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An unfriendly friendly
March 2nd, 2012 1:16AM
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TAGS:  mls, philadelphia union, video


[VIDEO PICK] The danger of friendly games between teams from different countries is that when things go wrong they can go terribly wrong. Case in point: The Philadelphia Union's final international friendly in Costa Rica against Belen that ended in a 2-0 win for the hosts when a brawl broke out and the game was abandoned ...



6 comments
  1. Kent James
    commented on: March 2, 2012 at 8:02 a.m.
    Not sure who #21 is for the Phila Union, but his retaliatory tackle was ugly, and warranted an immediate red card (yes, the guy covering him was fouling him and seemed to be annoying, but that wasn't even the guy he retaliated against!). I don't know if the ref gave one, but he actually didn't seem in a hurry to produce any card. Not a good display for professional soccer!

  1. David Crowther
    commented on: March 2, 2012 at 1:57 p.m.
    According to the Costa Rican press, the problem started with the Union coaching staff, who were constantly cussing out both the Belen players and the refs from the very beginning of the game. The ugly tackle by the Union player was only the final straw that set off the Belen players.

  1. Kerry Ogden
    commented on: March 2, 2012 at 7:19 p.m.
    The tackle wasn't as bad as you think, the Belen player jumped into the air to avoid a "POSSIBLE" harsh tackle by the Union player. As it looks the ref probably allowed the Belen players to get physically rough with the Union players and in the end this is what took place.I have never seen an American team go to central America and be treated fairly or with respect either by the other team or the Ref's or both!!!

  1. Gak Foodsource
    commented on: March 2, 2012 at 7:29 p.m.
    Admittedly, all I saw was the video, but the tackle by 21 (michael farfan) is a straight red, not just because he went for his legs from behind, but because it was clearly a retaliation. Even if he jumped to sell it, still a red. Then Daniel deliberately throws the ball at a Belen player, and Brian Carroll runs around trying to kick people? ugly, ugly, ugly.

  1. Ronnie j Salvador
    commented on: March 2, 2012 at 10:26 p.m.
    You've never seen an American team go to Central America and be treated fairly? Hometown refs never happens here in the USA either. Never. Right.

  1. Richard Wunderle
    commented on: March 2, 2012 at 11:41 p.m.
    The play is actually very similar to the attack Brian Mullan leveled on Steve Zakuani last season. Don't balme the Belen player for jumping to avoid injury. It's been a full year and Zakuani is still recovering. And don't dignify this by calling it retaliation. As has been previously pointed out the player attacked was not the one who was chipping at Farfan. This happens anywhere except on a sports field it's classified as an assault.


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