Handball yet again...

Referee and ars

Mr. Strahonja is in very good shape and keeps well with the pace of the game. He uses the advantage rule properly (for example, 46') and though he misses a couple of fouls here and there, he is generally in command. But after less then 10 minutes from the start, and when there were no goals yet on the score-sheet, he got from bad to worse. Not only did he make a Kralovec - awarding a penalty-kick when the ball hit a defender's hand, who was at a very close range - he compounded his blunder with a Kassai - booking the "culprit" (Alaba in Kassai's case, the Armenian Mkoyan in Starhonja's). Fortunately for him, Pirlo's conversion didn't put matters to rest. Ar Fremuzaj had a very difficult task in the first half, as many Italian attacks verged on close offside/onside calls. Though one can always argue with a decision or two, the overall decision-making was very good. I think one throw-in call (65') was obviously wrong. Ar Krmar had a much calmer evening.

The game

Italy stormed into the game, but except for the penalty didn't score in the first half, while Armenia equalized on a rare attacking occasion. In the second half fortunes changed completely. Armenia attacked vehemently but produced nothing, while their defence were left astray twice, letting Italian players head the ball into the net and gather three points out of the encounter.