As I watched the DPR Korean women’s football team walk off the Ballymore pitch during Saturday’s international friendly against the Matildas, my first thought was, “They can’t actually be walking off. This has to be a joke!”
Then, as I watched the 11 red shirts congregate at the side of pitch, it was quite obvious they were deadly serious.
What sparked this was a contentious penalty referee Sara Hodson awarded to the Matildas on the shadows of halftime. Don’t get me wrong, it was a ridiculous decision and all subsequent replays showed it to be the mistake that it was. However, all that pales when you look at the reaction of the visitors. Trotting off the pitch and for intents and purposes sulking at the sideline after being called off by their officials.
Moving into the Asian confederation has not been all smooth sailing for the Matildas, and this is not the first such incident. There was the infamous 2009 brawl the Young Matildas were involved with against the Chinese, but as national team coach Tom Sermanni mentioned on the broadcast, this is appears more to be rule than the exception. “It’s interesting this has happened on home soil. We have to deal with this when we take teams into Asia…there have things far worse that have happened. It’s actually good for home supporters to see some of what we have to deal with.”
This is not the first time the DPR Korean women’s team has behaved disgracefully, and now that the Korean’s have walked the walk, it is time for FIFA to do the same. Their motto is ‘fair play’ and they have already had one opportunity to live their creed and many agree that during the “Hand of Frog” debacle, they failed. Whilst this is nowhere near the same scale, if FIFA are not to be seen as a toothless tiger, DPR Korea has to be sanctioned in some way.
There are always going to be flawed decisions in football (just ask the Irish) but reactions of the Asian teams to this can’t be be in the spirit of ‘Fair Play’. While they may have had my sympathy with the referee decision, they lost all my respect with their subsequent decision. Now I wait (breathlessly of course) for any response from FIFA.
Despite all that, I say well done girls on a good 3-2 win in your final hit out together before the AFC Asian Cup.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
It is not just an issue with North Korea. The team walk off is a disgraceful act that plagues SE Asian club football as well. it is never nice to see.
Jeb
Guest
You'll let the reader decide what YOU think? Fair enough, as it's easy enough to do. For the record, I agree with everything you said. If any game needs video assistance it's football. But I'd also contend that football's lack of scoring is also a virtue: a goal actually means something.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Jeb I'll let the reader decide. But these are the relevant facts and figures - the games averages about 2.5 goals per game (and that's being generous), so one penalty decision is 40% of the goals scored. Therefore, it can be argued that a dodgy penalty decision as a far, far more proportionate effect on the whole game than it really should, especially when many penalty decisions are 50/50, or where teams dedicate whole game plans at duping the ref into giving unwarranted penalties. It also explains why soccer is so susceptible to rigging games - with the one ref being police, judge and jury on pretty much every aspect of onfield activity.
Jeb
Guest
Mr football - do you think it is it a flaw in THIS game (namely the matildas vs north korea) or is it a major flaw in the sport of soccer generally?
Sam
Guest
Or a virue of the game, because the best team doesn't always win. Glass half full I say. All sports have dodgy decisions, but I think generally football does bloody well.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
It's a flaw in the game. Less than 2.5 goals are scored per match, so to have 40% of the goals determined by dodgy penalty decisions is a major flaw in the game itself.
David V.
Guest
You expect this more with China, whose players are known for just losing it in this fashion.
Rob
Guest
I think the referee should have booked the entire team for dissent, because that's exactly what it was. They walked off because of a referee's decision. That would be as clear an example of dissent as I've ever seen. This shows the lack of gumption of the referee, and yes, the AFC and/or FIFA NEEDS to sort this out, and do so quickly. If this is the kind of thing that goes on in Asia on a regular basis (And it appears to be the case), then they need to stamp on it. The FFA needs to make an official complaint, together with the referee's report, and put some pressure on. This is international football. We can't allow it to degenerate into farce.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
That's what amazed me Eamonn, they were walking off and it was a friendly!
Australian Football
Roar Guru
TheWomensGame, I thought I made the point that it was a disgraceful event shown DPR Koreans on that day. But clearly a lack of experience shown by the ref as Eamonn points out. She did not book the Korean goal keeper or tried to continue the play with a penalty kick. Quite with in the laws of the game to do so. Then the Koreans would have had to restart the game on the half way kick off.. Suddenly the game would have only been disrupted for half of the proceedings or abandoned all together, which would have been fine by me.
In the Game
Roar Rookie
AF of course it wasn't a penalty. Did Henry handle the ball? Of course he did. That is not the point. Questionable decisions happen in football every day but you suck it up and play on. In 2006 did the Socceroos walk off the pitch when Italy were given a penalty. No they didn't even though they were clearly incensed by the decision. Sadly for DPR Korea, they have form very bad form. Yes, the race card my be trotted out but in the 2006 AFC Asian Cup against China they went ballistic again and this time it was an Italian referee and they do it regularly in Asia. They need to grow up and FIFA needs to make them!
Eamonn Flanagan
Guest
Two things: Why didn't the Ref take control? Order the penalty taken with or without the keeper? Book the keeper for time wasting if she refused to return. Further delay send her off. Also can't belong before AFC and/or FIFA sort this stuff out. On a brighter note Aussies could meet them for the third place World Cup play-off spot in May in the Asia Cup. Live on ABC TV. Imagine how the DPR Koreans will act when there is something at stake? Women's sport needs more DPR Koreans like it or not, they always get women's sport onto the news..hey maybe it's a plot..let's not go there!
Australian Football
Roar Guru
I watched the game on Queensland ABC and I was amazed to see the event unfold before my eyes---what a disgrace it was. But you have to ask---was it a penalty---nah I don't think it was. ~~~~~~ AF
RickG
Guest
Unfortunatley it appears this is part of some teams' make-up - throw your toys out of the cot when something goes against you. Notice how the media stand back and either turn a blind eye or find away to take their side. I'm thinking of the Indian and Sri Lankan cricket team here particularly, but add the korean and Chinese Women's football teams here too. If anyone complains the culprits play the race card, especially here in Australia. They seem to feel they can do what they like and get away with it.