Colombia vs Japan & Ivory Coast vs Greece

[Manwell Pablo]

Could Greece do 2004 all over again?

 

I doubt it but if you finish 2nd in a group you aren't going to do much better than a last 16 place against Costa Rica to kick your knockout campaign off.

[lavrentis]

Scenes in Athens ATM

Never a penalty but Greece deserved to win this match

[bovril]

Angela will be pleased, Germany have two teams in the knockout stages.

[Guest Col city fan]

Phew.. The Greece penalty made me a nice few quid. I knew the Ivorians would buckle. Toure was utter pants.

[Alf Bentley]

Did anyone get a proper, reasonably objective view of that Greek penalty?

 

I only saw it from distance in a pub, through a haze of ale. ITV didn't challenge it at all, but it looked to me like Samaras just kicked the turf and then flung himself to the ground.

 

Presumably I'm missing something, as the Ivorians didn't protest and the commentators clearly thought it was a pen (maybe because they seemed to have decided to support Greece throughout?!)

 

Any objective views, if such things ever exist.....?

[ScouseFox]

Did anyone get a proper, reasonably objective view of that Greek penalty?

 

I only saw it from distance in a pub, through a haze of ale. ITV didn't challenge it at all, but it looked to me like Samaras just kicked the turf and then flung himself to the ground.

 

Presumably I'm missing something, as the Ivorians didn't protest and the commentators clearly thought it was a pen (maybe because they seemed to have decided to support Greece throughout?!)

 

Any objective views, if such things ever exist.....?

 

he pulls his leg back to swing through and kick the ball and just as he begins his swing his leg is clipped, it's a pen imo. it looked dodgy first time up (and if you've not seen a decent slow-mo) because he does continue his swing and kicks his own leg, but you see from a decent replay that the reason he kicks the back of his standing leg rather than the ball it's because he was clipped in the build up. 

 

https://t.co/7pf2VcsH1Q

[Guest Col city fan]

he pulls his leg back to swing through and kick the ball and just as he begins his swing his leg is clipped, it's a pen imo. it looked dodgy first time up (and if you've not seen a decent slow-mo) because he does continue his swing and kicks his own leg, but you see from a decent replay that the reason he kicks the back of his standing leg rather than the ball it's because he was clipped in the build up.

Yep exactly how I saw it..

[Jimothy]

Did anyone get a proper, reasonably objective view of that Greek penalty?

 

I only saw it from distance in a pub, through a haze of ale. ITV didn't challenge it at all, but it looked to me like Samaras just kicked the turf and then flung himself to the ground.

 

Presumably I'm missing something, as the Ivorians didn't protest and the commentators clearly thought it was a pen (maybe because they seemed to have decided to support Greece throughout?!)

 

Any objective views, if such things ever exist.....?

It must have been a haze of booze, it was on the BBC, not ITV.

Thought it was a pen. Catches his legs, which causes him to kick the ground.

[Alf Bentley]

It must have been a haze of booze, it was on the BBC, not ITV.

Thought it was a pen. Catches his legs, which causes him to kick the ground.

 

I did wonder why Ivory Coast were playing Ken and Deirdre Barlow up front, and brought James Mates and Natasha Kaplinsky off the bench for the last few minutes..... 

 

Enough credible witnesses suggesting it was a pen to convince me. I'm just doubly disappointed because (a) I can't imagine Greece are going to contribute much entertainment in the knock-out rounds; and (b) I was banking on Bamba to either score a crucial header or commit a terrible and ridiculous error.....Cheik Tioté stood in for him in that role! 

[Asha]

Haha, the Greeks always find a way to sneak out of the group.

 

Even in the Euro 2012 they were shit but managed to edge out the group with a win the third game.

[Kitchandro]

Not really sure why some people are calling that a controversial penalty. He's about to smash it at goal and the bloke slides in and catches him, making no contact with the ball. He plays the player and denies a possible goal. It's not even up for debate.

[Guest MattP]

Why can't Greece play like that every game? Much better to watch when attacking with intent, could have score 4 or 5 last night.

 

As for Sol Bamba He's actually got worse by the looks of it since he left us.

[Super_horns]

Probably just as well we didn't come 2nd - Colombia would have beaten us.

 

Greece too...