Match #38 Tunisia : France Wednesday, 30 November 2022 18:00 local time (10:00 EST) Al Rayyan Referee: Matthew CONGER (NZL) AR1: Mark Rule (NZL) AR2: Tevita Makasini (TGA) Fourth Official: Salima Mukansanga (RWA) Fifth Official: Neuza Back (BRA) VAR: Abdullah Al Marri (QAT) AVAR (1): Muhammad Bin Jahari (SIN) Offside AVAR (2): Taleb Al Marri (QAT) Support AVAR (3): Fernando Guerrero (MEX) Stand-by Offside AVAR (4): Saoud Almaqaleh (QAT)
Was this team set before or after the end of the Portugal vs Uruguay match today? No way to know? I see Al Marri is VAR.
No one is paying attention to this game, but Conger is doing well. It's shame he's essentially gone to two World Cups to only do one game each and you can make an argument both games were essentially meaningless. It shows you that no matter how well you do, if you're from a certain country you just have an inherent ceiling and if you're from a respected footballing nation, you will be getting a knockout match as long as you don't royally screw up. Unless you're a chosen one like Irmatov, if you're from a really small country you have no chance of accomplishing anything at a World Cup no matter how well you officiate. I've seen Ramos and Conger honestly there isn't a big gap between them. Ramos is probably better, but not by a lot. But because he's Mexican and from a serious football nation he will be getting a knockout game even though Conger has refereed probably as well as Ramos in these past two world cups.
50' Nearly hit by the ball as it is served toward the penalty area, then passes on a potential foul by the Tunisian attacker against the French defender resulting in a shot (high). I think it was a good no-call from the replay I saw, but if there was a goal I think there would have been quite the controversy.
The French studs into the goal scorer's ankle? Because, that should be a caution after the fact to the French defender...
This can cut in both directions, though, and in Conger's case it has most certainly cut in his favor at every point in his career other than the actual World Cup. He's the top referee from the only country in the confederation that has any infrastructure whatsoever to produce a referee. Oh, and he emigrated there. So the geopolitical luck factor in his favor is strong. OFC needs a World Cup referee. So New Zealand needs a World Cup referee. So, it's him. In a very, very, very similar universe to the one we exist in, Matt Conger is Ted Unkel. As for this actual tournament, my understanding is that the OFC powers that be, to the extent they exist, do not love the fact that he temporarily relocated outside OFC. Kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don't for Conger. He did what he could to get better prepared for the WC but, by doing so, might have alienated his political backer(s) in OFC. It is too bad, because I would love to see him on a KO match.
Never being given, as I'm sure you know. It's funny, it's actually the type of tackle that has a strong argument for SFP. But when the ball goes into the net, people magically don't seem to care.
Did he really count the French players on the field with his hands after France subbed (watching on a delay)? For a WC referee that looked odd.
Even if he did, I don't blame him especially with now teams subbing sometimes four players at once? Didn't we, also, have a game where there was 12 players on the field after a sub/goal with a female fourth official (is it the same one?)?
I love how we all have these perceptions about what a FIFA ref or a WC ref should do or not do. We have these rules like "never pace off the wall" or "never use your finger to count players." I've always found these unwritten rules a little bit funny.
It’s something I try to keep in mind when teaching new referees….a LOT of referee things are optional — there are often multiple ways to do the same thing. Assessors often focus on that stuff so much instead of the core things that we all need to be consistent on.
I try quite hard when I assess not to hold things like that against a referee unless it's having a significant impact on performance/control. Like I might comment on how a referee sets a wall if they're turning their back on 15 players only to look at 3 players when standing on the other side keeps all of the players in view. But, just because you walk it off, or count with your index finger... no wonder some refs don't find value in assessment.
Wow. Really fascinating OIO decision by VAR. Since we're not generally seeing the referee come over to the monitor for offside decisions. EDIT - I see the actual issue was a question of deliberate play or not. See post below.
And that was unambiguously a "play" by the defender last year . . . I suspect FIFA is very glad this goal didn't matter as to who advanced . . .