Match #36 Netherlands : Qatar Tuesday, 29 November 2022 18:00 local time (10:00 EST) Al Khor Referee: Bakary GASSAMA (GAM) AR1: Elvis Noupue (CMR) AR2: Mahmoud Abouelregal (EGY) Fourth Official: Ma Ning (CHN) Fifth Official: Cao Yi (CHN) VAR: Redouane Jiyed (MAR) AVAR (1): Adil Zourak (MAR) Offside AVAR (2): Mokrane Gourari (ALG) Support AVAR (3): Julio Bascuñan (CHI) Stand-by Offside AVAR (4): Zakhele Siwela (RSA)
A Qatar player literally jumped up and just grabbed the ball in the middle of the pitch and didn't get a yellow. The referees have basically just punted on following the laws of the game.
What in the LOTG would make that an automatic caution. Unless it is SPA, it's not. While I would like it to be a caution, for better or worse, IFAB chose to change Law 12 to limit tactical fouls to SPA. (That doesn't mean there aren't times when a ref can choose to caution for disrespect to the game, but not giving a caution, absent SPA, is not punting on the LOTG.)
Goal disallowed for deliberate handball in the buildup. Clattenburg going on about "below the sleeve" just because misinforming viewers seems to be what he does best these days.
68' VAR to give a handball in the APP. (Not accidental handball, clearly). Disallows the goal. With the arm moving to the ball it appears to help him control it. The ball hits near the bicep but not high enough to be fair.
If you missed the game: Disallowed goal - https://streamable.com/bxx9vd Review - https://streamable.com/s9omeb (1H) - https://streamable.com/m8m78p (2H)
That is his normal look. I've seen him in games where it is an advantage. He can sort of float above the fray so to speak. But I'll grant that in this game it didn't come across well. Also, he has this habit that is part of his persona of looking away after a foul, as in "it's so obvious I don't even need to watch the restart." But that puts his ARs in a strange position of having to watch behind his back while watching offside, often at some distance. It struck me that with a Chinese 4th, it is just unwise all around, and in this game it almost came back to bite him, as there were a few less than friendly interactions around the ball but behind his back that he really had no idea about because he was already shuffling away.