soccer

Ronaldo hat-trick leads Real Madrid to Club World Cup title

13 Comments
By JIM ARMSTRONG

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13 Comments
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The Spain international wasn’t fully fit for Thursday’s 2-0 semifinal win over Club America of Mexico and was almost sent off in the 90th minute when he took down Mu Kanazaki.

If you ever wanted proof that Club World Cup's and World Cup's etc are fixed, here it is. Ramos, already on a yellow card, makes a professional foul with 5 minutes left. The referee blows for a foul and reaches for his card pocket. The referee then listens to something on his earpiece, takes his hand away from his top pocket, and closes it. Real would have had to play extra time with 10 men and without their influential defender.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

As with Tigers, that was as clear a yellow card as you'll see. The player was getting away from him and Ramos took him out. Scandalous decision.

I also thought Kashima put up a really gutsy show and could have nicked that at the end of the 90 - even with Real having 11 players rather than 10.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

It actually turned out to be quite an incredible game, very high intensity usually only seen in the PL. That yellow card was a farce though

4 ( +6 / -2 )

That referees about-face was a complete farce. So obvious he got a call on his earpiece. One of the most visual pieces of football fixing you will get to witness.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

A great game overall, but the referee was a joke for not sending Ramos off. His hand was in his pocket about to give him a second yellow. Was Fifa holding his family ransom or something? Kashima played a good game and gave Real and real scare.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Yep completely agree with the above posters, no question refs favour big teams in most sports nowadays and we saw that again last night. Saddest thing is It's almost become expected & accepted and media/commentators (and fans) barely raise an eyebrow.

Re Ronaldo's performance itself thought he was selfish on quite a few occasions (forgot Benzema a couple of times) whereas Benzema and co always looked for him. Kashima did very well, Endo (If I remember well) should have done better with the last ball in regular time though.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I would have thought FIFA would have wanted a Kashima win

No way. A Kashima win would have been a huge embarrassment for FIFA. Kashima were ranked 370 in the world before the tournament and only got invited through the sponsors. If a team ranked 370 in the world wins the Club World Cup you may as well not have that tournament next year.

It didn't warrent a second yellow and the ref's checking his book

You must be the only person in Japan who didnt see the ref go for his card then get a call. The ref called the foul and was right there. He wanted to give the yellow.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

@Roosterman77

Nah, yellow card all day, mate. Take a look at how Ramos reacted. He's been around the block a few times and knew what he'd done.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

If that was a yellow card (regardless of the refs pocket fingering) then football as a great,tough game has taken a giant leap backwards.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@roosterman77 ... you are absolutely right! It wasn't a bookable offense. Just the Kashima player ran into Ramos... no yellow in any referees book! Just this referee made a blunder by touching his pocket then realized what he was doing and changed his action. Bottom line it wasn't a yellow card offense

0 ( +1 / -1 )

If that was a yellow card (regardless of the refs pocket fingering) then football as a great,tough game has taken a giant leap backwards.

It is a yellow card, any day of the week. The great, tough game would be boring if they let players make professional fouls to stop counter-attacks without consequence.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There is no way that was second bookable offence. They may be inclined to give such a yellow towards the end of a match if they aren't on a yellow already. There was hardly any contact and where did it happen? Ok, perhaps the ref was going for the yellow before realing. It wasn't a blatant foul. Sergio Ramos doesn't know what the ref's going to do... hence his reaction. Anyway, Real won... I'm not biased... much

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

The ref gets a call from the linesman. It didn't warrent a second yellow and the ref's checking his book. I would have thought FIFA would have wanted a Kashima win. Anyway, Hala Madrid!

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

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