Ben Knight
Ben Knight writes and publishes
Onward!
Honduras — again
On the morning after the nightmare before, it’s crucially important to separate fact from fiction.
Yes, the structure of the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer tournament does favour the United States and Mexico. The mathematical irregularities of a three-group format, with eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals, make it inevitable two of those teams will have easier routes forward.
That is not a conspiracy, folks. It’s no more out-of-line than letting two conference champions be the top seeds in the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, CFL or MLS playoffs.
And there is no proof whatsoever that any one referee in any one game has been bought off to ensure a particular team does not advance.
If you’re still stewing on either of those points, you’re having a tougher day today than you need to.
That said:
Once again, Canada has been slain at a major tournament. And for the third time in five years, horrendous officiating is at the heart of the demise. The fact that it’s Honduras – as it was in Edmonton in 2004, and Stade Saputo ten months ago (though that particular one was neither a loss nor the referee’s fault) …
Well, it hurts and hurts a sore and awful lot.
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