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A FLURRY of red cards - three inside 30 minutes - from crazy Colombian referee John Rendon added plenty of drama to an amazing afternoon, as South Africa came close to upsetting Denmark. If the Toulouse public are currently bracing themselves for the weekend invasion of English supporters, then this Group C clash that keeps the Danes on course for qualification behind hosts France, was a wacky prelude.
The game was perfectly poised at
1-1, when the South American official suddenly lost the plot in every sense of the term. First to suffer was Denmark's Miklos Molnar who went for a completely innocuous 66th-minute challenge on Leeds defender Lucas Radebe. Two minutes later, South Africa's Alfred Phiri, who like Molnar had just come on the pitch, was walking off after a clash with Thomas Helveg. Okay his legs, arms and head were flying all over the place as he attempted to fend off Helveg's attentions, but it still seemed harsh. The bizarre events were far from over, though, as Denmark were cut to nine men six minutes from time when another substitute, Morten Wieghorst, was dismissed for a tackle on Benny McCarthy. Again, it was not exactly a leg-breaker. Again, it was hard to believe it warranted such extreme action.
Perhaps Rendon does not take kindly to substitutes, but the quicker FIFA send him back to Bogota, or wherever he resides, and find a replacement, the better. A neutral can see the funny side, but the partisan fans in Toulouse must have been tearing their hair out in frustration. Manchester United keeper Peter Schmeichel also found himself in trouble, collecting a yellow card for time-wasting, despite the fact two Danish substitutions were trying to get on the pitch. Rendon suddenly changed his mind about that, booked Schmeichel and then allowed the two players on a minute later. Madness!
That summed up Schmeichel's day. A record 103rd international appearance for the Danes, but not one he will care to remember for too long. The 6ft 3in perfectionist will consider his effort to stop the South Africans levelling after 52 minutes pathetic; McCarthy's weak shot slipped in via his leg. Not that the build-up left anything to to be desired. Shaun Bartlett's exquisite backheel had class written all over it as it put McCarthy through on goal.
Until that point, Denmark had been much the better side and deservedly took the lead when Brian Laudrup's right-wing cross was cracked in on the far post by Tottenham midfielder Allan Nielsen. A truly memorable effort from the player who was not good enough to make Gerry Francis' first team at White Hart Lane earlier in the season. Now we know why Francis is unemployed and Nielsen is at France 98!
At that stage, the Danes looked certain to extend their advantage with their fluent football pushing the South Africans back. Only some fine saves from Hans Vonk, including a superb stop to deny Brian Laudrup's diving header - after Martin Jorgensen's corner had hit a post - kept them in it. The post came to their rescue again as Ebbe Sand hammered the upright moments before the break. Not that the Danes could complain too much as former Tottenham apprentice striker Quinton Fortune hit their bar from 30 yards out in the final seconds.
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RIEPER BLAMES PLATINI FOR REF'S RED MIST
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Danish centre back Marc Rieper has blamed France 98 chief Michel Platini for the three red cards that ruined his side's meeting with South Africa in Toulouse.
Celtic defender Rieper believes World Cup Organising Committee president Platini's pre-match claim that officials had been too light with the new FIFA guidelines were out of order. Rieper said: "I didn't think it was a particularly hard game at all. There were no real bad tackles yet we manage 10 yellow cards and three reds which is ridiculous.
"The referee lost the game totally, but a lot of that is due to a guy like Michel Platini, who came out after the first matches and said the referees have been much too weak. He said they should have punished much harder and now we see a guy from South America who thinks he has done a great job because he has done exactly what Platini said.
"A lot of the fallout has to go to him. Morten's dismissal was a joke, but then all three of them were a joke.
"He was not particularly against us, he was generally awful. By the time he gave one red card, he knew his tournament was over so he might as well continue.
"It was ridiculous for Platini to speak out because the standard of refereeing before now has been very good. It was a very stupid comment."
Rieper insists yesterday's farce must now be used as a video for referees on how not to interpret the new rulings - a reminder of what can go wrong.
He added: "What Platini wants kills football. You cannot forget it is a physical game and is played by men who like it as a contact sport.
"Any more games like this will ruin the World Cup and you have to blame Michel Platini for a large part of that I think. He's supposed to be a football man, not out to destroy it.
"I hope now they pick this game today out and show the referees how not to do it."
Morten Wieghorst admitted he had been stunned by his dismissal, within two minutes of taking the field, for a late challenge on South African scorer Benedict McCarthy.
The Celtic midfielder said: "I'm disappointed to be sent off like that. It is fair to say I feel harshly done by, but you have to choose your words carefully after a game. It was my first foul in the game. It was a shame that the match was spoiled, but before the World Cup they were trying to lay out all these new guidelines and it hasn't helped referees.
"There was no malicious intent on my part, and to my mind the referee had lost it out there today.''
South Africa captain Lucas Radebe agreed that the stack of cards had wrecked the match.
"I thought the referee was a bit harsh in his decisions. He made people scared to even go out and tackle. I think he messed up the game," said the Leeds defender.
Denmark coach Bo Johansson would not even comment on the dismissals, but was not totally happy with his side's performance.
"Some of the time we played well and some of the time we didn't," he said. "Against France we will have to play a lot better and with more control."
South African coach Philippe Troussier was strangely mild in his criticism of Colombian referee John Jairo Toro Rendon, saying only: "It was a pity we lost Phiri."
still believes his side can qualify for the second round of France 98 - despite only having one point from two games so far.
The Frenchman, who has been linked with the Sheffield Wednesday managerial vacancy, is hoping that the South Africans can enjoy a goal bonanza against Saudi Arabia next Wednesday while the Danes go down to France.
"We only have one point, but we must believe that we can still qualify for the next round. If we beat Saudi Arabia by enough goals and Denmark lose to France, we can do it," he said.
Troussier was unhappy with the result and his side's first-half performance, but praised their comeback after going behind to a 13th minute goal from Tottenham's Allan Nielsen.
"The first 20 minutes were terrible for us - we were not in the match - but I was a little bit disappointed with the result because we dominated the second half and deserved to score one more goal.
"We did very well to come back, but we lost two points today because we had ten players against their nine at the end."
FOOTBALL365 SAYS: Forget the refereeing - we know it was bonkers, especially Morten from A-Ha getting sent-off for being turned. Concentrate, instead, on the affairs of the two mediocre sides who brought substitutes on just for the thrill of seeing them get sent off a few minutes later. South Africa did not get going until they equalised - not surprising, considering their inexperience at this level. But they showed they had the players to open up a team as brittle as Denmark. Sadly, however, we will have to wait until next season's Champions League to see the exciting Benni McCarthy in action after next week, because 'Bafana Bafana' are heading out unless the Ajax star helps them to thrash the Saudis. They had the chance to beat the Danes, but blew it - and it's likely to cost them a trip to St Denis a week on Sunday.
THE MATCH STATS
World Cup Group C
South Africa (0) 1 Denmark (1) 1
South Africa: Vonk (7), Nyathi (7) (Buckley (6) 89), Fish (7), Radebe (8), Issa (7), Fortune (7), Moshoeu (7), Mkhalele (8), Augustine (6) (Phiri (6) 45), Bartlett (7) (Masinga (6) 78), McCarthy (8).
Subs Not Used: Baloyi, Mnguni, Jackson, Khumalo, Morula, Mokoena, Sikhosana.
Sent Off: Phiri (69).
Booked: Nyathi, Issa, Phiri, Radebe.
Goals: McCarthy 52.
Denmark: Schmeichel (7), Colding (6), Hogh (6), Rieper (6), Schjoenberg (7) (Wieghorst (5) 82), Helveg (6), M Laudrup (7) (Heintze (5) 59), Nielsen (8), Joergensen (7), B Laudrup (8), Sand (6) (Molnar (5) 59).
Subs Not Used: Krogh, Kjor, Laursen, Henriksen, Goldbaek, Toefting, Frandsen, Moeller.
Sent Off: Wieghorst (85), Molnar (67).
Booked: Schjoenberg, Hogh, Schmeichel.
Goals: Nielsen 13.
Att: 36,500 (crowd rating: 7)
Referee: J Jairo Toro Rendon (Colombia) 3.
THE TALE OF THE TURF
| Team Name | | South Africa | Denmark
| | Goals | | 1 | 1
| | Shots On Target | | 4 | 3
| | Shots Off Target | | 8 | 6
| | Blocked Shots | | 3 | 5
| | Corners | | 5 | 7
| | Fouls Conceded | | 15 | 8
| | Offsides | | 3 | 0
| | Red Cards | | 1 | 2
| | Yellow Cards | | 4 | 3
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News 4 
