It must be CG surely?? I can't imagine any ref or federation allowing the match to proceed with the pitch like this. PH
Wow. Get a headache just looking at it. Anyone else remember the NASL's Earthquakes field with the 30 yard soccer ball in the middle, a red PA, and black GA?
Y'all are kind of missing the point, although understandably so. The field markings are only the harbinger of what is to come. The match blows up in mass confrontation at about 33', with lots of cops on the field and whatnot. Play doesn't resume until about 1:06, and goes on for only about a minute until the wheels come off again, apparently with the ref finally sending off one team's keeper and reducing it to less than seven players - at which point the players all start shaking each other's hands and exchanging jerseys. An amazing flustercluck: "Match awarded to Flamengo at 37' because Atlético had 6 players left after 5 sendings-off. Flamengo was winning by 1 x 0. The referee was Jose Roberto Wright." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Copa_Libertadores
Roberto Wright became Brazil's top ref and was in the 1990 WC where he did one of the semifinals, Germany/England. PH
I do understand that but let's just say this was not one of his better games... I think the point (and it is well made) is that everyone has their bad day.
Did you ever think that Wright was just showing that he was not taking any nonsense and establishing his abilities and credentials that got him to the WC 9 years later? Think a bit more before blaming the referee. The players deserve most of the blame here. PH
The Red Card card that provoked the mass confrontation looked like it was for Offinabus. Who knows if it was deserved or not. The ref had his fill. The MC is on the coaches who invaded the pitch. I don't think the last card was for Sim, I think it was for "lying on your back and refusing to play", followed by the usual amazing recovery after the card. I expected the 'get out of Dodge' move by the crew, but the ref stuck around way longer than I would have.
I'm not blaming the referee at all. I am simply saying this was not one of his better games. I have only ever criticized one referee, and that was in the 2010 World Cup.... I am just wondering what prompted some of the cards. Namely the last one for the keeper and why there was not a red issued for the foul before he carded the keeper, especially considering he sent of a player earlier in the game for a similar foul. And for the record, having a bad day does not necessarialy mean you had a bad game...fyi.