The Japanese refree has been good in first half, but suddently made mistakes only against one side until the 3rd goal. Well, fixing an oppener game can look impossible in our innocent eyes but here is the facts :

• Fifa are in big troubles lately, the pressure of media on them made their reputation fall, and World Cup in Brazil is the best moment for them to make the world forget a little what hapened lately.

• Brazilians lower classes protestations against World cup were divided between Football fanatics happy to host the competition despite the misery, and those who think they should get a proper education and health before hosting anything, with a Brazilian elemination from the group stage, even midle classes could go out in the streets and this could ruin the World cup.

• Football in Brazil is a religion and being eleminated from group stages would kill the joy of the hosts and let them concentrating in protesting in a time all the World is watching them.

• Blatter intervention in voting dates lately at Ballon D' Or award ( After Sweden-Portugal ) showed how far could Blatter go to repair a mistake ( treated Ronaldo as a commandant ) and caused the anger of Cr7 and his millions of fans.

So yes, i believe nobody in Brazil government or Fifa would love to see a defeat or a draw in the first game, what is more strange imo is the way the ref handled the first half, absolutely wise and accurate.

So what happened at half time, to let him become the joke we watched in the second half ?

Here are the controversial actions only against one side :

The scandalous dive : I saw i was a dive from the first action without any replay.

• Disalowed goal : First Rakitic was fouled in a good positon near the box, the ref was going to whistle then he decided to give the advantage while the ball moved near the corner ( non sense ) then the player crossed to Olic and you know the end, a refused goal.

Even after the dive and the disallowed goal, Croatia kept fighting at 2-1 and got 2 more odd decisions against them.
2 fouls whistled for Brasil who were originally Brasils fault, one of them is Lovren foul while it was an obstruction for Croatia and a foul near Brazils corner.

And this is my favourite controversial moment, after the disallowed goal the ref was whistling in only one side until this, no comment.

Oscar took the ball and you know the end.

At 3-1 the ref became the ref of first half whistling some useless FK ( 3-1 already ) at the end of the game and gave Gustavo a yellow.

A perfect remake of Spain-South Korea 2002, i feel sorry for Croatian players and fans, credit to them to keep fighting after the PK.

Nobody has the truth, and conspiracies look odd in innocent minds, but WE Football fans are getting fooled by politics even in our World cup games, the ref of the first half isnt the same ref of the second half, its impossible to have such a different refreing level before and after half time, its about 5 or 6 decisions but it was enough to decide the game and to give Brazil big chances to pass the group stages.

I dont think they will get other controversial actions on their side, but this, just this ruined competition in this group, i feel sad for Croatia and i hope they could have a second chance.
Brazil must finish first to avoid the first of group B probably Spain, so this game was a must win...

Really mixed feelings, bad taste at the end : Entertaining first half, fixed second half.
I also saw a comment of wolfie in the Highlights about this and got my +1, he just had the same feeling wich increased mine, im not the only fool having some doubts and its completely possible in this sad world, where few people thinks they are gods and influence everything in our life even sports results.

At least, it happened at an early stage, i believe Brazil used their Joker, another help could be risky buisness for them, a second help could be suspicious as hell so i dont think an intervention like this at half time would happen another time.

What is your thoughts ? Match fixing or Paranoia ?

I think that '66 was certainly the most controversial of all World Cups. There's no denying that. Not even from English fans.

^ Um, I think that's utter nonsense.

1978 and 2002 were outright disgraces, especially 78. Good grief, the government were torturing and dumping bodies into the the river Plate at the same time, and the entire tournament was under threat if Argentina did not win.

Dynast, you're a great guy, but that statement was pure ignorance, man. Don't get infected by the England hate some of your buddies have.

@Lodatz

You're jumping to conclusions by stating that my comment was "pure ignorance".

I only meant that it was the most controversial because the controversial moment came in the most important game - the final. And naturally, it was a shot that can be argued as either a goal or not a goal. That's what I meant.

@Dynast: then I misunderstood what you were saying. My bad.

I still don't think that makes it overly controversial, though, as a tournament. It just had a controversial moment, as you say, at a crucial moment.

Lodatz keep your hiden messages out of my thread :
'' Don't get infected by the England hate some of your buddies have. ''
Well, i dont hate English people or American people, the system and people are 2 different things, actually i also hate French system, who would love those bunch of war makers ? If you love humanity, you gotta hate the system, as simple as that...
Keep your stupid words about me in your stupid brain next time for the good of the forum.

^ sorry, I couldn't hear you over the fact that no-one was talking to you.

You do not own this thread.

Act like a man for once, dont provoke me, and things will go well...
BTW you can fuck off.

Guys, calm down plz. @Lodatz: you are a bit too far provoking this time. Comon, are you guys couple?

I'm not doing anything, tuan_jinn.