Just to follow-up, I can see why it was a red card, what with the second leg coming in and being off the ground. However, it didn't look like it was much off the ground and it looked like his intent was to be as low as possible. That early in a game, in the box, and with what appeared to be minimal actual contact, I can see some yellow in it. But it's red. Glad I didn't try to watch. I have no other comments. Next.
I've seen a couple other people make comments like this, and I don't understand them. The severity of the foul is irrelevant -- all that matters is that it was a foul *at all*. The red card was for DOGSO.
I wasn't questioning the penalty (ie, whether it's a foul) at all, only the color of the card. And I think putting rule book aside, keepers are often given quite a bit of leeway in similar situations, meaning the possibility of a yellow in real practical terms and applying the laws of the game within the discretion of the official on the field, in the moment.
I understand. What I'm saying is that if that specific situation was a foul at all, it's an automatic red, regardless of the severity of the foul. That's the Laws of the Game. Once Kandji touched the ball to get around Hamid and Hamid then cleaned him out, the referee had no choice. To award a yellow would mean the referee was saying it was not an obvious goalscoring opportunity, which would have been absurd. Referees are always free to decide that the circumstances were such that it wasn't an obvious goalscoring opportunity; and that's the kind of thing that gets debated on here ad nauseum. But I don't see how someone can claim it wasn't here.
You'll note I didn't. Just saying I've seen it fall that way by the official's descretion pretty frequently. Probably the only possible argument is, as I remember it, the player with the ball being pretty far out in the box and at an angle, not to mention the whole "kicked the ball away" argument. I assume there are probably people talking about that in other forums "here" I'm not reading. But like I said, it's a red.
Well, as was said in the PBP thread, taking out our single best possession midfielder as the sacrificial lamb following Hamid's brain fart killed our hopes at a possession game, and Houston wasn't exactly playing through our midfield so much as over it. I woulda had Russell come out in lieu of Bosko, and pulled back De Ro for a 3-5-1 for as long as Bosko could take it. I suspect he's more fit than implied. I think Ben's off-the-cuff decision making needs some maturity, because I think he goes into these games with a specific tactical plan, but of a monkey wrench gets thrown into it (keeper ejected on a dumb challenge, early injury, asshole ref calling a $#!tty game), he just seems to throw something out there to see what happens. And, seriously, what ref gives a team up 3-0 in the last minute of the game a PK on a challenge in the box where the ball was played too far ahead of the attacking player AND that player got an extra step and a half before falling down? And that after he was willing to give a PK to Houston after a Houston player commits an infraction in the United box. Seriously, he's not why we lost, but he can go DIAF.
The kind that gives 20 reds in 32 games I assume? And he probably didn't give one yellow card for delay of game, encroachment, or advancing the place of your thow-in by 20 yards. So in other words, he's not by-the-book, he's a dick.
Last week, Alexi Lalas was being asked for his "thoughts" about the All-Star roster. Specifically, he was asked to name some players he thought should/could have been selected, but weren't. He actually singled out Robbie Russell as one of the Defenders who's having "an excellent year." I was pleased to see that Lalas is still as cheerfully clueless as ever.
I didn't have a problem with anything Anno did except when the reffing team bungled the Houston handball in the box and pointed at the spot incorrectly. In the end, Anno spoke to the AR and got the call right but my dog got a right kick in the trousers beforehand.* *Did not happen. My dog doesn't wear trousers.** **Usually.
Watch the replay (if you have the stomach for it). A completely reckless challenge by Hamid who whips his leg through Kandji. I though "oh shit, a PK and, yep, ref reaching for the back pocket." Can't argue the call at all. Yes, it was a game changer, but all of it is on Hamid, not on the ref.
Not to mention Houston out-fouled United nearly 4-1 without a card, and that Houston players committing 2 footed tackles from behind (like, say, against Cruz) warrant a play-on. His positioning often sucked as well, since he seemed content with at most a stately jog.
Do you think it wasn't a foul? It seemed a pretty obvious foul to me. Where the ball was played is completely irrelevant. The ref doesn't call that one, he takes a ding in his assessment, and he goes two weeks without an MLS assignment.
I could see it getting called early in a game, or a game with closer margins, but I have also seen it repeatedly NOT called in favour of a team up by a significant margin in the last 5 minutes of a match. I've seen more convincing fouls not called in favour of a team up by ONE goal. Were Kandji carded for his earlier actions against Cruz, where Cruz shielded the ball from him until it went out of play, and Kandji steamrolled him, or when the player who did the aforementioned two-footed challenge from behind against Cruz resulting in a loss of possession for United, maybe I'd say "hey, OK, he's calling the game reasonably well." But with persistent infringement going un-cautioned, getting a ding for not calling a late-game penalty in favour of a team with a commanding lead AND up a man should be the least of his reasons for not getting an MLS assignment for a couple of weeks. As it was, most fouls that occurred, he was calling them from half a field away.
Really didn't even need to see the highlights after a great weekend. Ugh. At least it looks like Willis learned from Hamid's mistake when he stood up Kandji on a break and Davis blew the shot. And the other save from Willis on Davis that went off the crossbar was great. That is as positive as I can get. Hamid with a boneheaded play. Russell slow to get back. Dejan slow to get back on Bruin's goal. TWO penalties. Woof. Hello Monday.
I would have pulled off Cruz, switched Pontius to right wing, Bosko to left, and let DeRo drop back some, for a 4-4-1 or 4-3-1-1. Take off your weakest player, not your best.
That's sorta what I was thinking. Cruz is useful in attack, but he doesn't hold the ball well and he's terrible @ defense (the 2nd PK was the product of that--he gets beat and/or caught out of position a LOT). But water under the bridge now. The performance was so poor it's almost pointless to analyze what could have been done differently. Too many people shit the bed last night.
Well, I expected red, but if the ref wanted to avoid the red he could easily have justified it...refs are told that the 4 D's should be present; distance from goal, distance of other defenders, direction of ball/play, distance from other defenders. Jakovic was covering but the big out was Kandji's touch before contact which sent the ball to the end line and away from goal (direction). Mostly though, I think it was a young player learning a lesson that cost DCU the game. Poor decision making on not coming out right away (something Hamid is usually good at), came out too hard when he couldn't get there first, went down too easy, hung that leg out. Now he has to live with the suspension and may have to watch for a while if Willis plays well. Next time, at that point in the game, stay on your feet, maybe give up the goal (Kandji had a little trouble getting everything else on frame) and let your team fight with 11. I am not sure it made that much of a difference as we looked like we were missing game sharpness. Yes, DCU looked good at first but it all fell apart in the final third. 4 games in a month and a half is not a recipe for playing well. It is a good time for Korb to get a run out in a spot that has been our weakest this season. Hopefully he can claim the spot. to me this was the toughest game in our run of 8 against the Eastern Conference (next toughest; @KC).
As a former ref, that was a red on Hamid; zero doubt. Even Hamid knew it as he stood up and stoically slauntered off the pitch. The player selection from there was unique. As noted above Anno was out of position for many of his calls. I have only watched this squad about a year now and Russell chas never handled aggressive counters or 3 man fronts. When Russell is paired with Cruz, who is still learning, it really makes you miss Najar's recovery speed. Korb and lewis from the opening whistle would have been a better call by Olsen IMO; oh well. Now off to Columbus. The Crew are reeling. Lets get 3 before our next 2 week vacation. This schedule is a joke!!!
Given that he left the match not long after with what looked to be a leg injury of some kind, I'm curious if he was ever at full strength in this match from the get-go.
That would either be a REALLY generous interpretation (for Hamid) by the ref; or it sets the bar so high that the rule is all but meaningless. All kidding about what a poor finisher Kandji is, lots of good players could have slotted that ball into the side netting after hopping over Hamid. It might have been difficult, but it was far from impossible.