I felt sorry for the Croatians yesterday. I think they deserved to win. Though the Turkish were most times in control of the game, the Croats were the more purposeful side.
When they hit the wood works and had many other opportunities squandered away just by a hairs breadth, i knew
the goal was just bidding time. 
But i was shocked when they got the all important goal and yet let it slip away just like that.
The Turkish response was superb but i think the ref should have stopped the game after the expiration of the one minute especially while the ball was still in flight.
But he allowed the ball to land, and when it happens close to the vital area, it becomes impossible to
just stop the game. That single hesitation on the part of the ref caused the Croats the game.It was a boring game with a very dramatic ending.
But today, i thought i have seen all the surprises in football until this evening. I still can not believe that Holland has maintained a tradition of parading great players only to end up with nothing. Is it a curse? 1-0 could have been seen as a possible fluke. But 3-1? 
I watched the match with awe. The entire duration of the Extra time saw the Russians' persistence increase to a level the Dutch were just like passengers. How will Van Basten explain this? From the look on his face after the third goal I'm sure even he will be asking himself the same question.
