was almost, for a second or two, in the process of being chalked off after a replay was shown on the big screen. That is also not allowed of course. Marquez is booked for a foul on Messi. I'm afraid it's another technology-debate-stoking balls-up.

30 mins: Marquez goes in very hard again on Tevez and he's going to have ot be very careful. Might have been off for that. This is a terrible blow for Mexico. It's hard enough stopping Argentina score legitimate goals and they had done very well for the opening half hour. Kester Lovelace, who has emerged from the pages of a Los Angeles 1950s detective novel, asks "was Tevez more offside than Lampard's shot was over the line?" About the same.

33 mins: ARGENTINA SCORE AGAIN! Terrible mistake by Osorio. Really awful. Like something out of a grainy bloopers DVD. But greta work from Higuain too as he picks up an embarrassingly scuffed attempt at a sideways pass 30 yards from goal, skips forward , rounds the keeper and slips it in. He's scored again and Argentina, with some help, are all over this now.

35 mins: Mexico are pouring forward, but a little frantically. Argentina break quickly and, blimey, Osorio makes another terrible mistake, giving the ball straight to Tevez, who skips forward and floats a cross over that just evades Messi six yards out. Mexico really do need to calm down. Instead they're nearly three down as Di Maria breaks through on the left and has a fine low shot that Perez dives to palm away. Cripes. This could be a walloping. Howard Davies notes lugubriously, "With all these missed referee decisions its a good thing this isn't a major tournament. I'm sure FIFA will have it all sorted out when something important is on the line."

39 mins: Free kick to Mexico near the corner of the Argentina box, but Guardado smashes it over the bar. Every single Mexican looks a bit crazed right now. They have been hard done by but they need to have a moment and relax a little. Gary Naylor is cross: "Officiating started poorly and has got worse and worse. I have never seen it so bad in 36 years. I find it, literally, unbelievable that these errors are being made." Is it worse? This always happens. We just seem to jump on it more now. Bjorn Lubbers for example: "being a supporter of the German side, I was deeply embarrassed by the goal which wasn't given. Now when the ref between Mexico and Argentine walked to his linesman, for a fraction of a second I thought we might have a life introduction of live video evidence.. watching the linesman obviously receiving instructions (was he?) I thought FIFA might grow a backspine at last.. only to see the shameful decision for a goal that was indeed offside."

42 mins: Tevez is fouled again. He and Messi will have white and blue striped legs at the end of this. And Higuain should have scored there. A lovely cross from the right by Maxi Rodriguez, Higuain rises unmarked and his header is skewed horribly wide of the far post. to channel Geoff Boycott for a moment, my ancient and in fact deceased Maradona-lookalike Hungarian grandmother could have put that away.

44 mins: Juarez has been getting some joy against Heinze on the left. that is perhaps Mexico's best hope. And Silver Fox is getting carried away :"If today doesn't bring about changes in the use of technology for disputed goals then nothing will. Human error has led to the destiny of 2 games being altered." That is perhaps not strictly true. Germany were vastly superior to England today. It was a terrible mistake but they would have won that game either way.

45+1 mins: Best chance of the half for Mexico. The excellent Salcido puts in a lovely cross that Hernandez gets a toe on hurtling forwards, but the ball flies straight into the midriff of Romero. A bit lucky that. Could have changed things significantly before half time.

45+2 mins: HALF TIME. Mexico walk off protesting to the officials and, oh blimey, it's all kicking off down on the Argentina bench as the Mexicans walk past. Maradona leaps in and appears to be playing the peace-maker. And there we are: Argentina are well ahead in this game now. But the talk will all be about the mistake for the goal.

Simon McDonnell is, meanwhile, having his own technological drama: "Sitting in a Ryanair plane on the tarmac in girona airport north of Barca following your commentary. We've taken off once and returned due to bird strike. Second take off abandoned due to distressed child. I'm relaying developments in the game to my fellow passengers. The air steward has just begun his third safety demonstration and invited us to join in! Spirit of the blitz, etc. One passanger has speculated that the plane actually crashed and we are now in hell! Come on Mexico!" Watch it. Ryanair will charge you for that.

So, just for the reco

上一页  [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] 下一页