Combining midweek and weekend matches into one thread. An experiment if you will. 05/14/2025 D.C. United vs New York City Audi Field (7:30PM ET) Ref: Armando Villarreal AR1: Corey Parker AR2: Ben Pilgrim 4th: Guido Gonzales Jr VAR: Timothy Ford AVAR: Craig Lowry CF Montréal vs Columbus Crew Stade Saputo (7:30PM ET) Ref: Allen Chapman AR1: Stefan Tanaka-Freundt AR2: Walt Heatherly 4th: Scott Bowman VAR: David Barrie AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert Orlando City vs Charlotte FC Inter&Co Stadium (7:30PM ET) Ref: Sergii Boiko AR1: Jose Da Silva AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho 4th: Tori Penso VAR: Younes Marrakchi AVAR: Fabio Tovar Philadelphia Union vs LA Galaxy Subaru Park (7:30PM ET) Ref: Fotis Bazakos AR1: Adam Wienckowski AR2: Diego Blas 4th: Sergii Demianchuk VAR: Daniel Radford AVAR: TJ Zablocki Toronto vs FC Cincinnati BMO Field (7:30PM ET) Ref: Jair Marrufo AR1: Corey Rockwell AR2: Adam Garner 4th: Renzo Villanueva VAR: Chris Penso AVAR: Christian Clerc Houston Dynamo vs Minnesota United Shell Energy Stadium (8:30PM ET) Ref: Jon Freemon AR1: Ryan Graves AR2: Tyler Wyrostek 4th: Alexis Da Silva VAR: Michael Radchuk AVAR: Tom Felice Nashville vs New York Red Bulls GEODIS Park (8:30PM ET) Ref: Marcos DeOliveira AR1: Chris Elliott AR2: Matthew Rodman 4th: Filip Dujic VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero - 200th VAR AVAR: Rhett Hammil St Louis CITY vs Sporting Kansas City Energizer Park (8:45PM ET) Ref: Lukasz Szpala AR1: Lyes Arfa AR2: Mike Nickerson 4th: Rubiel Vazquez VAR: Edvin Jurisevic AVAR: Joshua Patlak Austin FC vs Atlanta United Q2 Stadium (9PM ET) Ref: Malik Badawi AR1: Jeffrey Greeson AR2: Nick Balcer 4th: Rosendo Mendoza VAR: Sorin Stoica AVAR: Jonathan Johnson Real Salt Lake vs Portland Timbers America First Field (9:30PM ET) Ref: Drew Fischer AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt AR2: Ricardo Ocampo 4th: Brad Jensen VAR: Shawn Tehini AVAR: Tom Supple Los Angeles FC vs Seattle Sounders BMO Stadium (10:30PM ET) Ref: Pierre-Luc Lauziere AR1: Jason White AR2: Meghan Mullen 4th: Brandon Stevis VAR: David Barrie AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert San Diego vs Colorado Rapids Snapdragon Stadium (10:30PM ET) Ref: Lorenzo Hernandez AR1: Felisha Mariscal AR2: Stephen McGonagle 4th: Ricardo Fierro VAR: Timothy Ford AVAR: Craig Lowry San Jose Earthquakes vs Inter Miami PayPal Park (10:30PM ET) Ref: Joe Dickerson AR1: Jeremy Hanson AR2: Kali Smith 4th: Victor Rivas VAR: Chris Penso AVAR: TJ Zablocki
I have a general question about refs and thought this would be a good place to ask. MLS has a number of women who are ARs, VAR, and centers. How does it work with NWSL? Are the women who call MLS games better refs, or just faster and therefore able to keep up with the men’s game? Is there tension between the two leagues? What about NWSL and USL? thanks in advance
To be an on-field official in a men's professional competition, female referees must be able to pass the requisite male FIFA fitness test. So that's the baseline threshold and standard. The female referees in MLS (and USL, for that matter) can pass a fitness standard that other female referees cannot (or opt not to attempt). And, yes, for fourth officials this means the official must pass the referee (not AR) standard. Beyond that, I imagine everything is in the eye of the beholder. I suppose one can be a "better" referee than someone else without having higher fitness; but from what I know and see, I think your best female referees are in MLS (notwithstanding my long-held view that refereeing professional men and professional women can almost be like refereeing different sports and a lot of elite male referees would be completely at sea if they were dropped into NWSL). Same goes for "tension" between or among leagues. Some of the female referees in MLS still dabble in NWSL just like some male referees do both NWSL and USL. Whether allocation of personnel is smooth or exactly what everyone wants probably depends on who you ask. VARs are different as there are no fitness standards. But the VAR program in MLS is miles ahead of NWSL because more attention, resources and time has been put into MLS. At the moment, it does seem like good VARs in NWSL can graduate to MLS. And NWSL is a place where aspiring MLS VARs (meaning, on-field officials in MLS who lack VAR experience) can go first. So, on the whole, the VAR program in NWSL does have the appearance of a minor or second-tier league for the officials in question.
Post-whistle interaction between Messi and Dickerson. Arena steps in to walk Messi away. https://bsky.app/profile/cboehm.bsky.social/post/3lp6q2p7ypc2d
I think Dickerson handled that as well as you could and glad he gave the card for dissent. It would have been really gutsy if he did send him off. Would have liked to seen it, but that's not really realistic and I also think Messi just barely and I mean barely did enough to not get sent off. It was right on the line.
If there was one PRO ref who you would tell me would get into a potential confrontational shouting match with Messi, it was always going to be Dickerson
Is it worth asking what Messi was upset about? Seems a bit strange that, whatever it was, he seemed to have no support in his protests from his teammates. Commentators were focused on how no one was there to help pull him away but I'm a bit more interested in why he was a lone wolf given he does not lack for teammates who seem to revel in challenging referees.
I'm seeing a suggestion on the socials (God bless the algorithms, appparently) that it was specifically a potential attacking free kick in the penalty arc when he went down and Dickerson gave nothing. If that's it... A) Dickerson was totally right, the tackle wasn't near the ball but also wasn't near Messi; Messi deliberately stuck his right leg out to initiate contact and B) wow. I tend or at least hope to think there's more contentious stuff. But if it's just that, then Dickerson has absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
People talk a lot about penso, I couldn’t tell you much about him. But I do know that Dickersons personality doesn’t surprise me at all getting in those situations. Not saying at all that he was at fault
I read this elsewhere that it was a no-call in the last 2 minutes of the game so that play seems right.
05/17/2025 CF Montréal vs Toronto Stade Saputo (2:30PM ET) Ref: Filip Dujic AR1: Jose Da Silva AR2: Ryan Graves 4th: Mario Al Ayass VAR: Kevin Stott AVAR: Fabio Tovar New York City vs New York Red Bulls Citi Field (4:30PM ET) Ref: Allen Chapman AR1: Cory Richardson AR2: Kevin Klinger 4th: Matt Thompson VAR: Greg Dopka AVAR: John Krill Columbus Crew vs FC Cincinnati Lower.com Field (7:15PM ET) Ref: Rubiel Vazquez AR1: Cameron Blanchard AR2: Ian McKay 4th: Benjamin Meyer VAR: Geoff Gamble AVAR: Jeff Muschik Atlanta United vs Philadelphia Union Mercedes-Benz Stadium (7:30PM ET) Ref: Chris Penso AR1: Kali Smith AR2: Brian Marshall - 1st AR 4th: Matthew Corrigan VAR: Younes Marrakchi AVAR: Joshua Patlak Charlotte vs Chicago Fire Bank of America Stadium (7:30PM ET) Ref: Ismir Pekmic AR1: Justin Howard AR2: Matthew Nelson 4th: Alyssa Nichols VAR: Kevin Terry Jr AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert New England Revolution vs San Jose Earthquakes Gillette Stadium (7:30PM ET) Ref: Ricardo Montero Araya AR1: Lyes Arfa AR2: Gianni Facchini 4th: Atahan Yaya VAR: Jorge Gonzalez AVAR: John Krill Austin FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps Q2 Stadium (8:30PM ET) Ref: Alexis Da Silva AR1: Jason White AR2: Eduardo Jeff 4th: Lorenzo Hernandez VAR: Greg Dopka AVAR: Brian Dunn FC Dallas vs Houston Dynamo Toyota Stadium (8:30PM ET) Ref: Tori Penso AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt AR2: Brooke Mayo 4th: Sergii Boiko VAR: Edvin Jurisevic AVAR: Robert Schaap Minnesota United vs St Louis CITY Allianz Field (8:30PM ET) Ref: Ricardo Fierro AR1: Gerard-Kader Lebuis AR2: Rhett Hammil 4th: Luis Diego Arroyo VAR: Sorin Stoica AVAR: Craig Lowry Nashville vs D.C. United GEODIS Park (8:30PM ET) Ref: Fotis Bazakos AR1: Corey Rockwell AR2: Stefan Tanaka-Freundt 4th: Sergii Demianchuk VAR: Kevin Stott AVAR: Elijio Arreguin - 1st AVAR Colorado Rapids vs Real Salt Lake Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (9:30PM ET) Ref: Pierre-Luc Lauziere AR1: Chris Wattam AR2: Kevin Lock 4th: Jair Marrufo VAR: Carol Anne Chenard AVAR: Fabio Tovar Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders Providence Park (9:30PM ET) Ref: Rosendo Mendoza AR1: Corey Parker AR2: Kyle Atkins 4th: Malik Badawi VAR: Armando Villarreal AVAR: Jonathan Johnson San Diego vs Sporting Kansas City Snapdragon Stadium (9:30PM ET) Ref: Victor Rivas AR1: Andrew Bigelow AR2: Jeffrey Swartzel 4th: Joe Dickerson VAR: Geoff Gamble AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert - 200th AVAR 05/18/2025 Inter Miami vs Orlando City Chase Stadium (7PM ET) Ref: Guido Gonzales Jr AR1: Jeremy Kieso AR2: Chris Elliott 4th: Marcos DeOliveira VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero AVAR: Tom Supple LA Galaxy vs Los Angeles FC Dignity Health Sports Park (9PM ET) Ref: Drew Fischer AR1: Logan Brown AR2: Jeremy Hanson 4th: Lukasz Szpala VAR: Armando Villarreal AVAR: Craig Lowry - 200th AVAR
My man Brian getting his debut. Sorry for having to decline a UPSL whistle a few hours ago because I forgot to update my schedule.
I like that Dickerson didn't re-engage the conversation when Messi returned. It would have been tempting to "patch things up" with a league star, and just explain why you called what you did. But, apparently, that was forfietied after the yellow, so telling Messi "walk away now or I will send you off" is about as clear as you an be... and it looks like Messi complied (although you are right, just barely). But still. A send off would have been harsh... Also I seem to remember some kind of league directive (probalby pre-Messi) that empowers the league to levy fines against players who disssent to the referee if he is in his "safe zone" at the circle/halfway line, which it apprears that Dickerson is. So the fact that Messi got carded probably opens himself up to such a fine if the league cares and if that directive is still in place.
Fotis Bazakos (injury, presumably) has been replaced as the referee on NSH/DC with Sergii Demianchuk. Nabil Bensalah in at 4th Official.
I just like that he stood up for himself and stood his ground and he put the ball in Messi's court and forced Messi to tie his own hands. How many times we see a player confront an official post match and the referee just stands there and does nothing and doesn't even stand up for himself via either giving a card or threatening the player with a send-off? Too many times referees just stand there while players abuse and dissent towards them and they do nothing. Several years ago there was a great clip of Baldomero Toledo and Michael Bradley post match. They seemed to be having a friendly conversation (Toledo was smiling) and, then, Bradley must have said something that immediately set Toled off and Toledo immediately brandished the yellow card. Bradley started to continue and Toledo then reached for his red card basically saying "I won't hesitate to produce a red here" and Bradley walked away.
I’m surprised there’s so much support for Dickerson…in the video, he gave Messi the yellow as Messi was walking away. Now, maybe the last thing Messi shouted before that was one of those magic words you just can’t say, in which case, I take it back. But unless Messi said something really bad, Dickerson IMO reignited the situation with that yellow.
I trust Dickerson here. I don’t think he pulls a card there unless the totality of it all requires one, like you suggest. And if anything, I bet he’s conditioned to under punish based on who it is. I can say pretty confidently that Joe Dickerson is not an idiot and he would realize the can of worms he was opening by carding Messi post-game. But also, Messi steps at least eight yards in the other direction after the card is shown and about 10 seconds pass before he seems to consciously decide to turn around and re-approach Dickerson. So regardless of the veracity of the card, I find it hard to say Dickerson reignited things. This wasn’t a crime of passion by Messi. He chose to take a second run at him when it seemed to be very much over.
And, of all people, Bruce Arena is the one playing peachmaker here. As much respect as he has in the game from his coaching resume', he's not the most referee-friendly coach out there. We see him flapping his arms at the refs and throwing them out in disgust more often than we see any other gesture from him. But he's the one in between Messi and Dickerson in the video, pulling Messi away in an "the leagues need you on tv in the next game" kinda way.
That’s pretty much what I think the video looks like. It looks like Dickerson was engaging willingly with Messi, even waving him to come closer at one point, and then right before Messi turns to walk away the expression on Dickerson’s face changes to “cmon, seriously?” and he takes a moment to consider before pulling out the yellow card. So my read on that was that Dickerson felt like it was some language where he had no choice but to show (at least) a yellow card.