Japan lodges protest over disallowed goal

I was a high-school football official. For most games the official's association fielded 5-man crews, but for the State Playoffs and State Tournaments the state mandated 7-man crews. For the REALLY important games you provide extra eyes on the field. That's a no-brainer.

I see, Fadamor. You were a pro, and what you said shed light on where an amateur could see only irony or sarcasm. Like you, Honda is a pro, and what he said made a lot of sense: a game of this magnitude does need more eyes at the right spots. Anyway, I don't think the harm can be undone. The JFA should learn from this dear lesson; they have to review relevant details and get adjustments made BEFORE the game to make sure it will be played right and fair, instead of lodging a protest AFTER the harm has been done.

"Japanese Internet users slammed referee Al Jassim on social media, while some also praised the calm reaction of Asano."

Maybe it's just me, but I would have been having a go at Asano as an international forward scuffing a chance which shouldn't have given the keeper a prayer. Sportsmanship is all well and good, but I expect my forwards not to give the officials any headaches from that kind of chance.

Just put it away. It was a sitter.

Every World Cup has its referee problems. Nothing new. Every team gets affected sooner or later; this time it was Japan's turn. I feel sorry for them as they did well but it's a bit late now to do anything.

HI Black Sabbath in the beginning there were just 11 rules, Cambridge Rules 1848

http://www.cambridgerules1848.com/about/

Even the government of China dream of the tantalizing prospect of World Cup glory

It was a bad call but a reasonable mistake. Japan shouldn't have to whine and cry this hard for a TIE against UAE. Shouldn't have been even close.

Don't get the point of the " formal protest". The goal can't be awarded retrospectively and the game won't be replayed. It's not ice-skating. What's it for?

Just put it away

Can't argue with that.

Don't get the point of the " formal protest". The goal can't be awarded retrospectively and the game won't be replayed. It's not ice-skating. What's it for?

Again, falling back on my (American) football officiating experience, a protest that has merit will usually result in the official who made the error being removed from consideration for other important games in the near future. Someone who botches a call they shouldn't have would not be working any more post-season games that year and maybe the following year as well.

The fallible defines humanity, however vexing, the beautiful game. infuriating but so enticingly watchable.

"So, I've done a bunch of research into this and have discovered, much to my amazement and despair, that 100s of millions of people in the world care about this thing called soccer.

And Americans still don't."

They'll get there eventually.

I completely understand Japan's decision to lodge an official protest. They know it won't work on this occasion but they have to make themselves heard at international level and not be seen as sacrificial lambs/weak. Pure PR.

It doesn't pay to be nice and quiet in world football, you have to be loud and over assertive when necessary. The same goal vs the same UAE at Wembley, Paris or Berlin would have been given to England, France or Germany.

@turbostat

Erm, ok.

As I said, they'll get there eventually. It'll take a while for many to be able to watch more than 5 minutes of action without a commercial break or a time out, but they'll get there.

So, I've done a bunch of research into this and have discovered, much to my amazement and despair, that 100s of millions of people in the world care about this thing called soccer.

And Americans still don't.

@Jimizo

Networks will squeeze as much advertising revenue as they can. Maybe they think US watchers are used to ads and can get away with more.

There's lots of Spanish stations available, at least in the Southwest. I watched a bit of a game on a Mexican channel a few weeks ago but don't remember how often they did commercial breaks.

NFL sometimes blacks out games on TV in areas where they're playing, if they don't get enough tickets sold, but I don't know if MLS does the same.

@Jimizo

http://exiledonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/soccer-whining.jpg

Good at playing the victim.

“I question why they did not have an (extra) referee for the final round of qualifying, in which the levels of competition are high,”

Is it different from any other game like this? No? So why the complaining all of a sudden when calls have gone their way in the past? A bad call is a bad call, and yet you hear little to none of these players calling for or demanding more eyes or electronics on the ball UNTIL it goes against them. So, sorry, but as has been the case before, and as will be the case again, the ultimate say is with the ref, and there's nothing the team can do except be upset about it. Perhaps Honda would like to lead the charge to have goal-line technology in stadiums in Japan and tournaments he participates in? No?

I am both shocked and dismayed by this.

And by this, I mean, that soccer is still considered a thing.