The All Whites took a shock lead after seven minutes when Shane Smeltz turned in Simon Elliot’s free kick from close range.
Replays showed that Smeltz was offside when Kiwi defender Winston Reid flicked the ball on to him, but the lineman’s flag stayed down.
The goal instigated a frenzied period of Italian pressure which eventually told when referee Carlos Batres awarded a penalty after defender Tommy Smith tugged at Daniele De Rossi’s shirt in the Kiwi’s penalty area.
Striker, Vincenzo Iaquinta stepped up and sent keeper Mark Paston the wrong way to level the scores.
Still, an outstanding effort.
Comments on: "Congrats All Whites" (2)
scrubone
I am not quite so sure about Smeltz being off side. The Italians certainly did not think so otherwise they would have been protesting left right and centre. If the ref didn’t see it, the lineman didn’t see it, and it looks like the Italians didn’t see it then it wasn’t.
Whereas the penalty was blatantly wrong. Shirt pulling happens all the time, and unless it is extreme does not result in a penalty or free kick. Just watch any corner. If the shirt pulling was so extreme then the Italian would not have gone down the way he did, i.e. a dive forward.
I’ll take your word for it.