Of bad refereeing and prolonged agony

Yesterday's clash between Australia and Japan was a wonderful match. Japan got ahead with a contraversial goal (Australia claiming that the goalie was fouled) and then stayed ahead for most of the match.

And then Australia hit three goals in the last 8 minutes to secure all three points in the group. Way to go, Socceroos!

I am dismayed at the refereeing at this World Cup. And it's true since the first match (Germany vs Costa Rica). I just thought that the first match was bad. But up until now, almost every single match has gone by with me watching the referees make one astonishing blunder after another.

Bad challenges going unpunished, good tackles being punished, offsides not caught, yellow cards being shown unnecessarily. Being used to the very high standard of refereeing in the English Premier League, this level of refereeing, especially since it's the highest level of football, is appalling.

Take the England - Paraguay match for instance. The Mexican referee seemed to be more interested in handing the benefit of the doubt to Paraguay. And the number of times Peter Crouch was called for a foul is simply amazing. Even when he was being fouled.

I just don't get it.