The crowding, from both teams, at 66’ is just so unseemly. There’s really nothing that can be done on-field, though. You can’t yellow card everybody. If MLS was serious, this is the sort of thing that would get massive team fines.
I’m assuming PRO has implemented the IFAB’s new guidance on this topic; for those in the know, is that correct? Seemed like exactly the sort of play the guidance sought to change.
An observation, it feels as though Vasquez’s disciplinary line is a bit higher than we’ve seen in the other four matches so far, which were surprisingly (and refreshingly) stricter than I expected for these playoff matches. Particularly after the 2-0 goal I feel like there’s been 2 or 3 fouls that, for example, Elfath would definitely have booked yesterday.
I think he’s done well, though. I think there’s a bit of virtue in giving Miami a little more rope given the personalities, field conditions, and score line. Four cautions in the half feels right. It wasn’t like it was a violent or real testy affair.
Lots of really full-blooded tackles in this one, but they’ve been mostly clean and honest so far. Getting more tense though as we approach the final minutes of regular time after a crunching (but clean) tackle on Fragapane.
In a different world/era/competition (e.g., World Cup 1998) the two yellow cards in this match are red cards. But they are always yellow now and definitely yellows in this match. I'm sure Unkel is very happy that he had one each way within a minute of each other. Getting two easy cautions that everyone accepts in a match like this at that point in the game is a really good feeling.
I'll never understand. Unkel gets in the box twice, on a corner, to warn players to watch hands. Corner kick.... aaaand whistle for a clear shove in the box.
That free kick at 117' was messy. I actually think it was more than a defensible call. A lot of reasons why it wouldn't be handling, but Unkel was right that the hand was basically an open-palm... kind of hard to ignore that. Not sure how a foul that was about 19-20 yards out ended up with a free kick that was 23 yards out, other than mass dissent pushing everyone back and Dallas wanting a little buffer. And then the football lines showed the wall was 8-8.5 yards away at best, so Dallas' complaint about encroachment was, well, accurate. Probably good that it all came to nothing.
I will be 3/4 here. I think the other name is being saved because it will be a disappointment if he’s not used at all. One name that none of us have suggested will get a whistle, but it’s not a huge shock, really.
Hmmm Jair? Feels like he has hardly worked all year, though. I wish Freemon got a game but I doubt they’d put him directly into the second round for his debut.
Off topic, but is there usually any World Cup talk on this refereeing forum? This will be the first World Cup since joining here and it would be really interesting to talk about the refereeing with you lot, especially comparing FIFA’s approach to what we see weekly with PRO.
There is already a 2022 World Cup forum set up, and it will have a game thread for each match. If you think the discussion is good now, it goes to a new level during a major tournament. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forums/world-cup-2022-refereeing.1694/
I have doubts you'll ever see Marrufo officiating an MLS game again. So much so that I would bet on it. So, no, not him! It is a first-timer unless I'm missing something.
Thank you for the share, I will definitely follow! And so much discussion there already I want to read through that’s gonna make me procrastinate the work I have to get done today, nice.