Looks like there was no discussion on this, which is surprising. Leg 1 immediately below: Eastern Conference Semifinals First Leg Columbus Crew v New York Red Bulls MAPFRE Stadium (3PM ET) REF: Nima Saghafi AR1: Peter Manikowski AR2: Jose Da Silva 4TH: Armando Villarreal VAR: Mark Geiger AVAR: Kevin Klinger New York City FC v Atlanta United Yankee Stadium (7:30PM ET) REF: Kevin Stott AR1: Cameron Blanchard AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho 4TH: Silviu Petrescu VAR: Alex Chilowicz AVAR: Jeff Muschik Western Conference Semifinals First Leg Portland Timbers v Seattle Sounders Providence Park (5:30PM ET) REF: Ted Unkel AR1: Joe Fletcher AR2: Kathryn Nesbitt 4TH: Drew Fischer VAR: Allen Chapman AVAR : Mike Rottersman Real Salt Lake v Sporting Kansas City Rio Tinto Stadium (10PM ET) REF: Baldomero Toledo AR1: Gianni Facchini AR2: Felisha Mariscal 4TH: Alan Kelly VAR: Dave Gantar AVAR: Adam Garner
Leg 2 will be Marrufo in Seattle, Rivero in Kansas City, Geiger in Atlanta, and Kelly in New York. Full crews likely to be posted later today.
I have no idea why Unkel doesn't give a penalty there on the challenge by the keeper on Roldan. Sure Roldan is playing and looking for the penalty there, but it's a foul. Also, how on earth is the restart a corner kick there? Second, I don't know what is more disappointing that David Villa didn't get sent off for that studs into the chest/side of the Atlanta player or the fact that he somehow didn't get a caution in the match. I'd just settle for a caution for the second challenge... I will be absolutely stunned if we get a red for SFP via VAR or no VAR in the playoffs.
It might have helped if Roldan was attempting to play the ball when (or if) he got tripped. You could make just as much of a case that Roldan kicked the keeper because he was late to the ball.
I mean the interesting thing here is that one playoff referee--Chapman--has this as a clear penalty and another, Unkel, does not. We've had some potential SFP cards looked at and not given as red cards, but is this the first time we've had a non-handball potential penalty sent down and a referee say "no, not enough?" I'm actually fine with the no call. Roldan does go looking for it and drags the leg without trying to play the ball. Obviously this could be a penalty, but I don't think this is "clearly wrong" not to give. That part is interesting but goes down to the protocols, I think. If corner was the decision on the field, then it stays a corner. Watching it live, I actually said aloud "wow, that was bad" and totally felt like it was SFP. For one of the first times ever, I think I agree with the commentators on Instant Replay. By the book, it's SFP. But Stott called the match a certain way and this wasn't a red. Look how nobody reacts looking for it. A red was never coming. Now, the lack of yellow, that's an entirely different question... Agreed. It likely won't happen. The only way it does, in my opinion, is once a second leg is already decided.
For the goal for NYCFC that was called off for dangerous play, it also looked like the goal scorer may have been coming back from an offside position but it was very tight.
Agreed. I was also surprised the first Portland goal wasn't ruled out for offside via VAR. Three to five inches, if easily discernible via video, starts to get into the "clearly wrong" territory. If it doesn't, what does? A foot? Fifteen inches? I guess it all came down to which cameras were available but I was pretty surprised with the result.
If easily discernable by video is the key. If this is the best angle, I don't see how you can recommend a review. So that @TimbersFC equalizer? My model shows him to be ~5" offside. But honestly... I can't tell exactly where 2LD's shoulder ends and his arm starts. Much closer than I thought and, I dare say, not clear and obvious? pic.twitter.com/SJ6cJfzZfm— SoccerPhotogrammetry AKA "A Nice Gentleman" (@OffsideModeling) November 4, 2018
In the 44th minute, Steffen took a GK, and a Columbus player came back from offside across the center line. I'm not complaining about the call, but I think it's rare to have offside on the player after a GK. Who has seen that before?
I'm assuming there was another touch in between since you can't be offside directly from a goal kick, yeah?
Perhaps would have been discernible in the super-cool tech they had in the WC, but they don't have that same super-tech in MLS stadia, do they? Discerning 3-5" in real time (by that I mean the reasonable time that VAR has to review as opposed to leisurely review of video) from imperfect angles is a pretty big ask.
They do not have any additional technology other than their own eyeballs from what I understand. PRO has released some images with lines, but those have all been added some time after the fact. Hawkeye is the company involved as you would probably expect so we know that THEY have the resources, but who knows what resources PRO and MLS actually have. The money exists, I would think (hope?).
Non-neutral here, but I thought Unkel called a near-perfect game. A playoff, rivalry game, that stayed completely under control with only 1 YC? Impressive set of refereeing. Not saying Marrufo has an easy job, but Geiger definitely has the more difficult second leg to steer home.
Full assignments for leg 2: 11/08/2018 Western Conference Semifinal Second Leg Seattle Sounders v Portland Timbers CenturyLink Field (10:30PM ET) REF: Jair Marrufo AR1: Ian Anderson AR2: Eduardo Mariscal 4TH: Robert Sibiga VAR: Christopher Penso AVAR: Michael Kampmeinert 11/11/2018 Western Conference Semifinal Second Leg Sporting Kansas City v Real Salt Lake Children’s Mercy Park (3PM ET) REF: Jose Carlos Rivero AR1: Adam Wienckowski AR2: Andrew Bigelow 4TH: Christopher Penso VAR: Kevin Stott AVAR: Brian Dunn Eastern Conference Semifinals Second Leg Atlanta United v New York City Mercedes-Benz Stadium (5:30PM ET) REF: Mark Geiger AR1: Matthew Nelson AR2: Corey Rockwell 4TH: Armando Villarreal VAR: Dave Gantar AVAR: Kyle Longville New York Red Bulls v Columbus Crew Red Bull Arena (7:30PM ET) REF: Alan Kelly AR1: Jason White AR2: Eric Weisbrod 4TH: Baldomero Toledo VAR: Allen Chapman AVAR: Logan Brown
Penso being on both Western Conference games would lead me to believe he'll have a whistle for the first leg of the Western Conference final, but that type of planned assigning might be too practical to be true. Fischer's absence is intriguing. I would think he also is in line for a conference final, but maybe not.
Is that a possible explanation for his lack of use thus far, or a suggestion he won't get anything because of it? Because he did have a playoff whistle last year.
It's the reason I was given to remove him from the possibilities for the final. Not sure about the rest of the playoffs or his status last season.
Gotcha. Yeah, I never really had him in mind for the Final. I thought Penso made sense after the knockout stage, but without a match so far it seems like he's on track for a Conference Final. Presuming Geiger and Marrufo are out for the Final (I would guess Marrufo works a Conference Final with Geiger as VAR), I think it really could be a battle between two veterans for MLS Cup: Toledo and Stott. Sibiga seemed in the mix from the start of the playoffs, but I'm not sure if he's still in the mix after the match in NYC. If I were guessing, I'd say: Conference Finals Penso Marrufo Fischer Villarreal or Kelly Final Toledo or Stott Elfath's potential return and Sibiga's status are the two big wildcards in my opinion. Of course, I am likely wildly wrong.
If only referees who are full-time in PRO are eligible to do the Final, then how would Stott be eligible? I've never heard of that or knew that before, but it makes total sense in a way. Isn't he classified as an independent contractor within PRO? Just receives game fees and doesn't have to attend the bimonthly meetings and training? From my understanding, Stott was basically grandfathered into PRO under independent contractor status because he was so good and experienced. Or has his status changed?
Just realized that's the same combo that gave the Sounders send off via VAR (Marshall?) that the red card appeal group overturned, and Gantar/Baldo went to the press with. To keep them together in the playoffs is great. I don't know who the PRO rep is on the red card panel, but this just makes me think he is not in communication with PRO, and they basically don't care what he does. I mean, such a high profile decision, and for PRO to keep them together on a playoff assignment, I mean that says something to those that are paying attention. They didn't put them in Seattle, but still.
It's happened like the last 5 years. Every referee that has done the All-Star game recently has done the MLS Cup Final in the same season. Last year Chapman did both. Then year before it was Kelly. Year before him it was Marrufo.
This is false, and easily google-able. Year - ASG, MLS Cup 2012 - Toledo, Petrescu 2013 - Grajeda, Grajeda 2014 - Marrufo, Geiger 2015 - Elfath, Marrufo 2016 - Penso, Kelly 2017 - Chapman, Chapman 2018 - Sibiga, TBD