Home field advantage on steroids?

[The Third Dukes]

Admittedly, I didn't see this match, but I'm sure those who did will tell me if I'm right here. The results just looked VERY strange. Here's the byline:

29th -- yellow card, Spahic

38th -- GOAL, Misimovic, and Bosnia leads 1-0 on the road

They then hold this lead for most of the game, seemingly playing the pack-in strategy, when either things get chippy or the ref gets pressured. (Stephen Bennett, before you ask. English? Welsh?)

75th -- yellow card, Damjanovic

81st -- yellow card, Baljic

81st -- yellow card, Grlic

86th -- yellow cards, Halilovic and Albelda (one per team)

87th -- second yellow -> red, Halilovic

90th -- two yellows -> red, Beslija

90th -- GOAL, Marchena, and Spain needs injury time to secure a draw against a 9-man side at home, 1-1.

Now, like I said, I didn't watch the game, but I did find it amusing that as the game wound down and it looked like Spain would choke, the referee started booking Bosnian players left and right. Was it for delay of game? I'm willing to accept Halilovic got into it and deserved to be sent off, but Beslija seems like a bit much. Either way, it's amazing to see a group of high-level professionals in Europe implode like that within 15 minutes, picking up SEVEN CARDS at the end of the game.

Comments?

[therockbox]

Eh, it could happen, it all depends on why the cards were given. Bosnia, like you said could've just caved in, or Spain could've done a good job at winding them up.

And I've never heard of that referee before, he's probably from Scotland or Ireland.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

You haven't watched the game and yet you are accusing the referee of cheating? fuck off idiot.

Just keep out of football discussions because every word you speak is complete balls.

[Guest Ringmaster]

Having watched the last 30 minutes of the game, it was one of those cases where the Serbs were doing everything in their power to stop the Spaniards from scoring and lost it a little. I'd say the referee was spot on in his decisions, reckless tackles were flying left and right. So, no, there was no cheating.

[The Slickman]

I Havent seen this but i will look out for it on Eurosport but it seems as if Spain threw everything at Bosnia and they defended f or there life

[Farmer Reil]

Since when were Bosnia high-level professionals?

I mean, yeah, they are, but most of them are professional doctors, builders or carpenters