Saturday June 11, 2016 - 7:00 (EDT) - Philadelphia Referee: Julio Bascuñán Assistant Referee 1: Carlos Astroza Assistant Referee 2: Christian Schiemann Fourth Official: Jhon Pitti (PAN) This thread is for all pre-match, play-by-play and post-match discussion and analysis of the refereeing team. Per the forum guidelines (http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/welcome-forum-guidelines.2032251/), this thread will be heavily moderated. For more general or partisan discussions of the match, please go to the general Group thread or the individual team forums.
This referee never should have been on this game. The horror tackle on FabJo inside of 10 minutes was an easy red, and we've already seen that referees in this tournament aren't shy about showing red on those tackles. But because he's already had one miss in favor of a big team, he now has doubt in his mind making that decision early.
US free kick at 24th minute was level with the top of the semicircle but the referee sets the wall 1-2 yards in front of the penalty spot. Fail.
Lol FS1 color guy @ 42'. "There's absolutely nothing there". Slow-mo replay of Paraguayan player getting an elbow in the face.
Yeah, unfortunately I think Strong was committed to his stance then saw the elbow and just kinda kept rolling with it.
I'm more worried about him standing in a spot that blocks the short pass (at both ends). This was carry over from a few minutes before when Yedlin left the ball in play to wag his finger in the face of the guy that fouled Brooks.
Now he's been told at halftime of his two misses (tackle on FabJo and Yedlin elbow) and overcompensated the other way. He's lost the plot because his head is still on the last game.
Lost what plot? He's calling it tight. Players have to be smart enough to adjust. Yedlin deserved a caution in the first half. Got one iffy one and then made an idiotic tackle.
Personally, I think the first caution definitely is deserving of some debate. However, once you've just received a caution, committing a seemingly harder tackle with a bit more contact probably should warrant a card as well and no surprise he was sent off. Overall, it does seem like there is more going against the US, but I think this is more frustration by the players rather than him trying to overcorrect.
He's refereeing scared. Desperately doesn't want to make another error like he gave Brazil. Not even looking to obvious advantages going both ways. A yellow card for dissent that is just compared to where the bar has been in this tournament. This is how you choke a Sunday league game to death, not how a confident referee handles an international match. Were the two yellows justifiable in a vacuum? Sure. Are they worse than studs up over the ball into the inner shin? Never.
Actually it happened in the Copa Del Rey final not too long ago. Similar situation, got on field treatment and continued shortly thereafter. The interesting thing to look at here, is how long is too long before the 4O should be subbed in?
These last 20 minutes could be fun. The US players don't seem to be playing very smart. Down a man and taking some cheap shots. Paraguay too, but they have nothing to lose.
Once again, a fan with a whistle trying to end the games from the stands Any instances of false whistles impacting play at the upper levels?
The slide tackle from behind on Wood should have been red, not yellow. That was the textbook interpretation change back in the day.
Hadn't seen the first yellow, yet. I am in agreement that it's reckless. Two poor tackles, two cautions.
Was at the game so didnt get the benefit of slomo replay. Game seemed called out of utter fear- like one would call a game between Serbia and Albania or a Sunday league game between two ethnic restaurant teams that hate each other. Didnt hear Bradley but the dissent caution seems overly harsh given standards these days. Overall a pretty poor performance in a game that never really got flowing