07/15/21 07/24/21 Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew Mercedes-Benz Stadium (3:30PM ET) REF: Robert Sibiga AR1: Jason White AR2: Adam Wienckowski 4TH: Elijio Arreguin VAR: Sorin Stoica AVAR: Jozef Batko Chicago Fire vs Toronto FC Soldier Field (8PM ET) REF: Victor Rivas AR1: Peter Manikowski AR2: Eric Boria 4TH: Ismir Pekmic VAR: Malik Badawi AVAR: Fabio Tovar Minnesota United vs Portland Timbers Allianz Field (8PM ET) REF: Marcos DeOliveira AR1: Andrew Bigelow AR2: Jose Da Silva 4TH: JC Griggs VAR: Jon Freemon AVAR: Jeff Muschik FC Dallas vs LA Galaxy Toyota Stadium (8:30PM ET) REF: Silviu Petrescu AR1: Claudiu Badea AR2: Chris Elliott 4TH: Elton Garcia VAR: Carol Anne Chenard AVAR: Jonathan Johnson Nashville vs FC Cincinnati Nissan Stadium (8:30PM ET) REF: Guido Gonzales Jr AR1: Matthew Nelson AR2: Kevin Klinger 4TH: Baldomero Toledo VAR: Daniel Radford AVAR: Joshua Patlak Real Salt Lake vs Colorado Rapids Rio Tinto Stadium (10PM ET) REF: Fotis Bazakos AR1: Corey Rockwell AR2: TJ Zablocki 4TH: Brandon Stevis VAR: Kevin Terry Jr AVAR: Jeremy Hanson San Jose Earthquakes vs Houston Dynamo PayPal Park (10PM ET) REF: Ted Unkel AR1: Cory Richardson AR2: Apolinar Mariscal 4TH: Matt Thompson VAR: Chico Grajeda AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert Los Angeles FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps Banc of California Stadium (10:30PM ET) REF: Kevin Stott AR1: Diego Blas AR2: Ryan Graves 4TH: Michael Radchuk VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero AVAR: Felisha Mariscal
Ted Unkel went down after colliding with a San Jose player. Left the game bleeding. Matt Thompson has taken over the whistle as of the 10th minute. He has no prior experience as an MLS middle.
Ted has returned, apparently as fourth official now for the duration. Had previously heard that Kampmeinert would be coming down from the VOR instead so this is good news.
Kampmeinert may actually be out there as 4th after all, but we did see Ted on TV at the start of the half. Whoever that was with the sub board was not Ted. If that's Kampmeinert, he has more hair than I remember.
well, that's certainly an exciting debut! Disallowed goal (correctly) and then send off in stoppage time
07/25/21 New England Revolution vs CF Montréal Gillette Stadium (6PM ET) REF: Alex Chilowicz AR1: Nick Uranga AR2: Brian Dunn 4TH: Matthew Corrigan VAR: Malik Badawi AVAR: Tom Supple New York City FC vs Orlando City Yankee Stadium (6PM ET) REF: Rosendo Mendoza AR1: Peter Balciunas AR2: Ian McKay 4TH: Tori Penso VAR: Jorge Gonzalez AVAR: Eric Weisbrod Inter Miami vs Philadelphia Union DRV PNK Stadium (7:30PM ET) REF: Joe Dickerson AR1: Jeffrey Greeson AR2: Gjovalin Bori 4TH: Elijio Arreguin VAR: Sorin Stoica AVAR: Jozef Batko D.C. United vs New York Red Bulls Audi Field (8PM ET) REF: Alan Kelly AR1: CJ Morgante AR2: Ben Pilgrim 4TH: Kevin Broadley VAR: Daniel Radford AVAR: Matthew Nelson Seattle Sounders vs Sporting Kansas City Lumen Field (9PM ET) REF: Ramy Touchan AR1: Ian Anderson AR2: Jeff Hosking 4TH: Michael Radchuk VAR: Chico Grajeda AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert
Just watched the San Jose/Houston game that Thompson took over. He had some good decisions, and a surprising amount of confidence and composure for an MLS debut under strange circumstances. But there were a few missed throw ins/goal kicks/ck's that seemed like they were awarded to the wrong team. Also, Thompson had very strange positioning in dynamic play. He kept getting sucked way close to his ARs, and then on crosses was looking through the whole field with his AR behind him. There were several times on counters where he seemed to realize this, and change his running from North/South to suddenly a hard 90 degree turn and go totally sideways to move wide, which just put him behind the play. Also, I think that happened on a few of the critical plays. The disallowed goal was a great example. Richardson nailed the call, but Thompson was in a very bad position to help, as he had moved (iirc) totally around the penalty arc to very similar angle as Richardson. If gets more middles, and doesn't fix this, there will be misses in the box--missed handballs, missed CK's (like he had today), missed fouls. I also understand the red card, but given the atmosphere, it just felt harsh to me. I don't know. If he didn't give it, would the VAR have sent it down? Hard to say. Anyway, that was a solid debut...if the main critiques of a 4th hopping in a game are positioning and restarts, that's a pretty good performance.
Anyone have a link to video of the send off? Seems to me it is pretty courageous to be willing to pull the red in an unplanned debut rather than wimping out and using VAR as a crutch.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/video/red-card-carlos-fierro-san-jose-earthquakes-97th-minute The video doesn't show it, but he sent off the San Jose (blue) player for the kick out. In the game, this was like the last push, end of injury time, in a tie game, and the crowd was going nuts, and it was cheap foul to stop the counter (not a DOGSO, but certainly cynical and caution worthy). I'm not saying Feirro should not have been sent off, but in real time it did feel harsh to me.
Send off seems right to me. Wasn’t just a kick out as he whipped him to the ground. I think VAR should have sent it down if he hadn’t shown red in the first instance.
26 games over two weeks - 4 reviews KC vs San Jose weird PK reversal Austin vs Seattle Offside LAFC Offside (Once again Stott was fun to listen too) New England Offside
The foul is interesting because of the discussion of ball contact. While they are clearly understanding the nuance of the importance of reaching the ball first on this play, I fear that some watching will get the most+impression that it can’t be a foul if he defender gets the ball. Three tough OS calls for the AR—not from a Laws perspective, but a a perception perspective. The first is the classic scrum off so many players to watch (made worse by the colors of the teams), the second (the easiest of the three for an AR) complicated by tracking two players at the same time with a close call on one), and the third an apparent touch that the AR had no chance to ascertain and would have put the player on (so with doubt, no flag).
The first offside call probably isn’t made any easier by both teams having so much green in their jerseys. Seems like this would be something for the league to ask them to correct.
Context for those who are unaware or wondering... "Carlos" is Carlos Vela, the goalscorer who Stott is managing while the VAR check is occurring. "Nathan" is the Video Operator--an in-stadium, non-referee staffer who Stott communicates with directly. He knows the name of every VO on his matches and always calls them by name. If 5% of referees globally in VAR competitions know the names of their VOs (or remember them by kickoff), I'd be shocked. "Felicia" is Felicia Mariscal, the AVAR. Stott always confirms offside decisions with his AVAR, the offside specialist, even though there's no requirement he do so. I've been a Stott fan since the dawn of MLS. But listening to him work with VAR is simply astounding. The man never puts a word wrong throughout the entire process. We import guys like Howard Webb to make our officiating better. If Stott wanted to, upon his retirement, he could go anywhere in the world and teach people how to make VAR better (remember, he's a teacher by trade!). Not that I think Mike Riley would have him, but Stott could clean up EPL VAR in one season.
It truly is. One of the best parts is that (as this audio is obviously clipped), he's saying this as he runs to the RRA for the OFR. In other words, once Stott gets the recommendation from Rivero and Stott makes the signal, he instantly starts communicating with Nathan to make clear what he wants to see and how he wants to see it when he gets to the monitor. He doesn't waste any time in transit, which, well, almost every other referee in the world probably does. He then talks it over with Rivero and confirms with Mariscal. The whole thing--from review initiation to signal for goal--takes a total of 30 seconds. As I said a week or two ago, he is ruthlessly efficient at the VAR processes.
I’ve had more than one refereeing colleague tell me that Stott is also a fantastic clinician. As you said, his “day job” was being a teacher, so he has that knack. No surprise whatsoever that effective and efficient communication would be a significant tool in his toolbox.
It also struck me as communicating his confidence in the VAR team—I trust you, just give me the one shot for protocol, and let’s get going.
I guess you can look at it both ways. There's trust to be given the best shot once asked for, but it's also an indication that some VARs (and VOs) give referees too much information when they are at the monitor. Like, a split screen (kickpoint and position) when it's unnecessary. Or they start the video much too far back, when looking at the APP isn't necessary. Here, Stott knows what the question is and he knows what is possible, so he just wants to see the offside, starting at the kickpoint, and played through in one loop. He also knows which camera angle is likely going to show him that best. So he's trusting the VO to do what he asks, but he's also directing him to do what is necessary, because he doesn't (nor should any referee) trust him to always be efficient on his own. I think that's what is most amazing with Stott, aside from his interpsonal skills and communication. He has the ability to fully understand what the question is and what needs to be looked at--both from the on-field perspective and if he was in the booth, looking at a bunch of monitors. He can seemlessly switch between the two. He's the only referee I've seen/heard who is managing the field AND the VOR at the same time. It truly is the gold standard that I don't even think IFAB or FIFA recognizes or expects at this point.
When he retires and they name the MLS Referee of the Year award after him (they have to right?) - it won't come close to measuring the impact he has had on the past, present, and future officials working professional games in the US.