13 CIVPOR Larrionda
Both Côte d'Ivoire and Portugal probably figured that this game in the group of death would be decisive for them, and hence played out a tense match, ending scoreless, which left it to the remaining matches to determine their fates.
Referee was the internationally renowned disciplinarian, Jorge Larrionda from Uruguay. Larrionda's game plan was more-or-less identical to his last World Cup encounter with Portugal (their 2006 semifinal): intense leniency. Uruguayan indeed showed that there is more than card choices to what makes a performance lenient or strict, and his gamble as it did four years earlier payed off - though, he did miss a clear red card.
The key incident of the game was 20'/21' - Cristiano Ronaldo dives over a Guy Demel tackle, which Larrionda correctly detects as no foul (simulation would have been too harsh for me). The two have a very angry confrontation, referee steps in, and issues them both a caution. Larrionda's manner and way of taking the initiative in the game was absolutely excellent; what a brilliant signal he sent there!
For the rest, Uruguayan's disciplinary control was very lenient, with lots of potential cautions not given (18', 25', 33', 40', 50', 57', 79', 82'). 50' is a clear mistake in my view. Larrionda though was consistent throughout, and showed you can synthesise a lenient disciplinary control, normal foul selection and proactive way of refereeing. He gambled a bit with this approach, and in some instances you wondered whether it was going to pay off (22') - but ultimately, it did.
In my opinion, Larrionda should have sanctioned two cases of Serious Foul Play (7', 28'). Caution at 7' was archetypal of the tackle FIFA ordered should be punished with a red card in 2006, but given that Didier Zakora was largely back on the ground when he made his not-that-dangerous contact with Ronaldo, yellow was probably just right in 2010. Pedro Mendes' tackle on Emmanuel Eboué at 28' however was nothing other than brutal; Larrionda didn't even give a foul, he should have given a red card (crucial mistake).
Referee correctly disallowed a Portugal goal at 71' after a small push. I would have really liked to see a penalty awarded for Ricardo Carvalho's very dangerous tackle at 27', but as he played the ball, it would have been career suicide to give it.
Pablo Fandiño correctly spotted a small push at 73' in his vicinity, but seemed to miss an impeding foul at 3'. Mauricio Espinosa correctly flagged an important offside at 70'.
| Jorge Larrionda - 7,9(3) Pablo Fandiño - 8,4 Mauricio Espinosa - 8,4 Martín Vázquez Miguel Nievas URU | Côte d'Ivoire 0-0 Portugal Group Stage 15 June |
 Zokora (7') - Tackle Demel (21') - Aggressive Behaviour | C. Ronaldo (21') - Aggressive Behaviour |
I had thoughts on the Ronaldo card situation: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/analysis-civ-por-larrionda-uru.1460517/#post-21005646
ReplyDeleteI don't know how someone can look at that and say it's not a foul. It's a tackle with no chance to play the ball that takes away all the space from Ronaldo. Sure, he falls over it and doesn't try to avoid it, but what was he supposed to do? He had another defender on his right shoulder--literally with his arm on his shoulder! I could make an argument that he was fouled simultaneously be two different players--attempting to trip by the defender on the ground and holding by the one upright.
I can agree that Larrionda presented himself assertively, which helped him overall. But I cannot agree that incident was correctly adjudicated. We all despise diving, but it shouldn't lead to us being okay with completely unfair tackles that luckily avoid contact and/or don't do severe damage.
I would add that 27' was a ridiculous challenge. Agree about career suicide then. Now? Would VAR give that...?
Agree also about 7'. SFP red is the correct book answer. But the exact facts of this scenario coupled with no damage whatsoever to Ronaldo make the case for "endangered safety" difficult to make. And impossible to make, practically, in the 7th minute of a WC match.
27' could have been red. It's at least yellow, though. I put it on par with Lannoy's two big misses. Add in Archundia's and there were a series of these very-close-to red card situations that didn't even get fouls or yellow cards.
I broadly agree with you in situations such as 20', but if Portugal directly scored a freekick given, do you think Larrionda could be in trouble (in the world's press)? An indirect freekick for impeding the progress of an opponent would be my optimal solution!
DeleteLarrionda seemed "off" in this match for me. He had shown that he can be someone who does not shy back from strong disciplinary action but at the same time also not one to "throw cards" around. No RC in 7' is still acceptable, the missed RC in 27' not - a very poor mistake. The Demel vs. Cristiano Ronaldo scene could have been solved with a free kick for Portugal, but the way he did solve it in the end was good.
ReplyDeleteOverall, a decent perfomance but in my book not a satisfying one.
Review by MARCA.com: 7/10. Good performance by Uruguayan referee, who never fell on the traps players put for him.
ReplyDelete