SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums College, Pro & International Soccer US Vs Italy DO NOT READ

At halftime it's 1-1, with both teams reduced to 10 men. De Rossi certainly deserved the red card for a disgusting elbow on Brian McBride which caused him to have to leave the field with a bad facial laceration. Later, Mastroeni is sent off for a rash but certainly not red card worthy tackle that was undoubtedly a make up call. If Mastroeni's foul was a red card, how did Nesta receive nothing for the tackle from behind on Convey on the edge of the box earlier in the game? Unbelievable. As far as the goals go, Italy scored on a free kick that was flicked in by Gilardino, good goal, silly of the US to try and play an offside trap but a couple of the players not get the message. US gets back into the game by a free kick as well, that Zaccardo managed to brilliantly divert into his own goal.

U.S. down to 9 man, Eddie Pope gets his 2nd yellow of the match, sending him off and bsolutly ruining the game and possibly any chance of the U.S. coming out with a win over the Italians.

This referee is just absolutely a joke. What else can be said. Get a life REF

Cheers can be heard from around the country as Demarcus Beasley scores an incredible goal sneaking past Buffon the U.S. is up 2-1, oculd this be a come back. NOOOO! Don't say it's so, Mcbride is called offside bringing back the goal and taking the 2-1 off of the scoreboard, Beasley has redeemed himself just to be let back down by a simple mistake from his own teamate. An offsides call could change the face of this game and possibly U.S. world cup dreams for the next 4 years.

USA finally gets a point in this cup, but they have a tough challenge agains Ghana. This group is up for grbs by anyone. As far as this game, very sloppy by both teams. First that flagrant foul on Mcbride, but director, Mastroeni did go in harsh as a retaliation on that card. Although it wouldnt have been a red in any other situation, this game was very tense and the ref had to put his foot down. good call on that red. Now as for Pope's yellow, iffy call but Pope should have been careful knowing he had a yellow. Very sloppy game with some very costly decsisons by everyone.

Good call on the red for Mastroeni? Are you serious or are you on crack? If you are serious, you need to pull your head from your nether-regions.... That should have been a yellow card and nothing more. This was the worst officiated game I have watched in a long time, and I have seen a lot of crappy games. What a horrible game to watch. The flow of the game was destroyed, and it was like everyone was afraid of touching anyone for fear of being ejected. What was up with calling it tight for the first 70 or so minutes, and then calling nothing in the last 20? This was horrible for both the USA and Italy. I hope that this ref is done for the tournament. I guess he was suspended in 2002 for call irregularities, and it showed today. I feel bad for both teams that had to play with him refereeing.

From my couch, I was hoping to see Johnson instead of Beasley for the sake of offense. If we were to play defense for the remainder of the match, I would have guessed Mathis before Beasley.

Perhaps it's me. I recognize Beasley's speed, but I'm not a fan of his touch. He seems to have a lot of support in the US.

I didnt say the ref did a good job, i agree with you that the ref did a horrendous job, but you cant go in like that after what happened to one of your teammates. The ref interpreted it as retaliation from the earlier foul and had to put a stop to that. Any ref would have done that same thing. Like i said, in any other situation, had McBride not gotten hit like that and the game was going with no tension among the players, the foul would have been a yellow. But the game was going out of hand and the ref had to put his foot down.

yeah, mastroeni's red was very harsh....yes it was studs up, but the ball was at the players feet and the tackle wasnt from behind. shoulda been a yellow and nothing more.
that ref was terrible....he makes up the italian red with a us red, but apparently didnt have enough so comes back after halftime to screw up everything...yeah pope fouled him, but yellow worthy?

Also, why wasn't johnson in the game? mcbride didnt do anything in the second half except negate our go ahead goal. definitely thought you sub johnson for mcbride and have beasley and johnson run at the italians in hopes of getting it back!

I hate we couldn't pull this one out. We still have a chance, but we must be on top of our game.

GO ITALY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (for one game)

Any ref? I am a ref and I wouldn't have....