Denying Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity

[kevbrunton]

I saw this article on mlsnet.

http://www.mlsnet.com/content/02/mls0919denial.html

It's is written by Alfred Kleinaitis, Manager of Referee Development at US Soccer. He is discussing the law on denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity and uses as an example, a foul committed by Mike Clark on Landon Donovan in the Columbus v. San Jose game. He concludes that Clark was guilty of DOGSO, but the article didn't state what actually happened in the game. So I checked the game report from mlsnet and Clark was cautioned in the 45th, but no ejection.

So it seems to me that this boils down to the USSF Director of Referee Development publicly saying that Gus St. Silva blew it.

Did anyone see the game? What did you think of the foul and lack of red? Any other comments?

[pkCrouse]

Originally posted by kevbrunton
...So it seems to me that this boils down to the USSF Director of Referee Development publicly saying that Gus St. Silva blew it. ...
Yea, I guess that's about the size of it. Judging from the video clip, it sure looks like an ejection would have been warranted.

[MassachusettsRef]

Interesting to note that there has been no administrative red card issued by MLS, a la past instances (I can think of two) over recent years where are "red card" was applied after the fact. I think the difference is that the referees in those cases noted their own mistake in their official reports, but then again, I could be wrong.

[IASocFan]

I couldn't get the video to work at home or the office. However, I think the other administrative red cards were for violent play - not for DOGSO. I think the League is more correctly interested in discouraging violent conduct.

[MassachusettsRef]

The most recent one was for DOGSO.

[Quaker]

At an event for Quakes season ticket holders shortly after this match, Frank Yallop was clearly frustrated by the officiating. Specifically regarding this event, apparently Gus St. Silva told him that Landon wasn't "in a goal-scoring position." Huh? He was in alone on the keeper!

Fortunately, this one didn't cost San Jose any points as the game ended 3-2, but it would have been a much easier win with the Crew down a man for that long. Other poor calls have cost the Quakes points, though...