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Referees in the spotlight
Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo
Country: Spain
Highlight match: Italy versus Australia
All of Italy must applaud FIFA's decision to bring in Spanish referee Cantalejo after injury problems to officials enlisted for the World Cup.
Hadn't it been for Cantalejo awarding a penalty to ten-man Italy in the last gasp of their match against Australia, it was very doubtful if the Azurris would have made it to the World Cup quarter finals.
From the replays, it was clear that Australian defender Lucas Neill lay sprawled in front of Fabio Grossi, who dived.
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Australian fans would vow there was a smile on Grossi's face even as he fell. The penalty sealed coach Guus Hiddink's team's World Cup fate.
In all fairness, it must be said that even the red card Cantalejo, a 42-year-old sports assessor from Tomares, showed Italy's Marco Materazzi was over the top. Materazzi's tackle on Australia's Marco Bresciano deserved only a yellow.
Moral of the story: With great power comes great responsibility. That is as true of Spiderman as of World Cup referees.
Image: Look into my eyes: Cantalejo books Italian defender Gennaro Gattuso during the Australia-Italy match.
Photograph: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images
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Also See: Football Fiesta: The complete coverage
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