Argentina Offsides Goal: ANOTHER Controversial World Cup Call (VIDEO)

Argentina eliminated Mexico from the World Cup on Sunday, but a blatantly botched call gave the eventual winners a goal that would shape the rest of the game. In the 26th minute, Carlos Tevez knocked in a goal despite being wildly offside.

Roberto Rosetti, who was refereeing the game, let the goal stand despite incontrovertible visual evidence that the nearby linesman somehow missed. Mexican players were visibly angry by the costly blown call.

The mistake in Johannesburg was not the only embarrassing officiating error at the World Cup on Sunday. Earlier in the day, a bad call robbed England of a goal during their loss to Germany. Scroll down to see the missed offsides call.

WATCH:

Comments

[drjasonmd]

11:53 PM on 07/12/2010

Seriously have to get at least a couple more officials on the field. Two guys and the linesmen are simply not enough.

[fresnofreethinker]

11:54 PM on 07/01/2010

The problems is that technology lets the whole world know that the refs blew the call. The refs are going to make mistakes because things happen so fast, but slow motion hi-def replays make the refs look like idiots. Why not use technology to help the refs out? FIFA is really blowing this call.

[Cm3Kz0ut]

11:48 AM on 07/01/2010

My resolution to the bad officiating, the vuvuzela, the Neanderthal mentality of FIFA and the deplorable theatrics of the players is to view it as a cross between college sports (March Madness for example) the World Wrestling Federation. Once I put on those rose colored glasses I was able to enjoy the World Cup by turning it off, not taking it too seriously and knowing enough to blurt out my "expert bar analysis" while drinking beer with the gang after work.

[dantanna]

10:01 AM on 07/01/2010

when have the argentine team ever won without the help of the referee? or without cheating for that matter? they are very good cheaters and actors in the field.

[Archtriumph]

11:04 AM on 06/30/2010

For the sake of the game... I grew up playing soccer and love the sport. I’ve learned more about the game watching internationally over the last 20 years. The World Cup is a fantastic spectacle of panache, determination and power.

If FIFA's message is "You do not like this? Defy us, and it can get worse" their reign of terror must end. Now is the time to add a few minor corrections that can be accepted by fans and players throughout the world and will improve the game for future generations. Here's one.

My suggestion is this, use 2-minute video review for all goals and penalty kicks as a mandatory confirmation of the call on the field. The flow of the game will not be affected if while the sides celebrate or complain or set-up (which happens every time a goal is scored or penalty is called) a review is made in a ref-studio. The purpose is to confirm the call on the field. Indisputable evidence must exist to overturn a call on the field. Referees can be evaluated by FIFA based on their success rate. A green or red light will signal confirmation or the overturn of the call. This would apply only to off-sides calls in one-touch scoring situations in the goal box rather than in the field of play.

Let’s reward fair play as FIFA promotes “playing fair.”

[freelancerighter]

11:15 PM on 06/29/2010

On refereeing and goal-line technology
FIFA took the decision to play this competition with traditional refereeing, with one novelty – one referee on the field, two assistants and the novelty being that the fourth official has more duties to support the referee. Everybody knew at the start of this competition that we would not apply any other system, such as having two additional referees in the penalty areas or using technology, including goal-line technology. Consequently, the principle will not be changed for this competition. But with what we have experienced here, it would be nonsense to not reopen the file on technology at the next business meeting of the IFAB on 20 and 21 July in Wales.

source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1263334/index.html#president+fifa+will+consider+refereeing+questions

[avatar singh]

04:39 PM on 06/29/2010

In the match betwen spain and portugal the spanish man made goal when he was off side. again at 85 minutes ROnaldo of portugal was harshly fauled which the referee did not see-that would have ben turning point because it was at last 5 minutes and it was near penalty are-But thse things happen-tehcnology would nto have made difference excpet to make things slow. in fact the british commentaro said abotu that -who cares about offside-so here you go-it is an issue only when england has to justify its dismal defeat by 4-1 which could have ben germany 7-2.

[freelancerighter]

11:22 PM on 06/29/2010

In looking at this, we have to put individual games aside for a moment.
The object of the World Cup is to establish which team is the best in the world. When human error changes the outcome of the competition - it is interfering with that objective.

No one is saying that soccer needs to be over-technically involved, only that it should be used towards preserving the accuracy of judgments that affect the outcome of the tournament.

Think about how hard these players work for what they achieve. Those in charge of the game owe them the most accurate outcome possible.

[Talossa]

01:24 PM on 06/29/2010

This is one case where the rule is sillier than the officials.

[quoveritas]

02:00 PM on 06/29/2010

Don't know much about futbol do ya?

[Talossa]

03:14 PM on 06/29/2010

What makes you say that? It's a stupid rule. So is the ground rule double.

[Cm3Kz0ut]

12:38 PM on 07/01/2010

Talossa ... a great series of logical thoughts on the game of soccer .... gotta tell you ... FANNED!!!

[Talossa]

03:02 PM on 07/01/2010

Thanks -- I guess I'm like you, I enjoy the game but can't really get into it unless the match is 'important' (like the World Cup, which I love watching). It is far too slow for my tastes, a single random event can change the entire course of the game (the opposite of basketball!) and the officials are embarrassing.

[DannyGee]

11:31 AM on 06/29/2010

World Cup soccer referees are either grossly incompetent or crooked. which is it?

[Leto II]

11:56 AM on 06/29/2010

Crooked. They wanted Argentina to advance since it's better for ratings. Most people want to see Messi go all the way to the finals. FIFA is following the model of the NBA where David Stern wants either Kobe or LeBron in the finals.

[quoveritas]

01:55 PM on 06/29/2010

Very well said. It's all about the brand conscious consumers who will buy up Messi's jersey or Kaka's cleats. Follow the money and you see the bigger picture.

[November9]

07:27 PM on 06/29/2010

None of the above. Nobody is perfect. Many faults goes unpunished because the referee is not in the best position to see the fault clearly. In the case of England's goal and the Argentinian offside, it was the assistant referee's fault for not been in line with the game. He was supposed to be by the corner of the field, by the time the players reached the goal area. It is ease for us to see every play with the cameras they now use on the field.

[gclafontaine]

08:26 AM on 06/29/2010

Wow. How can the officiating be this bad? Dempsey gets called for an offside when he wasn't and then this obvious one is missed. Is money changing hands somewhere?

[CateManhattan]

08:34 PM on 06/29/2010

No. We also got a few advantages too. It's part of a very human game. Far better than being ruled by IT.

[blueskybigstar]

01:37 AM on 06/29/2010

Instant replay would ensure that the refs are not bribed. Each team should be given a certain number as they now do in tennis. There should be two offsides refs who should only call their side of the field. After corner kicks and after the ball passes the goal line, the ball should have to be cleared out of the penalty area before the offsides rule again resumes.

[CateManhattan]

02:02 AM on 06/29/2010

The refs aren't bribed.

Oh, my, I can see it now. FIFA will just knock themselves silly to comply with your ideas. LOL. Our game is doing just fine, thank you.

[blueskybigstar]

02:21 AM on 06/29/2010

How do you know? If you look at my sentences carefully, you will see that I never said that they were, but I am more of a person who likes to take precautions. Seeing how America lost a goal without even an explanation by the ref is very fishy.

And, finally, you do not own the game. I played for many years. This is one game I know very well. I guess you are not aware that they have been tweeking with the rules every four years, but in my opinion, never in the right way. Why not in a way that makes sense and feels more fair? I saw them take a way a goal for a ball that had just been kicked as a corner kick. Absurd.

[poprox]

04:49 PM on 06/29/2010

No need to write in such a mocking tone.

[kennyfasugbe]

11:44 AM on 06/29/2010

I accept your corner kicks rule, since the goal post is always swarmed with tens of players at that time, so off side rule should be thrown out until the ball leaves the Box 18. Also, on instant replay, I think every goal should be given an instant replay, as well as give each team additional 3 or 5 plays each during a game.

[blueskybigstar]

12:27 PM on 06/29/2010

Let's write FIFA.

[CateManhattan]

12:31 AM on 06/29/2010

The only real requirement for soccer is a regulation ball and a pitch of at least a certain set of dimensions with markings . . . . the poorest of our world citizenry play the same game as the professionals. We want our game to remain a purely human endeavor.

Three teams are fielded: ours, theirs, and the referees. Errors are made by all, and they tend to sort out evenly over the course of a game.

Agreed, too many errors have marred this world cup -- the outcomes of the investigations would be interesting to hear, though FIFA does not generally make a full public report. Before anyone starts castigating FIFA: they have a tough job, and I have long thought their capriciousness is an effective strategy for keeping more countries than the UN toeing their line. FIFA's message: "You do not like this? Defy us, and it can get worse." Not nice, but effective.

We do not want to turn our game into an electronics-controlled contest, or to start changing rules willy nilly. Each rule was implemented to reduce a specific problem. For example, without the offside rule the goalkeeper would find himself wearing an attacking player. The ref would have a difficult time making sure the keeper was not impeded or injured while his attention was on the remainder of the field.

For centuries the world has played this game essentially as it is today. Futball is like life: not perfect, but better than any alternative.

[kennyfasugbe]

11:46 AM on 06/29/2010

Why are you afraid of Changes? The game is meant for the people and not the people for the game!

[Talossa]

01:26 PM on 06/29/2010

> We want our game to remain a purely human endeavor.

We dont' want our athletic events to be decided on athletic achievements, after all.

[rooks]

11:59 PM on 06/28/2010

I am not even close to a soccer expert and I thought I understood offsides but this situation confuses me because he is past the goalie because the goalie made a mistake and missed the ball. His momemtum carried him past the goalie. How is that offsides?

[bioShell]

02:01 AM on 06/29/2010

I'm not an expert, but you cannot accept a pass from a teammate when at least two opponents are between you and the goal at the time the ball is passed to you (the moment it is off your teammate's touch).
you can be in the goal area if you want but you cannot participate in the play if you are offside.

[CateManhattan]

02:07 AM on 06/29/2010

He stayed in play. Had he returned to onsides, he could have then been available to play the ball. Or if he had removed himself (entirely) from play, the play could have continued for the other players.

[nsmavrik]

11:54 PM on 06/28/2010

Argentina?

Why am I not suprised. Let's not forget the "Hail-Mary" goal Maradona had with his Hand.

I'm sure Argentina didn't maliciously do it on purpose, but just because you can doesn't mean you should. They should have known better.

[Alexvizzio]

11:23 PM on 06/28/2010

Justice is black or white. It is either right or wrong. There´s nothing in between. If a play is wrong, then it´s wrong. If a goal is illegitimate, it will be illegitimate everywhere in the world in every instance. Technology can definitely help to keep justice in the game, specially tournaments with so much at stake. It will only benefit everyone. Why to lay all the burden and risponsability on a human? There´s so much money invested and so much passion from fans to just to throw it away with bad calls. It could also help to erradicate violence on the stands as well, plus, it could help to keep players from "diving" in the box or faking injuries (from which they heal the minute they step out of the pitch), or to overexagerate another player charge or when they fall forward whey someone tugs their jersey from behind. That´s my favorite fake. Thank you.