I've watched the game; in fact, I watched most of the 2002 world cup game. I am not really a 'fan' of any particular soccer team, but I do enjoy watching a good game of soccer. Its a lot of fun seeing masterful display of soccer skill by players who've dedicated most of their lives controlling how that round ball. All for the better team. May the more skillful wins. Although in a game when the skill level is closely match, you do need some luck to win. But in this World Cup, it takes more than just skill and luck. The key ingredient to winning, which seems to be highly evident after watching the Spain Vs Korea match on Jun22, 2002, is a biased referee on your side.

The Spanish team has the least amount of yellow cards coming in to the final 8. I've enjoyed watching all their matches. They were a 'beautiful' and highly skillful team. The reason I've said that is because it seems they've got it all together, the forward, mid-field, defense, and the goal keeper, were well tuned together, no evident weak spot. The level of accuracy when they pass and execute their goal was fun to watch. Too bad that Raul Gonzales didn't play in this last match as I thought he was one of the best 'multipurpose game maker' player in this tournament. To compare that, don't even bother using statistic, just skill and experience level alone, I thought Korean didn't have a chance. Then again, what chance does Spain have when they are playing against 15 Korean players on the field (three referee included!). Yes, that seems to be the impression everyone I've talked to had, from sport club members to push cart food vendor.

Prior to the match, I thought to myself, that the only way to win Korean team was to have a clear outright goal. Spain did just that, but all of the three goals was ruled out by the referee. Korean didn't come close to scoring. That's the difference in skill level. That's the difference that the referee can do, turning winner to looser. Don't get me wrong, I think Korean has a good soccer team, but that that good to beat Spain.

"Two possible Spanish goals were disallowed on offside calls in regulation time. Then, in overtime, Fernando Morientes looked as if he had scored the game-winner from close-range off a pass from Joaquin. Joaquin was ruled to have dribbled the ball over the line, but replays showed the ball remained in play." - ESPN soccernet news

I wonder why, with all the 'instant replay' camera technology out there for the world to see, but FIFA conveniently ignored it. Perhaps it is not possible to corrupt live broadcast? I'm not saying that the referee should be technology dependent to make every decision on every match. When there is such technology available, why not use them to 'confirm' the good decision and help 'reject' the bad call. . It is particularly important for the call that decides the difference between goal and no goal. No one wants bad referee decision to spoil the game. Yes, referees are human, they are bound to make mistake, but why not allow mistake to be corrected? Yes, FIFA, use technology 'For the good of the game'.

Doesn't it make you wonder why FIFA doesn't support the idea? Perhaps they loose their 'power'. If Korean can inject more than 1000 million baht as a reward for the team member should they advance to the final 4, why couldn't they spend a couple of millions on referee's call to their advantages. A friend told me earlier that FIFA retired referee wrote an article in a German magazine that bribing the officials are typical. Now, when there's billions of bath is involved in a game, you think it's a fair game? Remember the 4Bs: Big Bucks, Big Bribe.

Do you want to know if there is a "professional referee" in this World cup? Out of the 36 referees chosen for the World Cup tournament only two list their professions as anything to do with football. Will someone go check up on the ref's personal and family finance o linesman Michael Ragoonath (an agricultural assistant) from Trinidad and Tobago and Egyptian referee Gamal Ghandour (an accountant) status within the next five years?

"Ragoonath, flagged to Ghandour, an accountant, that the whole ball had crossesd the line and was out of play before Joaquin crossed for Fernando Morientes to score a golden goal winner for Spain. But television replays showed that not only was the ball not out of play -- it was not even touching the line." - CNN Sport illustrated

Maybe the so call, 'happy for Korean', Thai politician were glad that they were not alone in the corruption business, maybe they are happy that the so call 'world' organization who promotes 'fair play' can be bought, perhaps it gives them comfort to know that once again, money and power, eventually rules. It is so true that; absolute power corrupts absolutely, and such is demonstrated by the FIFA referee. May I suggest changing FIFA slogan from "For the good of the game" to "For the Fortune of the Game"?