FORTALEZA, Brazil - Mexico's World Cup ended with a whine and a whistle.
After outplaying the Netherlands for almost the entire day, Mexico gave up two goals in the final six minutes. The first one El Tri could have lived with, beaten on a set piece and by a fabulous strike by Wesley Sneijder.
But the second? The diving that infuriates diehard fans and turns off the newcomers might very well have cost Mexico a spot in the quarterfinals.
STUNNED: Netherlands scores two late goals to beat MexicoAfter working referee Pedro Proenca all afternoon for a call, Arjen Robben finally got one in the closing seconds of stoppage time with an acting job that would put some Oscar winners to shame. Robben looked as if he'd been shot in the back after Rafa Marquez stepped on his foot, flinging himself forward with his arms askew and mouth agape.
Robben looked for Proenca as soon as he hit the ground, and the referee quickly gave a yellow card. Klaas Jan Huntelaar converted the penalty, allowing the Dutch to escape with a 2-1 victory.
'We didn't lose a match because of what they did,' Mexico coach Miguel Herrera said. 'We ended up losing because (the referee) whistled a penalty that didn't exist.
'If the referee is fair, their second goal would not exist and Robben would be ejected.'
There was no question Marquez stepped on the top of Robben's left foot in the 6-yard box. Or that the foul came when Robben didn't have possession, having already dribbled the ball forward. It's also true that Marquez had been harassing Robben all afternoon, including a takedown just before halftime that should have resulted in a penalty.
But a game this big shouldn't be decided by histrionics.
'I'm calm because of the performance by our boys. I repeat, we had mistakes that led us to not getting the victory today,' Herrera said. 'With the assistance of the referee, they came up with this result that takes them to next stage.'
This already has been one of the best World Cups in decades. Most teams are playing attacking, appealing soccer, and the title has been thrown up for grabs by all the upsets. There have been unbelievable individual games ( we see you, James Rodriguez), and goals that defy physics.
But the fun is at risk of being spoiled by all the feints and flops.
There are some players who act as if they've lost a limb when they get grazed by an opponent. Others who spend so much time writhing on the ground it looks as if their jerseys are on fire. Still others who grab their heads as if they've been concussed when they weren't touched anywhere near it.
And, my personal favorite, those who go down without any contact - or anyone within a foot of them, for that matter.
None of this is new, or even unique to the World Cup. And, to be fair, Robben was doing whatever it took to keep the Dutch in the World Cup. He saw an opportunity and he made the most of it, in every sense of the word.
(Whether Robben was 'embellishing' or not, we don't know. Dutch officials said he and Sneijder were excused from going through the mixed zone because of injuries.)
But it's unbecoming, and it has to stop.
If players won't police themselves - why should they, when it could help their team? - it's up to either the referees or FIFA. Dive or embellish, and it's a card. Do it again, and you get tossed. Continue doing it, and you get suspended.
It has to be consistent, too. Referees have been afraid to call penalties early here, but been loose with their cards late.
Even if FIFA does crack down, however, it's too late for Mexico, which had emerged as one of the best stories here in Brazil.
El Tri didn't look anything like the hot mess that barely made it out of qualifying and got three coaches fired in the process. Rejuvenated under the exuberant and entertaining Herrera, they were impressive in their fast-paced attack and stingy defense.
And Guillermo Ochoa was, quite simply, the best goalkeeper in the tournament, holding Brazil scoreless and repeatedly thwarting the Dutch for much of the game.
But Mexico backed off its attack in the last 20 minutes against the Dutch, and Herrera acknowledged the team didn't stall as much as it should have. Its defending on set pieces was abysmal, leading to Sneijder's goal.
Still, El Tri was sure the game was going to extra time.
Then came the contact and the card.
'You have the match in your hands,' Herrera said. 'That's how we felt.'
It's a terrible way to go out.
Entities 0 Name: Robben Count: 7 1 Name: Mexico Count: 7 2 Name: Herrera Count: 4 3 Name: Brazil Count: 3 4 Name: FIFA Count: 2 5 Name: Netherlands Count: 2 6 Name: El Tri Count: 2 7 Name: Marquez Count: 2 8 Name: Sneijder Count: 2 9 Name: Arjen Robben Count: 1 10 Name: Guillermo Ochoa Count: 1 11 Name: Miguel Herrera Count: 1 12 Name: Rafa Marquez Count: 1 13 Name: Pedro Proenca Count: 1 14 Name: Wesley Sneijder Count: 1 15 Name: James Rodriguez Count: 1 16 Name: Proenca Count: 1 17 Name: Klaas Jan Huntelaar Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1iKAnA8 Title: Netherlands rallies with two late goals to stun Mexico Description: FORTALEZA, Brazil - Arjen Robben finally got the penalty he wanted. Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored on a penalty kick in stoppage time after Robben was fouled by Mexico captain Rafa Marquez, and the Netherlands escaped with a 2-1 victory.
