Move On

Bad calls happen in all sports. Horrific, unfair calls, too.

Injustice, though? Maybe, but it's a stretch to come up with a conspiracy theory in which a Norwegian referee works in concert with the U.S. national women's team to produce an Olympic victory over Canada. This just doesn't feel like Josef Kompalla in '72.

Here's the bigger point; staying focussed on the very, very iffy calls late in the Canada-U.S. game on Monday should not be the way in which the Canadian team's efforts should be remembered, both good and bad.

From the good point of view, Canada struck early and often offensively, and how great was it to see a Canadian soccer team so dangerous with the ball. This wasn't sit back and play for penalty kicks against the powerful Americans. This was a Canadian team going for gold in an aggressive, exciting way. An inspiring way.

From the bad, four goals allowed in any soccer match, even if one was of the very dubious variety because of officiating error or misjudgement, isn't usually going to get it done. Were we really going to score five? As good as Canada was offensively, it lacked defensive efficiency and judgement, at least partly, quite likely, because of a slew of key injuries on the back end.

Beyond that, Canadians can be offended if they want that IOC officials are "investigating" what was said and done post-match, and sanctions may be forthcoming, but ripping the refs post-match is going to get you in trouble in any sport. Fines and suspensions for beaking off about the officiating are not uncommon in the NHL, NBA and other major North American sports. Serena Wiliams, Lord knows, got in a heap of trouble for verbally attacking a U.S. Open lineswoman.

Was it understandable that some of the Canadians went off? Sure, even more so because this is a tournament that comes along once every for years. They don't get another shot at the Americans next week. There's raw emotion out there.

But that's the bargain you make when you compete, that the calls may not go your way but when it's all said and done questioning more than just the calls but questioning the integrity of the process and the competitive landscape is out-of-bounds. Hey, the British team was openly questioning the officiating during their loss to Canada last week. They thought the Canadian team was getting away with murder. This time, it's Canada that doesn't like how it went down. 

To me, it sure doesn't sound like members of the Canadian team said anything that egregious, or anything that deserves suspensions from the bronze medal match. It's doubly tough when athletes not used to intense media attention have to handle so much of it on such a large stage. But you still have to watch your tongue. Saying the wrong thing is never going to be right.

So let's move on. It wasn't so long ago that it seemed Canadian women's soccer was going in the wrong direction, and today, despite the loss to the Americans, few would say that. So let's not make it about the officiating. Let's make it about a daring, attacking team that competed valiantly but didn't quite get it done protecting their own net.

Understand what went right and what went wrong. Don't make this like Leaf fans who still believe the Leafs were robbed of the Cup in '93 by Kerry Fraser.

Anything else is, ultimately, pointless. Going for bronze is now the only point.

 

Comments

[Grammar Guy]

you're such a good journo Damian. A conspiracy theory? Yes because it's entirely far fetched that a soccer match would be fixed. That's impossible right? Next article you should write about how horse racing and boxing are clean sports that encourage child participation. Come on man that was robbery.

[Matt Toronto]

Damien, if you're referring to the women's team, I believe they have moved on. It is us and the media, who have not.

I think it would have been fair to claim immediately following the game that the referee was incompetent, rather than that she was looking to give the Americans an advantage, so yes, match fixing claims are a little over the top. BUT you can't blame the women, given that in CONCACAF play, on both the men's and women's side, it always feels like Canada needs to do a little more than everyone else to win, because in soccer, 50-50 calls always tend to go to the better ranked or higher profile team - and this felt a lot like one of those situations, but much worse given the stage and the dusting off of a long-ago buried and never-enforced rule.

[Cam]

This article is proof that even a stopped watch is right twice a day. A rare "good point" by Cox.

[Scott T.]

"Were we really going to score five?"

------

They didn't need to score five because they would have had the game won with three and only two conceded.

[Lou Vuillemot]

Good call Mr. Cox.
If the penalty kick by the US had failed, where is the guarantee Canada would then have gone on to win? The ref missed the call when Tancredi stomped on the US player's head, which would have been a big edge for the US , if called.
Everyone agrees the Canadians played a great game. Too bad the crybaby whining afterwards smacks of such poor sportsmanship.
You're right. Suck it up, move on, and win the next game.

[Joe]

Mr. Cox

Great article. Our players were great. Most soccer games at this level are chippy, and this one was no exception. FIFA is slow to change (like adding another ref to help out, or video replay for close calls.) Tancredi stomped on the US player's head, and no call. Let us go get the bronze metal and stop the cry baby routine.

[drit]

toronto sports writers are worthless. They have a media event and collect their precious awards, but when it comes down to it, these guys are useless. Fire them all

[JC]

I agree that we should be pleased, even excited that Women's soccer has resurfaced until the tutelage of John Herdman. It is fun to watch the girls play the game the way it should be played. It shows that the talent exists in Canada and has probably always been present.

I agree that challenging the integrity of referees and guiding organizations must be based upon fact. Clearly any implication of a conspiracy, even if it might be true, cannot be issued in the absence of proof.

I further agree that bad refereeing happens and that under most circumstances we should simply roll with it and accept that the opposition also must deal with the same frustrations.

There is a line however where bad refereeing should, in fact must, be challenged. This is one of those cases. There are times when a referee takes the game out of the hands of the players and dictates the outcome of a contest.

I could analyze this game frame by frame and there is no question that each team would have cause for complaint, including a missed handball by the Americans' Rapinoe in her 18 yard box.

However, the gift of a penalty shot with twelve minutes to play is an absolute game changer. The delay of game call against Erin McLeod can be justified although it is not normally called. (It appears that the referee allowed Abi Wambaugh to influence her decision.) A penalty call on an inadvertent handball is a wrong call. By comparison, Rapinoe was using her arm to widen her body and trap a ball in the 18 yard zone a definite penalty. Although I cannot re-write history, it is doubtful that the Americans would have scored a third goal in the remaining time or would have had the occasion to score a fourth after 30 minutes of extra time.

Of course, commenting on refereeing never changes anything, but there are times when we must stand up and loudly express that we noticed, that we understand the frustration the players feel and that it is simply wrong.

I am certain the Norwegian referee was doing her best; however something was amiss. Was she overwhelmed by the magnitude of the contest? Was she subconsciously favouring one team over the other?

A few bad calls? Sure, we all can accept that. That's life. This was a serious outlier that demanded attention.

[bri]

LOL. A call never before made in the Olympics and the World Cup gets made with 20 minutes left in a semi final game at the complete discretion of the referee is not a conspiracy? This was worse than Joesph Kampalla. This decision directly impacted and changed the game. That is the definition of a conspiracy. A worse call could never be made.