Sports
The cruel twist to Two Croatia World Cups!
Croatia at the World Cup: The cruel twist to two Croatia World Cups. Nestor Pitana and Daniele Orsato cannot be related.
By Martin D’Souza | Opening Doorz Editorial | December 15, 2022
Croatia at the World Cup: The cruel twist to two Croatia World Cups. Nestor Pitana and Daniele Orsato cannot be related.
Croatia has been dealt a cruel blow in the World Cup semi-final against Argentina. The penalty awarded to Argentina has been much talked about and swiftly swept aside as Argentina won 3-0. Lionel Messi’s assist for goal No. 3 has become the talking point. However, for soccer fans, it was a Daniele Orsato assist that helped Argentina make it to the final.
The Italian referee was faster than Usain Bolt, pointing to the spot and simultaneously flashing the yellow card in the 31st-minute tackle. Centre-back Dejan Lovren effected a brilliant save from the goal-line after Julian Alvarez’s shot beat Dominik Livakovic and both landed on the ground.
Replays showed that Livakovic went for the ball. Alvarez had finished his contact with the ball. What is a goalkeeper supposed to do? Put out the red carpet for a striker to score? Livakovic effected a clean tackle. Half-time was 15 minutes away. Argentina had not yet scored. Possession was with Croatia all this while. This is Messi’s last World Cup. VAR is not referred to.
Chronology samjho (understand the chronology).
That penalty dealt a psychological blow to the Croatians which swung the match the other way. For the second goal scored by Alvarez, one can sense Livakovic being tentative, not wanting to rush to him for fear of conceding a penalty.
“Everything was in our hands. We played well for half an hour and had possession. We were not a threat but did have control,” said Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic, who claimed his side should have been awarded a corner just before the penalty.
“We conceded a goal, which was very suspicious. The situation leading to the penalty… was a little too cheap, a bit too easy to be honest. Our goalkeeper did what he did and these are the new rules,” he added. “This goal took the match in a different direction.”
Rewind to Croatia-France final in 2018
Croatia had begun the match on an attacking note. In the 18th minute, Argentine referee Nestor Pitana awarded a free-kick to France from a dangerous position. It was a controversially awarded free-kick. Replays showed Marcelo Brozovic, who was closest to Antoine Griezmann, did not touch him as the Frenchman fell. From Griezmann’s curling free-kick, Mario Mandzukic headed into his own net to give France the lead.
“It’s a dive,” said Shearer. “Brozovic goes in to close him down and Griezmann was expecting to be hit and he wasn’t.”
Former England player Sir Trevor Brooking, speaking on BBC Radio 5 live, said: “I am so annoyed. It was never, ever a free-kick. Griezmann hardly got touched.”
It swung the match psychologically. However,10 minutes later Ivan Perisic draws level for Croatia.
The referee once again swings the match in favour of France 10 minutes later. A flick-on from Samuel Umtiti struck the left arm of Ivan Perisic in the Croatia area. Pitana waves on to play. Later, he consults VAR and changed his mind, awarding a spot-kick that Antoine Griezmann slotted home. Was it a deliberate handball? Did Perisic have time to move his hand out of the way? How can the flow of a beautiful game of soccer be ruined by rulings like these?
Here’s how the BBC Sport pundits saw the key incident
Former England striker Alan Shearer: “There is no way a ridiculous decision like that should be deciding this final. It doesn’t deserve it after the tournament we have had. Croatia has been brilliant and they are losing this game because of a free-kick that wasn’t a free-kick and a penalty that wasn’t a penalty. It will be a crying shame if this game is decided by that decision.”
Former England defender Rio Ferdinand: “You can’t 100 per cent say it’s a penalty and he meant that. He’s not deliberately trying to handle that ball. It’s too close to him to react. The fact the referee took so long to make a decision, he can’t be certain.”
Former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann: “When you are not sure, you don’t give it. It was the wrong decision Two bad decisions have turned the game on its head.”
Was it right to have a referee from Argentina officiate in the final? Croatia had thumped Argentina 3-0 in their Group D game.
Chronology samjho (understand the chronology).
Back to the Croatia-Argentina semi-final 2022
Luka Modric, playing in what is probably his last World Cup was devastated. “We were fine, controlling the game, and (then comes) the corner that the referee (Orsato) doesn’t give us, and the penalty, which for me was not, changes everything. The Argentine shoots and collides with our goalkeeper. I can’t believe that he gave that penalty. This changed the game,” declared Luka Modric.
He added: “I never talk about referees, but today it’s impossible not to. Daniele Orsato is one of the worst I know. Not only because of today’s game. He whistled at me many times and I never have a good memory of him. He’s a disaster.”
Speaking on the controversy, former Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas said: “However, for Felipe Ramos Rizo, World Cup referee in Korea-Japan 2002, there are important data for which the penalty should not have been sanctioned: the right foot of the goalkeeper is always on the floor, contact is inevitable due to the inertia of the play. There was never a stride. Contact was inevitable.”
Chronology of Penalties awarded to Argentina
In the first match against Saudi Arabia, Slavko Vinčić, the Slovenian referee consults VAR and after a long time awards a penalty to Argentina. The penalty was conceded by Saud Abdul Hamid after a foul in the penalty area on Leandro Paredes. This was in the 10th minute. Saudi Arabia went on to win that match 2-1.
The third league match against Poland is a must-win game for Argentina. A loss here could mean Messi’s last World Cup match. A penalty was awarded seven minutes before half-time. Even Messi knows it’s a soft penalty.
Wojciech Szczesny (6ft 5 inches) jumps to palm away an aerial ball which Messi (5ft 7 inches) is also jumping for! Obviously, Szczesny, like Livakovic is not going to fold his hands and watch Messi head home. He will guard his citadel. And he does it cleanly. Dutch official Danny Makkelie points to the spot after consulting VAR. A sheepish Messi shot is saved by Szczesny.
In the quarter-final against The Netherlands, a penalty was awarded in the 73rd minute. Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz awarded the spot-kick even as Acuna went down towards the edge of the box on the left to a clean Dutch challenge. Argentina survived the shoot-out after an inspired Dutch fight-back.
Then Croatia happened. Of the four penalties in favour of Argentina, three of them came in the first half to open the scoring. Against The Netherlands, it was late in the second half. Three landed in the goal.
Chronology samjho (understand the chronology).
Here’s hoping this year’s final between Argentina and France is a clean, exciting game of soccer. The World Cup should not be made into a messy affair! Pun intended.
Let Lionel Messi win the World Cup, don’t hand it over to him.
More World Cup 2022 Stories
Brazil vs Croatia World Cup quarter-final
Garang Kuol could have made it messy for Argentina
