Not worth ruminating about it now. It is what it is. The handball was a bogus call, but the ref put himself in a spot where he had to call it. It probably would have been better to have sent Ronaldo off with a red
No, it most likely would have changed the dynamic of the game playing with 10 men, and for sake of argument, had that handball occurred as it did, I'm going to suggest it wouldn't have made it to the penalty spot
Well ask yourself this, why did Ronaldo get a yellow? It was an obvious elbow involved, the question is whether it was deliberate or not. The ref didn't see the foul originally, so he went to VAR after being swarmed by Irans players. After viewing VAR, he interprets the foul as a yellow? There is no ball involved in that play, so either its a red, or he's being linenient in that call. Then the handball occurs, and he consults VAR after being swarmed again by Irianian players. A player with his back to the play and ball to hand. Clear as day ball to hand, and he points to the spot? If Ronaldo went off, there's no way he calls that a penalty.
He didn't go to VAR because of Iranian players, he went because the booth or room told him to take another look. Referees don't use VAR because of players protests. They can only use it at discretion of the VAR room. And, again, the ref was bad. A bad ref using VAR will still make bad decisions. The Ronaldo yellow, for example, and as you said, it's a red (if deliberate) or nothing. It's never a yellow. He was a bad ref.
I still think refs have been influenced to consult not because of VAR booth advising him to, but because of what is going on on the field. But I agree with you, the ref sucked
A Iranian player should of got red carded for pushing the ref. That team and it’s fans. Holy ********
I just read the refereeing thread about this game and man some of the biased crap people posted. Some really good unbiased stuff too. https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/match-35-irn-por-caceres-par.2084561/
Thanks for this. Interesting comments on what I am just noticing now about the Iranian goal keeping not starting on the line for the PK by Ronaldo...
Yeah I saw that during the game and was wondering about it but I never made a stink about it till after the game. Then I see those comments and I get pissed that the ref was SO bad in that game.