06 ALGSVN Batres

 

A very challenging game to referee for Carlos Batres, not because of what he faced on the pitch itself, but the circumstance surrounding it. This game was in the early slot on the third day of the competition, a Sunday. 

The appointed officials for this game were Pablo Pozo's trio from Chile, supported by Martin Hansson. However, in training on the Tuesday before, Pozo sprained his ankle - he would not be able to recover in time. FIFA appointed Carlos Batres' trio from Central America with in his stead, O'Leary was the new fourth official. 

Overnight on the Wednesday, Batres had the worst possible news - he learnt of his mother's death back home in Guatemala. He wouldn't be able to attend her funeral for attending the World Cup, which must really have hurt. Not least having to referee one of the most important games of his career a few days later.

Batres showed remarkable fortitude to step out on to the pitch that day, and in so far as it possible to, below there is some words on his (decent) performance, starting with the most important decisions he had to take.

Key Match Incidents

30' - Violent Conduct by Hassan Yebda?

Yes, the correct solution here is to eject Yebda. He strikes Marko Šuler in the face with excessive force, which should be punished with a red card.

I wouldn't blame Batres too much here, he was just following the ball from the blocked cross out. The situation was probably out of Honduran assistant Carlos Pastrana's vicinity (his niece is Melissa Borjas, by the way :)); but fourth official Peter O'Leary should really have seen that, being in his control zone. Yebda was fortunate.

64' - Penalty to Slovenia?

Nobody appeals here, but I cannot really find a reason why this shouldn't be a penalty! It's obvious that everybody thinks the tackle was ball-playing and fair, but the replays show that clearly isn't the case. Perhaps the argument that Milivoje Novaković was in some way unfairly shielding the ball from a defender who he knew was coming stands up? Not for me. 

It would take incredible confidence in one's own perception to give that as a penalty, and probably you can construct some argument to back the referee there.

73' - Second Yellow Card to Abdelkader Ghezzal

Algeria player does not literally try to score with his arm, but given that he tried to take the p*ss out of the referee (-> showing a lack of respect for the game) with such a blatant handling, a yellow card and ensuing ejection was expected by everybody. Personally, I wouldn't assess it as a mistake if Batres didn't send him off, but doing so was clearly the sensible option.

+95' - Serious Foul Play by Hassan Yebda?

In my opinion this is a scandalous 'tackle'. While Nejc Pečnik is following the high ball, his opponent rakes his studs down the back of his thigh, in what was poorly disguised as an attempt to reach the ball. 

The way Batres solves it, he cannot have seen what happened there. The caution he eventually sorted out to Yebda was not enough - he had to go.

CRUCIAL MISTAKE

Balance

Besides that, I don't think Batres offered the best performance of the tournament so far. While his card choices were predictable and good (35', 59', +93'), he was not really a preventative leader on the pitch. There were times where he ought to have increased his presence and / or issue sanctions (7', 38', 68') but Batres didn't.

The game finished in some kind of chaos. Missed corner at 82', missed striking offences at 86' and 87', and a missed (at least) reckless off-the-ball foul at 90', all riled the players up. You could see it in the nature of the tackle at +93', and finally in Yebda's assault at the end. Guatemalan referee was fortunate that the clock read 95 and not 85, for if there were more playing minutes he would have been in big trouble.

I don't even think Batres was that passive per se, but his rigidly central positioning made it hard for him to really take the initiative in this game (reminded me a bit of Felipe Ramos Rizo in 2002). Not only in terms of making it harder to assess incidents, it limited his presence out there quite significantly. 

In the end, this game was just about making it through for Carlos Batres, and he did indeed do that. He passed here, and assured himself of a second match. Job done.

Another mostly quiet game for both assistant referees, expected level.

Carlos Batres - 7,8(2) Leonel Leal - 8,4 Carlos Pastrana - 8,4 Peter O'Leary Brent Best GUA, CRC, HON – NZL	Algeria 0-1 Slovenia Group Stage 13 June
Ghezzal (59') - SPA (Holding) Yebda (+95') - Tackle	Radosavljevič (35') - SPA (Impeding) Komac (+93') - Tackle
Ghezzal (73') - Lack of Respect (Handling)