>Another Dutch giving his 2 (euro)cents:
>
>>There was a clear penalty for Mexico, where a guy was actually kicked in the head, no diving there, no embellishment, but an actual kick on the face to a player trying to head the ball (see attached). I did not see the officials making it up for that missed call.
>
>Actually, as easily a free kick could have given against the Mexico player for "Playing in a dangerous manner"
>
>From the official FIFA Laws of the Game ( http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/footballdevelopment/refereeing/02/36/01/11/27_06_2014_new--lawsofthegameweben_neutral.pdf )
>

>Playing in a dangerous manner is defined as any action that, while trying to play the ball, 
>threatens injury to someone (including the player himself). 
>It is committed with an opponent nearby and prevents the opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury. 
>

>
>By trying to head for the ball that low, you risk injuring yourself. Because the Dutch player hit the ball first before the Mexican (which you obviously cannot see from a still picture), it is not an automatic foul, and it is up to the referee to decide if it was played in a reckless or dangerous way and by whom.

Well, you have a point there, and the rules are not clear on what is a high kick or low header, but my understanding is that the waist line is the boundary, and the ball was way above the waist line so it was a high kick and not a low header, and there was contact so it would not be dangerous play but foul, but Mike here is a referee, so he might chime in.