Match #23 Argentina : Croatia Thursday, 21 June 2018 21:00 local time (14:00 EDT) Nizhny Novgorod Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (UZB) AR1: Abduxamidullo Rasulov (UZB) AR2: Jakhongir Saidov (UZB) Fourth Official: Norbert Hauata (TAH) Reserve AR: Bertrand Brial (NCL) Video Assistant Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER) AVAR1: Bastian Dankert (GER) AVAR2: Corey Rockwell (USA) AVAR3: Danny Makkelie (NED)
Video Assistant Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER) AVAR1: Bastian Dankert (GER) AVAR2: Corey Rockwell (USA) AVAR3: Danny Makkelie (NED)
We got the 30 second "seriously don't hold on corner kicks even though I won't give a PK" speech out of the way.
Even watching on the tactical camera view it’s easy to see 1) this game has a LOT more intensity given the stakes and 2) Irmatov is already struggling to keep a lid on things.
Whenever we finally get the first caution, it will be pretty easy to point to something similar or worse that didn't get one.
The bar is so high. I think there’s a chance we won’t get an SFP card at this tournament. On the whole, there are fewer challenges in that realm at a WC. But when you add in the VAR factor—where the threshold for sending something down is quite high but there is knowledge that there is an insurance policy if a clear red gets missed—you’re in a world where referees are even more reluctant to go there than usual. We have talked about the increase in penalties with VARs but I think, at least at the international level, there will be a decrease in SFP reds.
Not that he ever will, but imagine if Irmatov gives an SFP red against Argentina this match? The VAR would not overturn because of the clearly wrong standard. But we’d have a full blown controversy.