Usa-arg [r]

[Ref Flunkie]

Right now we're at the 76' and it has been quite a cluster-F. I have no idea what that red card was about to Pablo Mastroeni, and apparently neither did Alex Prus. One what seemed to be a clear missed PK, another close one maybe missed for the US. Odd fouls called all around. I don't know who the CR is, but he looks familiar to me so perhaps someone can ID him (I think I just heard he has WC experience).

[spectre013]

Not sure his name they showed it right after the send off. He has been kinda all over the place with his calls.

Lots of yellows coming out now.

[Ref Flunkie]

Red to ARG seemed like a good caution. Hard to see it as a straight red as he kind of lunged from his knees, but it was a clear yellow. Considering how many cautions he handed out, I was impressed he remembered that it was the second caution without checking his book.

[code1390]

I think its very possible he made a mistake. I say that because 20 or so seconds after he booked Edu, he ran over and gave Pable a straight red. It looked like a "hey, I forgot to show you this when I gave you the second yellow a few seconds ago". Just my opinion though. Maybe he told him to F-off.

[mkoenig_1]

I think its very possible he made a mistake. I say that because 20 or so seconds after he booked Edu, he ran over and gave Pable a straight red. It looked like a "hey, I forgot to show you this when I gave you the second yellow a few seconds ago". Just my opinion though. Maybe he told him to F-off.

I concur. To add to this, Mastroeni was wearing 25, while Edu was wearing 26. And the way the numbers look on the jerseys, it is easy to imagine that he may have read them wrong or recorded them wrong.

Replay also showed a convo between Edu and Mastroeni directly after in which it appeared Pablo said "it's me???" with an incredulous look on his face. Then, next thing you know he is sent off.

And while I thought he was doing OK up until the point, the referee, who I think was from El Salvador, seemed to lose some composure thereafter.

I suspect we'll learn more about what was behind this in the days ahead.

NM

[jkritchey]

5 mins of stoppage in a friendly you've lost control of, in a driving rain, and the announcers saying they hear thunder?

[Ref Flunkie]

I concur. To add to this, Mastroeni was wearing 25, while Edu was wearing 26. And the way the numbers look on the jerseys, it is easy to imagine that he may have read them wrong or recorded them wrong.

Replay also showed a convo between Edu and Mastroeni directly after in which it appeared Pablo said "it's me???" with an incredulous look on his face. Then, next thing you know he is sent off.

And while I thought he was doing OK up until the point, the referee, who I think was from El Salvador, seemed to lose some composure thereafter.

I suspect we'll learn more about what was behind this in the days ahead.

NM

Must be it...but how do you mistake these two players?! Did he not look Edu in the face when he booked him or did he just toss the card up and write the number, not paying any attention to the player himself? This is where I agree of PVan in that I think that every card should be reported directly to the 4th official (i.e.-referee walks over or runs quickly and says 25 dissent...or something along those lines), even if it slows the game down a little. This would eliminate any of this type of confusion. The fact that Prus had no idea what was going on is wrong IMO.

I too was a bit surprised by the 5' stoppage time.

[code1390]

What do you mean? They look like identical twins.

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/md/sports/m-soccer/auto_headshot/632513.jpeg http://images.ussoccer.com/Images/Gallery/105_316700_2006MNTmugMASTROENI.jpg

[GlennAA11]

that's twice now I have seen Joel Aguillar and that is two times too many. He was also in charge of the DC United v Pachuca CCC match in DC back at the beginning of the season. I am guessing he must be a new FIFA this year since I never saw him before that. Clearly the ES league doesn't prepare one for international matches.

[code1390]

that's twice now I have seen Joel Aguillar and that is two times too many. He was also in charge of the DC United v Pachuca CCC match in DC back at the beginning of the season. I am guessing he must be a new FIFA this year since I never saw him before that. Clearly the ES league doesn't prepare one for international matches.

Joel Aguillar, from El Salvador became FIFA international in 2001, at the age of 26.

http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/referees/referee=187317/index.html

[MassachusettsRef]

that's twice now I have seen Joel Aguillar and that is two times too many. He was also in charge of the DC United v Pachuca CCC match in DC back at the beginning of the season. I am guessing he must be a new FIFA this year since I never saw him before that. Clearly the ES league doesn't prepare one for international matches.Not that new. He was at the WYC last year and even did a US match (v. Korea). He's also one of CONCACAF's candidates for WC2010.

[Ismitje]

Out of curiosity, how long should it take before we have some official explanation for what happened?

[jacoismyhero]

I only watched halfway... It got to halftime, and I looked at my dad and said, "I can't watch the second half. The referee is breaking up the flow of the game... it's too disjointed. He's already lost control, and I guarantee there will be a flurry of yellows, and probably some reds. He'll completely lose control, and frantically try and regain his (and the players') composure with a bunch of overly harsh punishments on trivial calls."

Sounds like that happened, then?

[PVancouver]

Explanation given. DR. Third paragraph (http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080609&content_id=164212&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp) from bottom.

[mkoenig_1]

Explanation given. DR. Third paragraph (http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080609&content_id=164212&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp) from bottom.

Well there goes my mistaken identity theory.

"The reason why he said he gave me a second yellow was for throwing the ball to a teammate of mine," Mastroeni said. "It was really strange because they were making a substitution and it wasn't like they could play the ball fast or anything."

Did the game need that caution and then red at that moment? As he'd already established the ceremonial restart in order to caution Edu, it is really hard to make a case that it did.

From my perspective watching the rest of the game on TV, it appeared that the players lost all faith in him after that.

[Alberto]

Another in what is now clearly a tradition of poor referees from El Salvador.

What struck me watching the game live was that he had poor foul recognition. I thought he gifted us on the non-penalty call in the second half. Timmay got all man there. Yet, he also missed some pretty obvious calls too that benefited Argentina.

He also called almost every single 50/50 call where both players were pushing off to Argentina's favor.

I did not like his advantage call in the first half late. It would have given us a free kick just outside the penalty area. Argentina had numbers and they were able to clear the ball out.

[GlennAA11]

He also called almost every single 50/50 call where both players were pushing off to Argentina's favor.



This was the biggest problem I had with him in the DC United v Pachuca match as well. Any close call (and some that weren't so close) went in favor of the Mexicans. I don't recall the halftime stats for certain but I seem to recall the fouls were something along the lines of 12-2 in a match that was being contested vigorously by both sides and there was no real reason for the lopsided foul count.

[andymoss]

He refereed the CONCACAF U23 Olympic qualifier in Nashville.He did an okay job I thought. No real incidents to deal with - both teams had already qualified.Match went to to OT, Honduras winning - goal in 102nd minute.

[Ref Flunkie]

I did not like his advantage call in the first half late. It would have given us a free kick just outside the penalty area. Argentina had numbers and they were able to clear the ball out.

I think I recall the same play. I believe it was Bradley and he was facing away from goal after he was fouled. He dribbled back away from goal and advantage was called. I was like "How is that advantageous for the US??". Very strange match all around.

[campbed]

...This is where I agree of PVan in that I think that every card should be reported directly to the 4th official (i.e.-referee walks over or runs quickly and says 25 dissent...or something along those lines), even if it slows the game down a little. This would eliminate any of this type of confusion. The fact that Prus had no idea what was going on is wrong IMO....



This would NOT be a good thing in my opinion, and open the referee up to ridicule from the benches and especially the crowd. In the EPL, the crowd mocks with step counts and song if the referee marches of the ten yards for a restart. Now imagine a controversial caution/send-off deep by the flag. You are going to hold up the game (a moving ball is the referee's best friend) while the referee runs all the way over to the 4th? Interpretation by players/coaches/crowd = referee needs to be double checked because he obviously doesn't know what he is doing.

My 2 cents (pence) anyway.