FIFA Under 20's?

[Booche]

They absolutely have to do something about the diving because I am losing interest in the game. Great being there but the pace on the tele gets bogged down too much.

[Tissue Man]

Webb should have done that game, hes been great this tourney with letting the game flow.

Whoever decided on the centre of attention german ref should be shot alongside him.

the game could have been a beauty. chile players didnt help themselves but they really didnt start losing it until the fouls piled up..

interesting final.. czechs trying to hold on for pens im guessin. they barely came out of there half in the game in ottawa against the argies.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

yeah exactly there TM– all you on-the-fence fitba fans should skip the final, it'll just get you more angry. the game highlights should be more than sufficient

i could be wrong, the argies might light it up and put on a clinic but i fear a couple of 1st half goals then more of what we saw yesterday. fortunately the czechs shouldnt, in theory, run after the ref appealing for cards and that sort of nonsense but it's tough to predict the Shame sometimes.

actually a best-case scenario would be for the argies to score late in the 1st half or early in the 2nd then the czechs being forced to come out of their shell to try to get things going and drum up a few good chances

Edited July 20, 2007 by Guest
too much blood in my alcohol stream

[SmoothedShredder]

[AD]

apparently the Chilean Foreign Affairs ministry or whatever it's called is filing a police brutality claim.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

awesome!

maybe the canuck coppers will get to travel to s. america to see how their counterparts would have dealt with the situation

[badams]

CP) - A brawl between an irate Chilean soccer team and Toronto police that left players bloodied and sporting officials stunned has swelled into an international incident between Canada and Chile, which plans to make a formal complaint over "unjustified aggression" by police officers.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has called the situation serious, and the country's foreign minister said he will send a complaint to his Canadian counterpart, Peter MacKay.

"Naturally this is not a normal situation and we're going to demand a clear explanation for why the police reacted this way with such unusual methods in a situation of this kind," Chile's Foreign Affairs Minister Alejandro Foxley told Chilean media.

The incident, described by FIFA president Sepp Blatter as a "black mark" on what had so far been a successful tournament, erupted Thursday night as members of the Chilean under-20 World Cup team were getting onto their bus following their bitter 3-0 semifinal loss to Argentina at the National Soccer Stadium near Toronto's waterfront.

Related Info

The melee, which prompted officers to reportedly use a Taser and pepper spray, soon escalated as players on the bus began throwing things at police through the windows and tried to grab officers from inside the damaged bus.

The bus was parked at the side of the stadium, where a large fence kept hundreds of angry, chanting fans from getting closer. Police eventually handcuffed several players, some of them bloodied and screaming, and escorted them back into the locker-room area while shocked FIFA and Canadian soccer officials looked on.

The entire Chilean team was later detained by police at the stadium, said a FIFA spokesman, although no arrests were made.

Toronto police Chief Bill Blair said officers were forced to take action as the team was leaving the stadium when a dispute broke out between a Chilean player and a rival fan.

"Members of the Chilean team then decided to direct some of their aggressive behaviour towards my officers," Blair said in a release.

"The job of my officers was to respond in a firm, but fair, manner to end that violence. They are trained to do so, and that is what they did."

The game, an ill-tempered affair with nine yellow cards - seven to Chile and two to Argentina - saw two Chilean players ejected by referees. German referee Wolfgang Stark called 53 fouls - 30 against Chile.

When the final whistle blew, several Chilean players tried to get at the officiating crew. Others stepped in to keep them away. Two police officers escorted the officiating crew off the pitch, but they stopped as they neared the tunnel, eyeing the angry crowd.

Eventually they made a run for it, dashing to the safety of the tunnel below the stands.

Reaction in Chile has been unanimously supportive of the players and furious at Toronto authorities. Chilean Interior Minister Belisario Velasco has called for preventive security at the Canadian and German embassies in Santiago, although he said neither embassy had received a threat.

"In our judgment, what happened was particularly serious because the Chilean delegation suffered unjustified aggression," Bachelet told reporters in Chile.

"Because of that, I've asked my external affairs minister to investigate all the facts and take whatever steps needed, because it seems to us that what happened to those boys shouldn't have happened, and the government is going to be extremely clear in this regard."

Chilean newspapers used words such as "brutal" to describe the melee after the game and quoted players who said they were beaten by police. Radio-Cooperativa, a major Chilean radio station, said the president of the country's soccer federation was also hurt in the fracas.

"They hit me with an electrical current and I fainted," player Isaias Perralta told Chilean media. "When I regained consciousness, I saw 10 police officers were hitting me and throwing acid in my face."

The ruling body of soccer will take "adequate actions" following the brawl, Blatter told CBC Newsworld.

Blatter, who expressed his regrets over the incident to Toronto Mayor David Miller, said Miller told him police were perhaps a little "rough" in their response.

Miller denied saying that, adding that although he'd spoken to Blair, he can't comment on the police response since he wasn't there.

Toronto police, FIFA, the local organizing committee and the Chilean delegation are all investigating the incident.

The Chilean team scrapped a scheduled 12:15 p.m. ET practice Friday at the National Soccer Stadium. A tournament official said an evening practice was possible.

[Booche]

Well, we set the attendance record!

I love Argentina's national anthem. Game on.

[Jaimoe]

The diving is driving me nuts and making me sick at the same time.

[M.O.B.E]

I like how the Czech's started playin the diving game now too.

[Booche]

I didnt have a chance to watch much of the first half but of the bits and pieces I saw, the game reminded me very much of the first time they met at the beginning of the tourney here in Ottawa.

[M.O.B.E]

You didnt really miss much. No real clear stronger team or nobody wants to open up up yet. I like the Czechs' chances here.

[M.O.B.E]

I like them even better now

[M.O.B.E]

oops

[Booche]

Great finishes, especially the Czech one. And for my money the MVP goes to Aguero. He's so damn dominate and finds chances all over the place.

The only complaint I can make about him is that he will try and beat a guy around the top of the box when he has the easy pass but that should change as he comes of age.

[Booche]

Was it just me or did CBC come back late to the play for that second Argentine goal?

[Jaimoe]

They missed it and at least Nigel fessed-up to missing it.

[Booche]

From my limited viewing, I will applaud the CBC for a job well done and let me tell you.

Craig Forrest is the fucking man.

Now guys, its our chance. We got to start making some babies and getting them into Canadian soccer. This country needs us. Including you Rahmer.

[Jaimoe]

Not only do I agree that Forrest is the fucking man, but I also think he's the best colour commentor in the country. Mark that down for future reference.

[Booche]

He certainly seems natural at it.

I like that he voices his opinion but unlike a ton of color guys (especially ex-players) he doesnt make said opinion about him. He really believes it is for the betterment of the game and I cant disagree with what he has had to say. In that regard, he's somewhat comparable to a young Don Cherry when he first busted onto the CBC.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

yup i'd sink my little guy deep inside him, givent he opportunity

[color:#cccccc]he's very handsome

[PassedOutGuy]

Now guys, its our chance. We got to start making some babies and getting them into Canadian soccer. Rahmer.

MOBE's about to have number three... thats almost a starting midfield for the womens national team eh...

[Booche]

ATTA BOY MOBE!

Dude, we need finishers. Get to work. I dont care what position they play. Teach them the bullseye approach along with the proper control. I'll try and knock the wife up within 2 years and we'll see what we can come up with.

[PassedOutGuy]

Im on it! Oshawa vs. Ottawa

[Booche]

POG, that game would end quickly and I would feel bad for MOBE's kids during their route.

Let's keep it together, ok?

DNA