Did anyone out there see something I didn’t?
Did Kaka, under no pressure, somehow manage to strike the Cote d’Ivoire player Kader Keïta in the face without actually presenting any limb, or any other part of his body, anywhere near said face? Thereby justifying a second yellow card, and consequently a red?
Or did Keïta run into Kaka, receive no blow of any kind and just fall down clutching his untouched face? And manage to fool a foolish ref?
Just asking. Keïta, doubtless, will have something to say to explain himself. Because we’d hate him to be thought of, quite unfairly, as a cheat of the first order.
Thank heavens Brazil still beat ’em, easily.
Spot on Sam. The referee has lost the plot and the respect of both teams. There seems a campaign to paint Kaka whiter than white with all of this. He wasn’t. He knew precisely what he was doing and tried to by sly about it, but his cunning was outdone by Keita. Kaka then ran forty yards away hoping to confuse the witless referee into thinking he hadn’t done anything.
The Ivorians were very aggressive and there were some awful challenges. This should be a lesson to FIFA when it comes to selecting referees in future. The political correctness which has included officials from nations which barely have a pitch worth the name let alone a decent organised league is biting them in the britches, and there should be no repeat. God knows what sort of games these guys are in charge of.
I’m with Jeremy on this one.
But that’s not to say that I agree with the reaction of Keita…but in some respects, can you blame him? The jovial ref (much like Mark Clattenberg) seemed to be having a wonderful moment in the spotlight and firmly believe his performance should be pulled into review. Allowing the second goal was bad enough, but to the ask the offending player and joke about is a disgrace.
Also, it’s not to say that I didn’t think that the Ivorian were dirty. Because they were, filthy at times. The tackle on Elano was a straight red imho
However, there was enough play acting going on from the Brazilians and it would be fair to say that Keita has probably seen this (particularly from Fabiano) and thought, “well if he can get away with it, so can I”. And he did.
It doesn’t seem popular opinion to say that Kaka did elbow him in the chest but I honestly believe, if you watch it back, particularly his face and of course his elbow, that it was his intention to make sure Keita knew about it when he ran into him. He definitely turns and raises his elbow into his chest and that, I feel, warrants a yellow card. It is out of character for Kaka to do something like that and I feel it was heat of the moment. During a moment that was, in fact, particularly heated.
Well there are certain comparisons to be made with the Ilunga incident if you look purely at the contact between Keita and Kaka in isolation, Colin. However, I think when you look at the context of what had passed before with then handball for the goal and the referee’s bizarre behaviour immediately following it then the attitude of the Ivorians can be better understood. I don’t like seeing players play acting any more than anyone else. In this instance I suppose what I am saying is that in this case it’s probably a lot more understandable. The referee had completely lost it from the moment he intervened in the first half when there was a best of three fall contest at a Brazilian corner that would have put Mick McManus or the Royle Brothers to shame (showing my age there). He went and spoke to two of the protagonists and let Brazil take the corner. Isn’t the correct decision to award a penalty of free kick? Essentially this set the tone for the rest of the game. He was implicitly acknowledging that he hadn’t got a clue what was going on before his eyes so couldn’t make a decision. He did the same with the goal and arguably went along with what someone told him about the Kaka v Keita incident. I’ve never seen a referee ask the players what has happened. The guy from Mali shouldn’t be in charge of a kids game and his performance is under review. He looked like Pat Partridge compared to the guy in the Brazil game though.
Jeremy should have gone to specsavers
Kaka suspended for the 3rd group game is not such a bad thing. Instead of possibly picking up another yellow in the game against portugal and missing the 2nd round, now he gets to rest his injured tigh and will be fresh come the 2nd round. Maybe stupid Keita did Brazil a fovour after all. Unfortunately for keita though, he’ll go down in history as a cheat and that on the biggest stage there is.
Kaka did nothing at all but protect himself by no more than lifting his shoulder nothing more are you blind or Ivorian
The referee was a joke. Though, from his fairly constant smile, he seemed to be enjoying himself.
Pretty much the Herita Ilunga defence, Jeremy.
I don’t think Kaka actually tried to elbow him, he just saw a collision was coming and lifted his arm accordingly to make sure he wasn’t mown down.
And Keita shouldn’t have been on the pitch for his tackle earlier on.
The referee was incompetent on all levels. Himself, the Guatemalan earlier and the Malian from the other day have really not done themselves any favours if they think they’re going to be continuing to referee at this tournament. He couldn’t control anyone today, by the end it was just argument after argument.
Howard Webb looks positively brilliant in comparison to some other officials here.
Colin, ordinarily I would agree with you. The Ivorians must have been incensed by the referee’s decision for the 2nd goal. That was what led to this. Keita ran towards Kaka. Kaka saw him coming and stuck the sharp end of his elbow right into his chest. That’s deserving of a yellow card. Keita was bulling it up a bit possibly because he knew that the referee was a 12th man for Brazil and wouldn’t have taken action against Kaka without the histrionics. The footage of the ref having a laugh and a chat with LF in the knowledge that he had juggled with the ball before he scored is nothing short of disgraceful, and has no place in any level of football. Taken in its own context, I would normally agree with the assertion that Keita should have been sent off. IN the circumstances the Ivorians felt sorely aggrieved and decided to do what was necessary to make some sort of amends. I don’t know if you are getting the same footage. Have you seen the conversation between the referee and Luis Fabiano following hte goal?
A player elbowed in the chest, if he was (by a player into whom he ran from behind or at most sideways), and who then goes down clutching his face should be sent off.
Colin. He’s albowed him clearly in the chest. It wasn’t in his face and Keita exaggerated it. The poor little rich boy got sent off and deservedly so. You can’t blame players for camping it up because the referee has seen nothing in this game. He’s asking Luis Fabiano did you handle it, and if so how many times? I really can’t see what the fuss is all about with this. Drogba saw it, and discusses it with Kaka who trots 40 yards away as if it’s nothing to do with him.