I am not a soccer fan by any stretch of the imaginination, but I walked into an Irish pub minutes before the final sequence of events. I saw the goal by Croatia and seemed to think it was over. The whole bar was very into the game and there were fans on both sides. But there was a bit of fracas near the end, just before the PKs. Two fans were arguing rather loudly about some apparent contraversy about the final goal. Something around the time of the goal, I believe.
I asked a few people but due to heavy European accents and a lot of beer, I never got an answer that I understood. Any help?
I asked a few people but due to heavy European accents and a lot of beer, I never got an answer that I understood. Any help?
How does that happen? I've heard of the concept of "extra time", but why not do something radical like, I don't know, stop the clock during injuries/celebrations, etc. That way we can all play to 0:00. Otherwise, you can have an apparent Tim Donaghy situation.
There wasn't 90 seconds of non-existent time. There was one additional minute added to the second half of extra time. The free kick at midfield by Turkey was taken at more or less exactly at the end of the one minute of added time. Now its the ref's discretion whether or not to allow the free kick there and let it play to a conclusion.
Could have gone either way there but the ref might have added another 30 seconds or so on top of the additional minute due to the Croatians goal celebration. Remember its a MINIMUM of one additional minute added.
And yes the other issue which I feel has more merit is the ref not letting Croatia make their substitution. It should have been granted.
So what you're saying is that once the ball was put into play (provided that the free kick was attempted prior to the end of the expiration of the extra time), the play has to continue to a "conclusion", regardless of how much time elapses? Is that why the game (prior to the PKs) appeared to end right after the game?
The play doesn't have to continue to a conclusion (no written rule here) but usually the ref will allow it.
eg. If there is a corner or free kick with only 10-20 seconds left in the allotted time the ref will usually allow for it to be taken and let the play naturally come to a conclusion despite running over the alloted time.
