As any good coach would, Jorge Luis Pinto used media interviews before his Costa Rica team's quarterfinals run-in with the Dutch to harp on Robben's theatrical falling. Any dive today, he suggested, deserves a yellow card.
The concept of working the ref before a big sports event is a prominent chapter in the coaching manual. In basketball, it might be drawing attention to an opposing player prone to get away with fouling or traveling. In American football, it's an offensive lineman whose holding infractions go undetected. In baseball, it's a pitcher who has wangled a liberal strike zone, earning favorable calls on borderline pitches.
Robben's face-plant after some casual contact with a Mexican defender that drew a dubious penalty call late in the round-of-16 match and rescued the Dutch in a 2-1 win was an obvious exaggeration, even if a foul was committed.
Robben's confession -- which was not related to that dive but an earlier one -- prompted FIFA to pretend to investigate the claim -- what could it do? -- and predictably imposed no punishment.
But Robben's acknowledgment and FIFA's pseudo-probe, followed by Pinto's remarks that will put the player in the spotlight, could be impactful. Would a diving-averse Robben be thrown off his game?
With referee Irmatov Ravshan, any histrionics might go for naught anyway. In eight career Cup matches, he has yet to award a penalty kick.
Source: LATIMES
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ASOJ.ORG - Associated Somali Journalists has today published New guidance (advices) setting out how journalists and media houses in Somalia can meet their media duties as they navigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Full Article
Remember Somali Goverment hijacked the elections of Hirshabelle, Southwest, and Galmudug states, while Jubbaland and Puntland people have fended their states from being aggressively and corruptly hijacked like other three states. Full Article
After 30 years of dictatorship and civil war, the Somali people pulled off a qualified consensus on forming a new state that is different from the obliterated one. The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia is vested with the awesome responsibility and authority to steer the formation of the new state. Successive elected presidents strived to some extent to fulfill their awesome responsibilities with the exception of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo who strived to tear Somalia apart for good. Full Article
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All eyes on Arjen Robben in Netherlands-Costa Rica?
Waagacusub.net - Arjen Robben made a mistake. No, not diving -- a habitual act of folly perpetrated by the fast Netherlands forward -- against Mexico. It was Robben, while casting himself as an honest man, acknowledging afterward that he dove. (Whic