[LuvFreeRepublic]

Unintentional has nothing to do with this dangerous play. Nothing more dangerous than two players moving to the same space with intensity and one having their cleats up that high. He should have never had his cleat up and it should have been an automatic red card.

[SeaHawkFan]

Had it been a red card, you would have had no argument from me. All I am saying that given the importance of the match, the fact that it happened very early on, and that it wasn’t intentional, one can make a very good argument that the decision was proper, even if it was not in agreement with the letter of the rule.

I’d bet almost anything that the FIFA board was not displeased with the decision. They selected Howard Webb because he was easily the best referee from a country not involved in the semi-finals. I saw every match he officiated and of the matches I saw, he and his crew were easily the most competent.