>>>If you actually would read this link, you'd see that the situation you describe is a lot more nuanced than you described. Robbed admitted that he dived in ONE instance in the 1st half, but did not get a penalty for that. There was another incident in the same 1st half that should have a penalty but did not get it either.
>>
>>Well, I did not redact my post well enough, I knew he only acknowledges one dive, but watch the game again, it was constant, to the point that event the commentators (In our transmition here in Canada at least, and I think they are English and whom I find completely biased favoring European teams and Brasil) said "for once Robben stayed in his feet", there was more than just one dive, the one dive is the one he acknowledges! And you well know that diving warrants a yellow card.
>>
>>>
>>>The one he did get it, it is clear that it was theatrical, but if you look at the situation:
>>>1. There was contact
>>>2. the defender was clearly not playing the ball in any way (way to late for that) and touched Robbens feet.
>>
>>There was minimal contact and Robben has lost the ball already, thus he dived. I watched in many angles and speeds, and you will never convince me that it was a penalty, and if he had already a yellow card for diving, I doubt he would have tried to pull it of.
>>
>>>
>>>It is not that odd the penalty was given, esspecially because of the penalty he should be having for the clear foul in the 1st half.
>>
>>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.
>>
>>>
>>>Let me also point out that the dutch were not that Lucky in the tournament this WC. Spain got a penalty against holland which in review is NOT a penalty because the striker placed his foot on the foot of the defender, not the other way arround. The against Australia an astralian striker shot the ball on the hands of a defende from very short range. The hands was not intential and therefore should not have been rewarded with a penalty.
>>
>>I did not watch Australia - Netherlands, but I saw some penalties awarded for hands that did not seem intentional, it even prompted me to check if there was some kind of new rule that intentions do not matter in the penalty area, but no, found nothing, so I am not surprised if it happened. Against Spain, the Spaniard clearly dived too, I agree, but it does not change my opinion of the late penalty or Robben's play.
>>
>>>
>>>I realise that as a Dutch you might think I'm biased, but if you really took the time to look at those incidents I'm convinced you'll get the point.
>>
>>And not only me, but we Argentinians are known to be cool-headed, unbiased and neutral in all our opinions!
>
>LOL, Football and unbiased in the same sentence. Well, personally I think the only thing to bannish bad decisions is to allow video material to be available for the referee when a situation is challenged by one of the 2 teams. I'm all for it. But I do not have the illusion that it will take away all the discussions.
>
>I also (perhaps I'm ignorant on the issue) would like to think the referees are doing the best they can, but it is just quite difficult to see everything (as was proven by the suarez incident), and I certainly do not buy into any conspiracy's that referees treat european teams any different than teams from elsewhere in the world.
>
>I'm not a huge footbal fan, but I do follow the WC. Actually, I do not care as much who is going to win, but I do get a bit sick off the ongoing emotions blaming players, coaches, referees and the FIFA because their teams got disadvantaged. The only think that got me feeling sick is the suarez incident. Not so much of the action itself, but more about the initial denial and reactions from the urugay team and even president.
>
>In the case of Netherlands - Mexico, I think it is fair to conclude that there is no dispute of 1 goal of the dutch and one goal of the Mexicans. It was close and if the penalty was not be assigned it still could have gone both ways. where I think the dutch were definately stronger than the mexicans towards the end of the game. IMO, the mexicans could have finished it up earlier, but made a big mistake by reverting back to a defending strategy. That is what you never should do against the Dutch.
>
>Enough said on the issue. I'm not emotional about it, and would not be even if the Dutch were send home. Its a game and there are more important things in life than winning the WC. I realise that it is seen a bit differently in south america though.

More important things than the World Cup?! ;-) You sure wouldn't know it this month. Politicians never tire of talking about unity and it's usually just air but the simplest of games unifies us every four years. An awful lot of people seem to think it's worth being emotional about.

I am not even cheering for a particular team at this point. May the best team win. You can bet I will be watching.