Ref off!

I didn't get much sleep last night, partly due to a bad cold I cought two days ago. I also wanted to get an early night so that I could get up early and watch "The Game" - Australia vs. Croatia.

I was awake by 3:30am, before the alarm. Feeling pretty banged up and misearble I popped a pill and headed for the TV. I quickly (4:05am ) realised that the game was not starting till 5:00. Oh well, I watched the ending of the Ghana match, then endured the painful pre-match commentary and predicions by the pitiful SBS commentators.

"The Game" kicked off at 5:00 and of course my heart sank after the Croatian goal - but Viduka should have known better. I think this was the first Australian players' error (Hiddink is still impeccable, even after taking Schwarzer out - he had to).

The Viduka Incident was out of this world too. But there were still more idiotic moments to come. There were three more incidents which annoyed me:
a. the "two yellow cards and still playing" moment - what the hell are the FIFA officials doing? OK, the ref was overwelmed with on-the-field action, but someone could have wispered something to his ear!
b. Kalac's brainless hand-throw minutes after the crucial equaliser straight to a Croat's feet. I have no words for that...
c. The end-of-match wistle and simultaneous red card to Simunic. Uh?

This was a dramatic match, more so because of the panic of both teams towards the last 15 minutes - but the referee's inadeqacies elevated it to soap opera status.

But Australia is through, for all it matters. And once again, hats off to Guus Hiddink. And all the best to Russia. I'll be watching out for them in the next World Cup.