World Cup 2010 Betting – Top Five “Bad Goal” Calls In South Africa Posted by Todd Shale on 7/5/2010 10:51:12 AM

Online betting players have seen the referees at the World Cup in South Africa become as big as the players, as there has been a number of goals that should have been disallowed, or goals that should have counted (and that’s not to mention how heavy-handed they’ve been with red cards). Here’s a look at the top five “goals” that will be talked about long after the world’s best players leave South Africa, or you could call it, the top five reasons for instant replay in soccer.

5. USA vs. Slovenia (2-2)

Goal-Scorer: Maurice Edu, USA

The Story: The Americans were down 2-0 at halftime of their Group C match against Slovenia, but they managed to pull one back just after the half, and then Landon Donovan tied the match in the 82nd minute. Team USA had all the momentum when Edu found the back of the net after connecting on a free kick from Donovan four minutes later, they thought they had completed one of the wildest comebacks in recent memory. However, referee Koman Coulibaly whistled the play dead for a foul that still hasn’t been seen, and it’s never been revealed what he called. Needless to say, he hasn’t been the lead official since.

4. USA vs. Algeria (1-0)

Goal-Scorer: Clint Dempsey

It’s almost like someone had it out for the Americans, who needed a win in their final group match against Algeria. After 21 minutes, Hercules Gomez fired a shot on goal, which hit the keeper and bounced right to Dempsey, who slotted the ball home. However, he was called offside even though replays showed he was in line with the last defender when the shot was let go by Gomez. The Americans still went on to win due to a late goal by Donovan, but they would have felt better if Dempsey’s goal would have counted.

3. Brazil vs. Ivory Coast (3-1)

The Samba Kings are one of the World Cup betting favorites, even in the “Group of Death”, and they were out to a 1-0 lead at halftime against the Ivory Coast. The game changed in the 50th minute when Luis Fabiano, who had already scored, used his arm to control the ball inside the penalty area, and he smashed the ball home for his second of the game. Stephane Lannoy didn’t stop the infraction, and Les Elephants were left exposed as they piled men forward to catch up to the Brazilians. Lannoy’s day wouldn’t get any better, when he was tricked by the Ivory Coast’s Kader Keita into giving Kaka a red card (his second yellow) in the 88th minute.

2. England vs. Germany (1-4)

Goal-Scorer: Frank Lampard, England

The Story: The Three Lions were getting rolled 2-0 by bitter rival Germany in the second round, but a Matt Upson goal in the 37th minute made it interesting. One minute later, Lampard crashed his shot past German keeper Manuel Neuer, off the bottom of the crossbar and behind the line. However, referee Jorge Larrionda and his linesmen waved play on while the English team protested, to no avail. At 2-2, it’s a brand new match. Instead, England had to continue to press, and got slaughtered on the counterattack.

1. Mexico vs. Argentina (1-3)

Goal-Scorer: Carlos Tevez

The Story: In the very next match that day, Argentina had their hands full with a Mexican side that weren’t backing down from La Albiceleste. Lionel Messi ran through the Mexican defense before sending a pass to Carlos Tevez, who was clearly offside by a wide margin, but his headed goal was allowed to stand, which set El Tri off. The outrage was so much against referee Roberto Rosetti and his crew that in-stadium replays were banned from the rest of the World Cup after everyone saw how bad the decision was. That call deflated the Mexicans, who had to chase the Argentineans for the rest of the match, and that was it. Argentina, one of the sports betting favorites to lift the World Cup, probably would have won anyway, but they didn’t need any help.