I don't think it's a clear and obvious error based on the standards PRO has set, particularly this season. The contact is low and the trajectory is down to the ground and not thrusting through the player like the Nemeth foul on Felipe. Would love red, but I don't think it ticks the boxes for VAR intervention.
Assignment Change: DC vs SJ REF: Ramy TOUCHAN 4TH: Danielle CHESKY (MLS Debut) The rest of that crew is unchanged.
I've had a couple of instances where I've been in a similar position to that of AC in my games. It doesn't happen very often, and I know that it's not a normal or textbook position. One time it happened in a game where I was doing the game solo, and another time the ball was rolling slowly to the goal line and I just kept going to almost the exact same spot where AC was on this play. Pretty hard to argue that it was over the goal line when he's straddling the goal line and saying it's not in (and also having an AR not recommending a goal as well).
The real mark of an elite-level referee is the ability to ignore textbook second yellows without anyone really noticing.
That's the sign of cowardly refereeing more than anything else, but not atypical of Marrufo. No wonder he goes like 7 years between second caution red cards. Ridiculous decision to not produce a second yellow to Moore there on that textbook DOGSO yellow.
I obviously agree it’s an easy 2CT. But “cowardly” is pretty harsh for our top international referee. The fact is Marrufo referees to expectations. You have to do something pretty egregious in MLS to get a 2CT on a penalty kick. “The penalty is enough” is a feeling that doesn’t just come from so-called cowardly referees. It just exists in this league (and I’d say most leagues outside Latin America and near the Mediterranean). Until Vancouver starts bitching about how Moor shouldn’t have been on the field for Toronto to tie the match or SKC says in their next match that he shouldn’t even be playing... well, the only attention on this decision will be places like here. And when attention is that limited, why would anything change?
I do agree with you on the fact that MLS referees have taken the "penalty is enough" mantra to absolute extremes. There was a play earlier this year where a defender practically grabs the ball preventing a cross going to an attacker who was going to shoot into an empty net from 6 yards out. Not coincidentally it was Marrufo the referee and no caution was given. Before, at least a yellow would be given, if not red and I don't think that is good for the game. I do disagree with you on the fact that I think in every league in Europe (including the EPL) and the CL that a second caution is being produced there. I'm really wondering if he even gets a yellow if he isn't sitting on a yellow card here...
Ok. I didn't recognize who was reffing the SJE@DCU match, went to MLS's website, and it said Tim Ford was the center. I wonder who it was, then.
Overall, impressed with Sibiga's handling of PORvLAFC. It was a chippy match that I thought he did a good job trying to let it play but calling the fouls. I thought POR could have earned an extra yellow or two for PO on Vela. But I thought the result of the mass confrontation was fair. The only thing I was surprised is that their was no OFR for the potential handling in/out of the penalty area. I suppose it's one of those that I don't think VAR would have clear and obvious to overturn either decision and so the call on the field stands. But as a Portland fan, I definitely wanted Sibiga to have a look at it. Anyway, Sibiga seems to be doing well and getting more marquee matches and hope his success continues.
If Sibiga addressed the issues with LAFC's bench earlier in the half the mass confrontation doesn't happen. I guess he figured if he let it go it would get better on it's own? I was surprised that they did the OFR for the fight, and then that he thought that a YC for VC was appropriate (Diomande ran 30+ yards to attack a player when he wasn't even involved in the initial scrap). I was also shoched that he let the LAFC coaching staff come onto the pitch and fight players without sending them off. I really didn't understand the lack of review on the handling, other than maybe the VAR doesn't have the angles that we had on TV since it was pretty damn obvious that the hand was over the line.
Villareal was replaced at halftime by Elton Garcia, his 4th official. Unnoticed by announcers. A very uneventful 45 minutes of soccer. I don't think he is even in double digits for his 4th official assignments, guessing that PRO breathed a heavy sigh of relief at the final whistle. With all the new faces, you knew it was going to catch up to them eventually. I just wonder about some of the "what-ifs"....you've got 4ths who aren't as trained or have any real experience with VAR. Is PRO going to start bringing more into camp or rely on the veterans in the booth (couldn't have asked for two better in this game) to coach new guys through in these emergency situations.
It was his third. I think that's the absolute last thing PRO wants. VARs can't be coaching referees through games. Now, a lot of veteran ARs can (and already do, in some instances) coach new officials through games. But that's a different story. The interesting thing here is that it was Felice's first match, right? So you had 2/3 of the on-field crew working their first MLS match. Probably haven't seen that in 20 years, right, @ManiacalClown ?
Sure haven't, and it's not something they're allowed to assign directly from what I understand. This is the only way it can happen.
So this is weird to say, but Warshaw hosted Instant Replay solo this week, and it's actually pretty good analysis by their standards.
Broken record alert: but all calls like that are reviewed. Certainly the VAR and AVAR looked at that intently, and just couldn't find an angle that was clear. I saw the same TV angles and there was not one that showed it was clearly in. Close, but not clear. The thing is, Sigba did have a look at it in real time. And made his call. If the VAR with all their angles and freeze frames can't find a better/more clear view than he had on the field, nothing is gained from him going to the screen. But the credibility of the VAR would be trashed. Imagine if the VAR called down an OFR because there was clear evidence he got the call wrong, then he looked at mediocre and dubious views that the players don't see, then stuck with his call. That would be a fiasco.
You're totally right. I was trying to show that I was biased as a fan in wanting this, but absolutely understand from a refereeing perspective why it shouldn't be done. Didn't make that line clear in the original post.
I don't think VAR worked perfectly in either major situation for the Portland match. I don't suspect PRO will say anything publicly, because there's not enough outrage and partial transparency is, inherently, partial. But from what I've seen and understand, neither the penalty nor the mass confrontation was handled well by VAR. On the penalty, I actually do think you could combine a couple of the available angles to show it clearly in. That said, I think an OFR would have resulted in a "no penalty" result. That wasn't handling. The AR didn't want it. I would be surprised if Sibiga was happy with the call once he looked at it post-match. So if he was invited to do an OFR, I think that gets reversed. So while Portland fans are probably right that it was inside the penalty area, I think the next possible step is not one they are considering. On the mass confrontation, it appears that the VAR did not show the best angle to identify and show the throat grab by Diomande. That was clear violent conduct. It looks instead that the angle chosen only shows an apparent push by Diomande, with Fernandez then retaliating with hands above the shoulder (with negligible force). That's how you get two yellows there... UB for both. But if the VAR had shown Sibiga the lower field camera angle, he would have seen Diomande's hands wrapped fully around Cascante's throat. If that angle gets shown, you have a red to Diomande and a yellow to Fernandez. I know MLS referees don't love that imbalanced result, but it would have been appropriate here. Diomande's actions were way over the top.