Coach Stephen Hart slams referee choice

[katatonic]

By Dan Shalin
http://uk.reuters.com/article/UK_WORLDFOOTBALL/idUKSP13604820070622

CHICAGO, June 21 (Reuters) - Canada coach Stephen Hart slammed the selection of a Mexican referee to officiate Thursday's Gold Cup semi-final defeat to the United States after his team had a stoppage time equaliser disallowed.

Two goals down at halftime, Canada got one back in the 76th minute, and four minutes into injury time Atiba Hutchinson found the net only for Benito Archundia to rule it out for offside.

The Canadians claimed the ball had deflected off the head of American defender Oguchi Onyewu and television replays supported that view.
Hart said the choice of Archundia was inappropriate given Mexico were playing Guadeloupe in the other semi-final of the tournament for nations of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

"I think it's the only confederation in the world that will do that," he said.

[TFC07]

He is right!

[maestri09]

If I remember correctly (it all seems kinda hazy) Archundia gave a last-minute penalty to Honduras during the WC qualifiers against Canada. Canada had just tied the game, or maybe they had gone ahead, then he calls a non-existant penalty. Honduras scores, then blows the final whistle, and runs off the field.

This guy is no stranger to last minute calls--and because it's the last minute, he can just end the game, wipe his hands clean, and run to his car.

[The Wisdom Cube]

This guy refereed the World Cup semifinal between Italy and Germany last year, and the official FIFA World Cup film went out of its way to complement the job he did in that match.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qYtczPucOc&mode=related&search=

He also did the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship final match... They could have picked someone with a much less impressive resume, but the bottom line is that Concacaf obviously wanted to get someone they feel is one of if not their best referee working as high profile a match as possible. Good refs aren't easy to come by in this confederation, and, If I may be allowed a generalization, Mexican refs typically perform better than those from any other Concacaf country.

Or, maybe you were screwed by that famous pro-US Mexican bias.

[mik_smith]

I agree you guys got the short end of the refereeing stick yesterday...

... but wouldn't a Mexican referee want to fix the game IN FAVOR of Canada? Meaning no disprespect (and you guys have been playing the best soccer in the tourney), but if the fix were in, wouldn't it be to make sure Mexico doesn't have to face its nemesis USA?

[soccerbeast_tfc]

The ref should be slammed period with a 2 x4, it was disgusting the offside call it wasn't even close. Canada should file a protest to Fifa about the officals in Concacaf,it might not do any good but it would be on record.
To the Canadian team, well done, this was the most exciting teams in years and maybe even better then the team that won the GC in 2000?

[billf]

The day a Mexican has an inate bias towards the US in anything will be a cold day in Hades... Archundia is the easily the best referee in Concacaf and one of the top in the world. Of those left and available, he was really the only choice figuring that Bartres gets the final.

Joel AGUILAR (SLV)
Benito ARCHUNDIA (MEX)
German ARREDONDO (MEX)
Carlos BATRES (GUA)
Neal BRIZAN (TRI)
Courtney CAMPBELL (JAM)
Lee DAVIS (TRI)
Javier JAUREQUI (ANT)
Roberto MORENO (PAN)
Mauricio NAVARRO (CAN)
Jose PINEDA (HON)
Walter QUESADA (CRC)
Marco RODRIGUEZ (MEX)
Terry VAUGHN (USA)
Enrico WIJNGAARDE (SUR)

[billf]

The ref should be slammed period with a 2 x4, it was disgusting the offside call it wasn't even close. Canada should file a protest to Fifa about the officals in Concacaf,it might not do any good but it would be on record.
To the Canadian team, well done, this was the most exciting teams in years and maybe even better then the team that won the GC in 2000?

What good does a protest do? Its a total judgment call. The complaining at this point is just sour grapes.

[sendorange]

The Bocanegra foul on De Guzman was just as bad a decision, that was a straight red card tackle.

[billf]

The Bocanegra foul on De Guzman was just as bad a decision, that was a straight red card tackle.

I don't think you'll get much argument there, but Onstad put himself in a similar position, De Rosario could have been off, and so could Hume. Not a great day for the referee all around.

[hodgkiss]

I don't think you'll get much argument there, but Onstad put himself in a similar position, De Rosario could have been off, and so could Hume. Not a great day for the referee all around.

come on. serisously, if de ro goes then hejduk should be gone for the elbow and hume was a yellow not a red. now, you're stretching it...

and by the way, i am embarrased taht donovan is half canadian. he was a little baby out there last night. while i can respect most americans, i don not respect him at all! cheap, cheap player. no place for him on a pitch.

[Blizzard]

What good does a protest do? Its a total judgment call. The complaining at this point is just sour grapes.

... and if the grapes are sour, so be it. People are entitled to be indignant over an injustice.

By calling it "sour grapes", one just minimizes the importance of the whole incident.

We can complain all we want, not that it will do any good apart from being a cathartic exercise.

The call was pooched and we are entitled to bitch, whine, moan and vomit as much as we want to.

B

[Blizzard]

come on. serisously, if de ro goes then hejduk should be gone for the elbow and hume was a yellow not a red. now, you're stretching it...

and by the way, i am embarrased taht donovan is half canadian. he was a little baby out there last night. while i can respect most americans, i don not respect him at all! cheap, cheap player. no place for him on a pitch.

Landon is an important factor in keeping the pitch well watered!

B

[billf]

... and if the grapes are sour, so be it. People are entitled to be indignant over an injustice.

By calling it "sour grapes", one just minimizes the importance of the whole incident.

We can complain all we want, not that it will do any good apart from being a cathartic exercise.

The call was pooched and we are entitled to bitch, whine, moan and vomit as much as we want to.

B

Bitch all you want feel free. Its not going to change anything and we had the best possible referee last night. I doubt anyone else would have been better and the idea of a protest is ridiculous because there are literally no grounds for it. There are plenty of calls we could bitch an moan about over the years but we get over it, that's football.

[schafer]

I don't think you'll get much argument there, but Onstad put himself in a similar position, De Rosario could have been off, and so could Hume. Not a great day for the referee all around.

Onstad's foul isn't a red, IMO, considering Beasley's touch was taking him away from goal and into a difficult shooting position (as opposed to Eto'o in the CL final) and there were defenders fairly close. If that's a red, then pretty much every penalty conceded by a keeper is.

[schafer]

Bitch all you want feel free. Its not going to change anything and we had the best possible referee last night. I doubt anyone else would have been better and the idea of a protest is ridiculous because there are literally no grounds for it. There are plenty of calls we could bitch an moan about over the years but we get over it, that's football.

Except that some US fans still haven't 'gotten over' the Germany game from 02 or the Ghana game from 06. The game was played yesterday ffs, don't come in here with this 'that's football' bullshit the day after the game.

[Blizzard]

Bitch all you want feel free. Its not going to change anything and we had the best possible referee last night. I doubt anyone else would have been better and the idea of a protest is ridiculous because there are literally no grounds for it. There are plenty of calls we could bitch an moan about over the years but we get over it, that's football.

... and we'll get over this one too but the game has been complete for less than 24 hours so we are entitled to feel anyway we want to feel for a while.

Are you saying that if the shoe was on the other foot, that you'd be dancing in a fountain somewhere singing Gene Kelly songs?

Hart's comments are totally correct btw. There is no way in the world that any official from any of the final four nations should be involved. It is not a professional way to do things ... oh wait, oh ya ... CONCACAF.

B

[Bruce S]

... and we'll get over this one too but the game has been complete for less than 24 hours so we are entitled to feel anyway we want to feel for a while.

Are you saying that if the shoe was on the other foot, that you'd be dancing in a fountain somewhere singing Gene Kelly songs?

Hart's comments are totally correct btw. There is no way in the world that any official from any of the final four nations should be involved. It is not a professional way to do things ... oh wait, oh ya ... CONCACAF.

B
there are plenty of blown calls in Europe and S America too. You were victim of a wrong offside decision. It happens all over the world, not just CONCACAF.

[Blizzard]

there are plenty of blown calls in Europe and S America too. You were victim of a wrong offside decision. It happens all over the world, not just CONCACAF.

Yes, I realize that.

My CONCACAF comment was in regards to allowing a referee from a semi-final nation to officiate a semi-final, not in direct regards to the mistake by the official(s).

That was what Hart had complained about in the story and rightfully so.

It's just the slip shod amateurish way that CONCACAF does things.

B

[MountainHawk]

... and we'll get over this one too but the game has been complete for less than 24 hours so we are entitled to feel anyway we want to feel for a while.

Are you saying that if the shoe was on the other foot, that you'd be dancing in a fountain somewhere singing Gene Kelly songs?

Hart's comments are totally correct btw. There is no way in the world that any official from any of the final four nations should be involved. It is not a professional way to do things ... oh wait, oh ya ... CONCACAF.

B
Given a ref can't ref both a SF and a final, and given you can't use a USA, MEX, or CAN ref, which three refs are you using for the last 3 games then?