Bad calls tarnish fab finale
Unanimous vote: The 2018 World Cup was the best ever.
But as for Sunday’s finale ...
Bizarre.
Unsatisfying.
Pick your own description.
Most people around the world probably tuned in with no expectation of learning the name of Argentine referee Nestor Pitana.
And yet we did, as Pitana made one terrible decision and another controversial one — allowing France to take a 2-1 lead at halftime despite being totally outplayed by Croatia.
The fact that Pitana basically handed the French a couple of goals meant that Croatia, which came in having played three straight extra-time games, had to force matters in the second half.
Against the swift and gifted French stars — now allowed to sit back and pick spots to counter-attack — that situation turned out to be fatal.
FRANCE thus won its second World Cup to the tune of 4-2, but most soccer aficionados are almost certainly wondering how things would have gone if the Croats had seen the game out by protecting a lead they deserved.
It’s truly a shame anytime the referee helps determine a winner, much less in a game of this magnitude.
The title game was wrapping up a fabulous month of soccer in Russia, a non-stop festival of excitement that entertained billions around the globe.
Sadly, it ended with the certainty that Nestor Pitana won’t likely be elected mayor of Zagreb.
Croatian supporters no doubt headed home convinced that their battle-tested side could handle the French — as long as the game was tied or Croatia had a lead.
The Croatian midfield — Ivan Rakitic, Ivan Perisic and World Cup MVP Luka Modric — controlled things so comprehensively that France defensive midfielder N’Golo Kante, considered one of the best in the game, had to be withdrawn just after halftime as he was continually outfoxed by Modric, in particular.
AT ONE point in the first half, Croatia had seven shots and France none — yet the game was tied 1-1.
The ref made two critical interventions.
First, he whistled for a phantom foul that gave France a free kick just outside the box.
Antione Griezmann floated it in and Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic inadvertently headed the ball into his own net.
But there never should have been a set piece in the first place.
Then, after a Perisic bullet tied the game, Pitana first signaled for a corner kick after a cross nicked Perisic’s hand on its way over the goal line.
The Croat couldn’t possibly have gotten that paw out of the way — which is called “ball-to-hand” — and there was no conceivable scoring threat.
Yet Pitana decided to check the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). He viewed the play again and decided on a penalty kick.
What?
Griezmann calmly rolled in the PK to put France ahead 2-1 at halftime — when they had barely been in the game.
YOU COULD almost guess what would happen after that.
Croatia was brave and continued to attack in the second half, but the young and mega-talented French stars took advantage.
First it was Paul Pogba, who had a so-so season at Manchester United but starred in this Cup, whistling one home from the top of the box on a second try.
Then the precocious 19-year-old, Kylian Mbappe, became only the second teenager to score in a World Cup (the other was a chap named Pele) on yet another counter as Croatia left open space to exploit.
A hilarious error by keeper Hugo Lloris handed Mandzukic a consolation goal, but that was it.
Make no mistake: France was a worthy champion of an amazing World Cup.
You’ve got to wonder, though, how this final would have played out if Nestor Pitana had called in sick.
They’re surely asking that question in Croatia.
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Steve Cameron is a columnist for The Press.
A Brand New Day appears Wednesday through Saturday each week. Steve’s sports column runs on Tuesday.
Email: scameron@cdapress.com.
Twitter:@BrandNewDayCDA