World Cup: Referee sent Ukraine to the last 16

Ukraine booked a spot in the Round of 16 after they recorded a 1-0 win over Tunisia. And that will have to thank referee Carlos Amarilla. He sent Zied Jaziri off for a second yellow card on the stroke of half-time in a decision that left the Tunisians (and me) stunned. Then in the 70th min, the ref awarded a penalty to Ukraine after Andriy Shevchenko tripped himself. Shevchenko did not miss from the penalty. I won't say that the referee had a bad game but he got most of the big decision wrong. Tunisia were unlucky and Ukraine were. In football, sometimes that's all you need.

Spain made it 3 wins out 3 when they beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 with their reserves. Jose Antonio Reyes fired in a free-kick from the left-hand side, and Juanito rose six yards out to head Spain ahead from the 36th min. A classic goal. A comfortable win for Spain and they will face France in the second round. Saudi Arabia played well in this World Cup and did a lot to wipe out that 8-0 thrashing they suffered againest Germany in Korea.

Goals from Philippe Senderos and Alexandr Frei clinched a 2-0 win for Switzerland over Korea to secure top spot for Switerland. The Swiss were pumped up for this game. How pumped? When Hakan Yakin delivered an inch-perfect cross from a free kick in the 23rd min, centre-back Senderos thumped his header into the back of the net. Amid the celebrations, the gritty young scorer did not even notice that streams of blood were pouring down his face after colliding in mid-air with Choi Jin-Cheul. That's how pumped they were! Frei found the target when he sprung the Korean offside trap and rounded Lee Woon-Jae to poke home in the 77th min. The result means that the last Asian hope is gone and the Koreans will be be disappointed after reaching the semis in the last World Cup. It will also encourage those people who wondered about the refs who helped them. The Swiss are in to face Ukraine but they will have to do it without Senderos who was injured in the game.

Joining Switerland in the second round is France. Second-half goals from Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry secured a 2-0 victory over Togo. Playing without Zidane, his replacement Frank Ribery ran at the Togo defence and passed to Patrick Vieira. The replacement French captain celebrated his 30th birthday by spinning around and firing a right-footed shot into the corner in the 55th min. Vieira then flicked on a header on to Henry in the 61st min, Henry produced a deft first touch and fired a low right foot shot into the net. Fench coach Raymond Domenech made several changes including the most important one, starting David Trezeguet. Trezeguet made a huge difference, not least of which is that Henry finally have someone alongside him and that made Henry much happier. But France will need to play much better as they will Spain the the second round. Togo are out and Goodbye, Good Riddance!