The assignments for Week 3 of the 2019 Major League Soccer season: 03/16/19 Chicago Fire vs Seattle Sounders SeatGeek Stadium (1:00PM ET) REF: Joseph Dickerson AR1: Frank Anderson AR2: Eric Boria 4TH: Baldomero Toledo VAR: Kevin Stott AVAR: Peter Balciunas Columbus Crew vs FC Dallas MAPFRE Stadium (2:00PM ET) REF: Alex Chilowicz AR1: Adam Garner AR2: Kevin Klinger 4TH: Marcos DeOliveira VAR: Fotis Bazakos AVAR: Peter Manikowski Houston Dynamo vs Vancouver Whitecaps BBVA Compass Stadium (3:00PM ET) REF: Nima Saghafi AR1: Logan Brown AR2: Brian Dunn 4TH: Mark Allatin VAR: Chico Grajeda AVAR: Kevin Terry Jr New York Red Bulls vs San Jose Earthquakes Red Bull Arena (3:30PM ET) REF: Rubiel Vazquez AR1: Kyle Atkins AR2: Andrew Bigelow 4TH: Drew Fischer VAR: Alan Kelly AVAR: Thomas Supple Orlando City vs Montreal Impact Orlando City Stadium (4:00PM ET) REF: Tim Ford AR1: Ian Anderson AR2: Jose Da Silva 4TH: Christopher Penso VAR: Edvin Jurisevic AVAR: Kyle Longville D.C. United vs Real Salt Lake Audi Field (8:00PM ET) REF: Dave Gantar AR1: Jeff Hosking AR2: Eduardo Mariscal 4TH: Kevin Broadley VAR: Silviu Petrescu AVAR: Craig Lowry LA Galaxy vs Minnesota United Dignity Health Sports Park (10:30PM ET) REF: Jair Marrufo AR1: Jason White AR2: Matthew Nelson 4TH: Ramy Touchan VAR: Daniel Radford AVAR: Chris Elliott 03/17/19 New York City FC vs Los Angeles FC Yankee Stadium (3:00PM ET) REF: Armando Villarreal AR1: Jeremy Hanson AR2: Cameron Blanchard 4TH: Drew Fischer VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero AVAR: Gjovalin Bori FC Cincinnati vs Portland Timbers Nippert Stadium (5:00PM ET) REF: Ismail Elfath AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt AR2: Jeffrey Greeson 4TH: Marcos DeOliveira VAR: Kevin Terry Jr AVAR: Cory Richardson Atlanta United vs Philadelphia Union Mercedes-Benz Stadium (7:00PM ET) REF: Robert Sibiga AR1: Corey Rockwell AR2: Corey Parker 4TH: Jon Freemon VAR: Luis Guardia AVAR: Jozef Batko Toronto FC vs New England Revolution BMO Field (7:30PM ET) REF: Ted Unkel AR1: Adam Wienckowski AR2: Gianni Facchini 4TH: Baldomero Toledo VAR: Geoff Gamble AVAR: Philippe Briere Colorado Rapids vs Sporting Kansas City Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (9:00PM ET) REF: Allen Chapman AR1: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho AR2: Michael Kampmeinert 4TH: Guido Gonzales Jr VAR: Jorge Gonzalez AVAR: Jonathan Johnson Ford’s first center (I believe), Chilowicz also returning to the middle for the first time this season.
Ford had an October match last year in San Jose. And that, of course, completely undermines my argument in another thread that he saw the field for the first time as an AR. Chilowicz last had a middle in March 2018 after having three in 2017. This is a big moment for him.
Statistics through week 2 #MLSRefStats2019 Regular SeasonIncludes all games through March 1023 g, 4.09 Y/g, 6 R (0.26/g), 10 pens (0.43/g), 24.70 F/gHOME TEAMS:1.91 Y/g, 3 R (0.13/g), 5 pens (0.22/g), 11.91 FC/g10 W - 8 D - 5 L (1.652 PPG)— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 11, 2019 #MLSRefStats CORRECTIONAll-time Regular Season5491 g, 3.44 Y/g, 1398 R (0.25/g), 1654 pens (0.30/g), 26.49 F/gHOME TEAMS:1.58 Y/g, 602 R (0.11/g), 1071 pens (0.20/g), 13.09 FC/g2759 W - 1375 D - 1357 L (1.758 PPG)— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 13, 2019
Week 3 Stats Threads, Part 1 #MLSRefStats Week 3@ChicagoFire vs @SoundersFCREF: Joe DICKERSON - 11th gameAR1: Frank ANDERSON - 220thAR2: Eric BORIA - 142nd4TH: Baldomero TOLEDO - 116thVAR: Kevin STOTT - 19thAVAR: Peter BALCIUNAS - 3rd#CHIvSEA #cf97 #SoundersMatchday— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@ColumbusCrewSC vs @FCDallasREF: Alex CHILOWICZ - 5th gameAR1: Adam GARNER - 164thAR2: Kevin KLINGER - 97th4TH: Marcos DeOLIVEIRA - 84thVAR: Fotis BAZAKOS - 11thAVAR: Peter MANIKOWSKI - 2nd#CLBvDAL #Crew96 #DTID— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@HoustonDynamo vs @WhitecapsFCREF: Nima SAGHAFI - 39th gameAR1: Logan BROWN - 61stAR2: Brian DUNN - 112th4TH: Mark ALLATIN - 1stVAR: Hilario GRAJEDA - 10thAVAR: Kevin TERRY Sr - 3rd#HOUvVAN #ForeverOrange #VWFC— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@NewYorkRedBulls vs @SJEarthquakesREF: Rubiel VAZQUEZ - 10th gameAR1: Kyle ATKINS - 76thAR2: Andrew BIGELOW - 68th4TH: Drew FISCHER - 47thVAR: Alan KELLY - 13thAVAR: Tom SUPPLE - 7th#RBNYvSJ #RBNY #Quakes74— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@OrlandoCitySC vs @impactmontrealREF: Tim FORD - 2nd gameAR1: Ian ANDERSON - 216thAR2: Jose DA SILVA - 52nd4TH: Chris PENSO - 70thVAR: Edvin JURISEVIC - 46thAVAR: Kyle LONGVILLE - 2nd#ORLvMTL #FaceOfCity #IMFC— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019
Week 3 Stats Threads, Part II #MLSRefStats Week 3@dcunited vs @realsaltlakeREF: Dave GANTAR - 70th gameAR1: Jeff HOSKING - 139thAR2: Eduardo MARISCAL - 79th4TH: Kevin BROADLEY - 4thVAR: Silviu PETRESCU - 18thAVAR: Craig LOWRY - 6th#DCvRSL #DCU #RSL— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@LAGalaxy vs @MNUFCREF: Jair MARRUFO - 241st gameAR1: Jason WHITE - 84thAR2: Matt NELSON - 114th4TH: Ramy TOUCHAN - 7thVAR: Daniel RADFORD - 2ndAVAR: Chris ELLIOTT - 1st#LAvMIN #LAGalaxy #MNUFC— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@NYCFC vs @LAFCREF: Armando VILLARREAL - 116th gameAR1: Jeremy HANSON - 124thAR2: Cameron BLANCHARD - 67th4TH: Drew FISCHER - 48thVAR: Jose Carlos RIVERO - 5thAVAR: Gjovalin BORI - 2nd#NYCvLAFC #NYCFC #LAFC— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@fccincinnati vs @TimbersFCREF: Ismail ELFATH - 130th gameAR1: Kathryn NESBITT - 51stAR2: Jeffrey GREESON - 57th4TH: Marcos DeOLIVEIRA - 85thVAR: Kevin TERRY Jr - 39thAVAR: Cory RICHARDSON - 3rd#CINvPOR #FCCincy #RCTID— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@ATLUTD vs @PhilaUnionREF: Robert SIBIGA - 76th gameAR1: Corey ROCKWELL - 245thAR2: Corey PARKER - 166th4TH: Jon FREEMON - 5thVAR: Luis GUARDIA - 8thAVAR: Jozef BATKO - 1st#ATLvPHI #UniteAndConquer #DOOP— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019
Week 3 Stats Threads, Part C #MLSRefStats Week 3@torontofc vs @NERevolutionREF: Ted UNKEL - 80th gameAR1: Adam WIENCKOWSKI - 217thAR2: Gianni FACCHINI - 83rd4TH: Baldomero TOLEDO - 117thVAR: Geoff GAMBLE - 29thAVAR: Philippe BRIERE - 2nd#TORvNE #TFCLive #NERevs— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019 #MLSRefStats Week 3@ColoradoRapids vs @SportingKCREF: Allen CHAPMAN - 138th gameAR1: Oscar MITCHELL-CARVALHO - 78thAR2: Mike KAMPMEINERT - 116th4TH: Guido GONZALES Jr - 10thVAR: Jorge GONZALEZ - 40thAVAR: Jonathan JOHNSON - 8th#COLvSKC #Rapids96 #ForGloryForCity— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 15, 2019
Absolutely no issues with the red to Montreal's Diallo, BUT it was part of a mass confrontation, and I thought that was supposed to be an automatic video review per PRO instructions.
I had no issues with either of Gantar's dismissals of RSL players, nor with the PK he called against RSL. He could have called another PK against Salt Lake, but didn't. The technique on the first yellow/PK was odd though, as at first he didn't call a foul, then went back and gave a yellow, then seemed to realize that if there was a yellow, then there was also a penalty.
I'm extremely confused about what happened. I actually thought, partly because I was watching without sound at work, that the review was going to be for a SFP or VC red on the foul itself.
I have a tough time with that narrative about the first PK/yellow, especially from the TV announcers. It hints at some sort of willful misunderstanding of the laws of the game by a FIFA level ref. What is he giving a yellow card for if it wasn't a reckless foul? He seemed indecisive. He goes to VAR review to award the penalty. What was his restart going to be without VAR? In the first week, he was given props for use of VAR as a man management tool. He used VAR again this week to decide on a PK, after giving a yellow card for a foul in the penalty area that it didn't seem he called. It was the first yellow card @35' in a game that ended with 5 yellows and 2 reds. I was confused by what was happenings. I wonder abut how much that event affected the remainder of the game.
I have a question about the stats. Do they count the numbers by position? Did joe Dickerson really have 11 whistles when he debuted barely last year? Do they count open cup matches? It would kinda make sense with Kevin Stott only has 19 VARs? Even That seems a bit on the low side.
Fischer and Gantar, while both Canadian, are two different people. That said I also have questions about how this was handled. Gantar didn’t have a foul. He stopped for the injury. It seems as though he then realized he missed misconduct and, maybe with the help of an AR, administered the yellow. VAR then says, wait a minute, if it’s misconduct it’s definitely a penalty, too. What would the restart have been if VAR didn’t intervene? There really were only two options. Either a dropped ball (which would have been technically acceptable) or a DFK outside the area (which would have been clearly wrong).
Do you think yellow was the right card there, too? That was a pretty ugly looking challenge, especially in slow motion.
I said to someone else that an argument could be made for VC red. But it’s only an argument. Impossible to say it’s clearly wrong to not give red.
In my opinion, it is not a penalty. The Galaxy player tries to kick through Alonso to get a shot off, but he kicks Alonso in the calf and goes down. There is very little upper body contact and I really don’t see how this wasn’t overturned. Alonso doesn’t make an attempt to foul the Galaxy player, he is just trying to get a shot off and Alonso’s in the way. Call me biased, but I really don’t see how this didn’t at least warrant an OFR.
Villareal dropping SPA cautions left and right in NYC. All technically correct, but most won't be given if he's at the WC in 2022 and/or 2026.
I was on the VC train last night, but it's not a clear and obvious error having looked a few more times. It's definitely minimum reckless.
Very tough call to make with Toronto's goal just before halftime. I guess I'm leaning towards it being a deflection based on the most recent PRO guidance, but it's really close. I suppose once Unkel said it's a deliberate play, I don't think it's clear enough for the VAR to overturn.
I think the vast majority of people would say that's a deflection, but I guess the interpretation for a while now has been as long as you swing your foot at the ball no matter how poor your contact is it's a deliberate play and therefore eliminates the offside. Personally I think it's ludicrous, but that's the way they've been calling it for a while now.
The more I watch it, the more I think PRO will say it's a deflection but not a clear and obvious error. There was probably enough distance between the pass and the defender to show why it wasn't reviewed. It reminds me a lot of the KC/Atlanta match last year.