Well, I think 2012 was what broke things. In the old days, Proenca would have been sent home. Instead, he refereed the team that eliminated his country in the final--the possibility for a conflict of interest and claims of revenge seem a lot higher than just working the other semi. I could be wrong. And we may never find out. But I just don't think FIFA cares about Germany relative to Steinhaus. At minimum, I'm sure they didn't accidentally give her one match in the group stage out of poor planning--there has to be a design.
Looked like a potential red card in the 4th minute of ITA/BRA. Italian player got ball but followed through studs to ankle. Also, Italy has a player playing with a tongue ring.
Off-topic but also very on-topic... England v France U21 match going on right now, penalty awarded and taken in 24'. Penalty saved by the English goalkeeper. English goalkeeper is definitely off the line early. One step taken with left foot forward during run-up and then the right foot propels him forward off the line before the taker makes impact with the ball This "violation" is way worse than what we saw yesterday and worse than most of the ones called in the U20 WC. First UEFA ruling with VAR on this sort of decision... play on. Not even a visible check from the VAR at the next stoppage. So that's promising. UEFA might save us yet. VAR is Guida of Italy, who was at the U20s, too. So that indicates two different standards, rather than simply a mistake or oversight.
No way. The point of contact was very low, there was no straight leg, studs didn't seem exposed (or at least not flush against the opponent). That's not a red card in today's game. To be honest, I don't think that was a red card at the height of the era where FIFA was really clamping down on SFP. You buried the lede, however. There wasn't even a foul called and it was right in front of the AR. That's the problem! Definite foul bordering on a caution, that needed at least a talking-to that early in the match. Instead, we get a throw-in.
Save or make the mess even messier . . . on one hand we can hope they saw what was happening in u20/WWC and are trying to fix it, on the other hand we have radically different standards that leave everyone guessing--so the tool for uniformity is doing almost the opposite
I mean, the good news here is that it really doesn't matter insofar as a "how am I supposed to apply it in my matches?" standpoint. So I don't think it matters too much on the "everyone is guessing" issue so long as it is clear ahead of major tournaments. Eventually there will be a clear line. There is a clear line right now for the WWC, which was the same as the U20s. The next big test for FIFA will be the U17s this fall. And then you'll have UEFA UCL matches. If you get the same standard this fall at FIFA and UEFA events, I think we'll have an answer from the fan perspective.
I saw Unkel's appearance on the Fox late night wrap up show last night. Cobi Jones specifically asked her about the cases of clear offside that should be called instead of waiting for VAR. Unkel seemed to say that the instruction is that any time a goal might happen at some point they are supposed to keep the flag down no matter what. I wonder if that is really the case. She wasn't quite as clear in this setting as she has been on the game broadcasts. I think the format of too many people trying to say something at the same time turned it into a bit of an unfocused free-for-all.
Brazil will play either France or Germany in the Round of 16 (more likely France). Either way, it will be a huge matchup. Venegas can't do it as she just had Brazil. Keighley and Ri must be the leading candidates.
I got the sense that she was trying not to throw the AR under the bus for the delay. I wouldn't be surprised if, with ARs knew to VR, they ARs were instructed to be more liberal in applying delay, out of fear they wouldn't apply it enough. If you imply to the ARs that flagging and being wrong without delaying is something they can get sent home for, and delaying when they shouldn't isn't, well, you do the math . . .
What did people here think about the penalty for Brazil, in the game against Italy (at 1:24 in the FIFAtv highlight reel)? Correct call or not? In my opinion, yes. And how would you describe it, why it was a foul or wasn't? I think, given that the Brazilian player (Debinha) was moving at full speed, any bump from the side would take her down. So she had no chance of staying on her feet. Also, it wasn't shoulder against shoulder. The Italian defender checked Debinha into her right breast.
But some bumps, namely a shoulder to shoulder challenge made within playing distance of the ball, are legal. That's what happened here. Clean challenge.
Full appointments: Netherlands - Canada Referee: FRAPPART Stephanie (FRA) Assistant Referee 1: NICOLOSI Manuela (FRA) Assistant Referee 2: O NEILL Michelle (IRL) Fourth official: MUKANSANGA Salima (RWA) Video Assistant Referee: ZWAYER Felix (GER) Reserve referee: Stephanie-Dale YEE SING (JAM) Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: BACK Neuza (BRA) Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Sascha STEGEMANN (GER) Cameroon - New Zealand Referee: Kateryna MONZUL (UKR) Assistant Referee 1: STRILETSKA Maryna (UKR) Assistant Referee 2: ARDASHEVA Oleksandra (UKR) Fourth official: BRAZ Sandra (POR) Video Assistant Referee: Massimiliano IRRATI (ITA) Reserve referee: MAGNUSSON Julia (SWE) Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: RASHID Lisa (ENG) Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: DANKERT Bastian (GER)
Sweden - USA Referee: PUSTOVOYTOVA Anastasia (RUS) Assistant Referee 1: KUROCHKINA Ekaterina (RUS) Assistant Referee 2: IUGULESCU Petruta (ROU) Fourth official: STAUBLI Esther (SUI) Video Assistant Referee: Danny MAKKELIE (NED) Reserve referee: KUNG Susanne (SUI) Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: KOUROMPYLIA Chrysoula (GRE) Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: BEATH Christopher (AUS) Thailand - Chile Referee: KEIGHLEY Anna-Marie (NZL) Assistant Referee 1: Sarah JONES (NZL) Assistant Referee 2: SALAMASINA Maria (SAM) Fourth official: LENGWE Gladys (ZAM) Video Assistant Referee: Paolo VALERI (ITA) Reserve referee: KWIMBIRA Bernadettar (MWI) Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: TEPUSA Mihaela (ROU) Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Drew FISCHER (CAN)
Number of matches as main VAR in the group stage (15 VARs, 36 matches total): 5 - del Cerro Grande (ESP), Makkelie (NED), Zwayer (GER) 4 - Vigliano (ARG), Irrati (ITA) 3 - Beath (AUS), Dankert (GER), Turpin (FRA) 2 - Sanchez Martinez (ESP), Valeri (ITA) 0 - Hassan Mohamed (UAE), Fischer (CAN), Gil (POL), Martins (POR), Stegemann (GER)
I read in the news papers that FIFA came with a backing up of Makkelie with the remark that before the WC started refs and VARs were specifically instructed to be strict in this goal toe infractions.
I remember long ago (I remember it only because it involved team my kids played on) a big forward pushed the ball just past a smaller defender trying to keep up and then mowed him down to get to the ball. When the forward complained because a foul call went against him when he was expecting a PK the referee told him every player has a right to be where they are on the field as long as they are playing fairly.
Honestly, I was somewhat surprised that this was not deemed a clear and obvious error. I thought it would at least be called down for an on-field review. I had a very similar type of play happen in a match I did a couple of weeks ago. At live speed, I thought it was a good shoulder to shoulder challenge. Looking at the replays, I was even more convinced. I say this as someone that wants a pretty high bar set for subjective penalty decisions, so I don't offer my opinion lightly on this. I felt like it was a situation where VAR would have been justified in recommending a review and the referee overturning the call.
I thought it was a bad call period. The defender turned and got her body between the ball and the offensive player and the Brazilian ran into the defender in the form of a shoulder challenge and then fell down. Maybe I'm missing something (and that would not be the first time), but I don't even see a foul on the defender.
Massref is right we no longer really discuss the refereeing here, in this case we're looking at a pretty straight forward subjective pk decision (some would give it -- some wouldn't) and saying it needs the objective influence of VAR to make that subjective decision. In this case I don't think giving the pk met the 'clear and obvious error' bar or whatever it is, but if it wasn't given with pretty much the same logic it wouldn't have either -- but would VAR have then given it? Personally I wouldn't have given it and would have resented some other mechanism forcing me into it -- many of us have had that situation with a newish AR or (no one to blame but ourselves) inadequate pre-match discussion. Full disclosure anything I have to say about VAR is purely academic and/or fan-speak, I'll never get to/have to deal with it at the (High School and below) levels I work. Not saying it won't ever come to the H.S. level but I'll be 'aged out' by then.
I found a replay that showed 3-4 angles of the play. CR viewing it from behind play might have judged the bit of a hip check to have been what displaced the attacker. Not saying that justified the call or it's right/wrong/otherwise, just that i noticed it.
While we don't absolutely know, it is unusual for an R to decline to do an OFR if recommended as the VAR has seen the replays that the R hasn't. We likely would have seen a discussion going on with the R, as the R would certainly need to know why the VAR was recommending before declining to do the OFR. I would imagine that the R would only decline the OFR if the VAR described what the video showed and the R essentially concludes "that's what I saw, too, and I'm happy with my decision."
I'm late to the discussion but do believe that the PK rules need to be changed. I remember back in the "old" days of the NASL when they had a shootout at the end of tied matches. A number of players in the NASL with bonifides thought this was a good idea (Cruyff, Carlos Alberto, Rodney Marsh). Put the PK take back some distance and the GK stars off on the line. When the whistle is blown, both the keeper & taker can move and the taker has five seconds to get the shot off. this eliminates the stutter step nonsense and the keeper moving off the line which in the absence of VAR always happens. It would not take any more time to do it this way than the way it's done today.