No MLS games this week, but I noticed something different in the USL assignments. Nashville SC vs North Carolina FC Nissan Stadium (8PM ET) REF: Rosendo Mendoza AR1: Jeffrey Swartzel AR2: Justin Howard 4TH: Rebecca Luther 5TH: Marcos Deoliveira Why would there be a 5th official assigned to a USL game?
It's a test VAR match for the Nissan Stadium and for De Oliveira, who is not yet sanctioned to do VAR work in MLS. Two birds with one stone.
He does have one VAR assignment in MLS, though. I'd have to look back to see when it was. Long time ago.
Interesting. Maybe prior to the requirement that you needed two live test matches outside MLS to get sanctioned?
Seems likely. I'll check my records when I get home. EDIT: According to PRO's site it was July 4 last year. Real Salt Lake v Sporting Kansas City Rio Tinto Stadium (10PM ET) REF: Sorin Stoica AR1: Jose Da Silva AR2: Peter Balciunas 4TH: Alejandro Mariscal VAR: Marcos DeOliveira Was that the one with the two reds for SKC that should have been three, but it was called a penalty and UB-DOGSO instead?
Sorta goes here... but.. I see that a lot of NWSL / USL refs wear the same Official Sports jerseys we do, right? But I never see them wear the yellow variance... Interesting... wonder why that is?
Because it’s the jersey most people start with and they used to be super ugly. Now they are only moderately so. I think it’s mostly the first thing.