Mexico: The Epidome of Class

In case you weren't watching last nights Gold Cup group stage match between Mexico and Panama, you missed arguably the poorest display of football this world has to offer...seriously, it was that bad. After a flying start which saw a goal for each team in the first 29 minutes, the game seemed headed for a barn burner. How far from the truth that would be, as at the end of the first half a pushing contest ended with Luis Miguel Noriega of Mexico and Armando Caballero of Panama being sent off. The second half continued and Panama drifted into "anti-football" mode, and its 9 man defense frustrated the Mexicans to the boiling point, which occurred in the 79th minute. In a move reminiscent in stupidity to jumping in a pen of angry tigers, Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre kicked Panamanian player Ricardo Philipps as he ran down the sidelines, struck with disbelief, Phillips shoved Aguirre, igniting a ten minute fiasco which saw both involved ejected. The referee had no control and fighting even broke out between fans in the stands, who then, once close enough, began catapulting bottles and other items at the Panamanian players. They refused to stop even when prompted to by their own players. Ten minutes of time was added to the game, half of which was stopped again when Blas Perez of Panama went down cheaply on a foul, and when taken to the sideline was struck with a bottle from the stands. The game ended in the 100th minute, as the referee had seen enough. Overall, it was the poorest display of football from all involved: Players, coaches, fans, and referees. This will only feed fuel to the fire of the anti-soccer critics in America who will take every opportunity to slam the game overall and this certainly won't help. A sad day for football.