08/16/2017 Montreal Impact v Chicago Fire Stade Saputo (7:30PM ET) REF: NIMA SAGHAFI AR1: Joe Fletcher AR2: Logan Brown 4TH: Robert Sibiga VAR: Silviu Petrescu 08/18/2017 Portland Timbers v New York Red Bulls Providence Park (7:30PM ET) REF: ALLEN CHAPMAN AR1: Cameron Blanchard AR2: Apolinar Mariscal 4TH: Daniel Radford VAR: Ismail Elfath 08/19/2017 Montreal Impact v Real Salt Lake State Saputo (7:30PM ET) REF: CHRIS PENSO AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho 4TH: Sorin Stoica VAR: Hilario Grajeda Orlando City v Columbus Crew Orlando City Stadium (7:30PM ET) REF: JUAN GUZMAN JR AR1: Brian Dunn AR2: Jeff Muschik 4TH: Caleb Mendez VAR: Matthew Franz Chicago Fire v Toronto FC Toyota Park (8:00PM ET) REF: JAIR MARRUFO AR1: Jose Da Silva AR2: Danny Thornberry 4TH: Jose Carlos Rivero VAR: Ramy Touchan Sporting Kansas City v FC Dallas Children’s Mercy Park (8:30PM ET) REF: ARMANDO VILLARREAL AR1: Peter Manikowski AR2: Andrew Bigelow 4TH: Mark Kadlecik VAR: Robert Sibiga Colorado Rapids v D.C. United Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (9:00PM ET) REF: ALEX CHILOWICZ AR1: Frank Anderson AR2: Jason White 4TH: Baldomero Toledo VAR: Jon Freemon Vancouver Whitecaps v Houston Dynamo BC Place (10:00PM ET) REF: DREW FISCHER AR1: Michael Kampmeinert AR2: Canada CSA 4TH: Daniel Radford VAR: Allen Chapman San Jose Earthquakes v Philadelphia Union Avaya Stadium (10:30PM ET) REF: TED UNKEL AR1: Mike Rottersman AR2: Jeffrey Hosking 4TH: Younes Marrakchi VAR: Kevin Stott 08/20/2017 New York City v New England Revolution Yankee Stadium (6:00PM ET) REF: MARK GEIGER AR1: Matthew Nelson AR2: Claudiu Badea 4TH: Jorge Gonzalez VAR: Dave Gantar Seattle Sounders v Minnesota United CenturyLink Field (9:30PM ET) REF: ISMAIL ELFATH AR1: Ian Anderson AR2: Eric Boria 4TH: Daniel Radford VAR: Drew Fischer http://proreferees.com/2017/08/15/mls-assignments-week-24/
as the elton john song goes, daniel is travelling tonight on a plane! he has 3 4ths, back to back to back
The unnamed CSA AR in Vancouver likely means it's a trial slot for someone new. Canadian officials who are part of PRO have USGO log-ins, so their names get pulled easily when the weekly assignments gets published. Non-PRO CSA officials show up like the one listed here. There should be another AR trial slot coming up in early September. PRO is starting to test some people for promotion but as we talked about last week and we're seeing with Radford's work this weekend, an argument can definitely be made that they're not doing it quickly enough.
Wondering if this is Daniel Radford's first visit to Seattle since the Sounders-Timbers Open Cup experience.
It is, at least to referee the Sounders' MLS team. In fact, his 4th on 7/29 in LA was the first time he's seen them at all since that match.
Chilowicz received his first MLS center this week, Colorado vs. DC. We'll see how he does. He has a very experienced supporting cast to help him out.
Basically, if someone has been around as a 4th for a long while without a whistle, don't bet on them getting a game. Guys like Vazquez and Chilowicz are clearly the "development group" these days. The exception seemed to be Mariscal last year, and that resulted in PRO choosing to not back up his decisions. Guys like Radford and Jallow clearly don't have a chance, which is a shame, really.
Nothing against the guys moving up. No one at this level is a bad referee or undeserving of the opportunity. Just pointing out the obvious: PRO never had any intention of promoting that original class of fourth officials.
agree with you on the original class of 4th. They are like the kids in my neighborhood. one of the kids is all time pitcher and one is all time kicker for his bother who has a bad knee.
First VR VC in MLS: https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2017-08-19-orlando-city-sc-vs-columbus-crew-sc I think this is the right call. Just hope this standard is upheld consistently. Also wonder about the mechanics...if Guzman believes he has misconduct when he blows for the foul, is there an obligation to show it before going to the VAR? I'm not certain on that part of the protocol because I've read and heard different things.
I was wondering the same thing. No idea what they are instructed, but assuming he knew he had misconduct and just didn't know yellow or red I think it's dumb to guess and then look. To me it just 'looks' better to not show a card and then go and decide. If you give the card before going to monitor your options are switch color or keep it the same, and honestly neither looks better than just going no card and going to the monitor first. Seems the least controversial and easiest sell to me.
I agree mechanically it looks better that way. However, the VAR is only supposed to intervene if a clear and obvious error occurs. So technically situations like this create a bit of a paradox unless Guzman records a yellow, tells the VAR he is going yellow, and then gets informed he should take a second look before showing the yellow. Based on everything we see, that actually might be what happened. Edit to say the same would apply if Guzman recorded a red, was going red, and the VAR warned him it might only be yellow and he should check. Theoretically, that also would have been kosher. But I very much doubt that's what happened.
San Jose's only felt like a win. But yes, both good calls. Elfath's, done in real-time without VR, was particularly impressive.