47 CHIESP Rodríguez
This was Marco Rodríguez's fourth World Cup match as referee, yet his first appointment to a real high risk fixture - if Spain didn't win, there was high chance that the European champions would be eliminated at the first hurdle. Likewise, a loss for Chile would see them walking the tightrope of needing a Honduran favour in the other tie to go through.
In the end, Switzerland never scored, Spain took a relatively early lead here. Indeed both they and Chile played the second half as if more-or-less already through - and both were. Unfortunately, this didn't stop referee Rodríguez from making a bit of mess in this game: Marco Estrada not sent off when he should have been, and what he eventually walked for was much more doubtful.
Even besides those incidents, Marco Rodríguez didn't really convince, in this appointment that was necessitated by confederational neutrality - it was just a case of determining which of the two Mexican refs went here, and who would take charge of Portugal - Brazil. Ultimately, you would have to say that FIFA made the right choice.
In the end, Switzerland never scored, Spain took a relatively early lead here. Indeed both they and Chile played the second half as if more-or-less already through - and both were. Unfortunately, this didn't stop referee Rodríguez from making a bit of mess in this game: Marco Estrada not sent off when he should have been, and what he eventually walked for was much more doubtful.
Even besides those incidents, Marco Rodríguez didn't really convince, in this appointment that was necessitated by confederational neutrality - it was just a case of determining which of the two Mexican refs went here, and who would take charge of Portugal - Brazil. Ultimately, you would have to say that FIFA made the right choice.
Let's start by looking at the crucial, most controversial, decisions of Rodríguez's evening.
Key Match Incidents
21' - Violent Conduct by Waldo Ponce?
Ponce kicks Fernando Torres whilst on the floor and could have had no complaints were he to have been sent off by the referee. Sensibly, given that FIFA had and have no interest in players being dismissed for such trivial offences, Rodríguez issued him with a caution. Despite this, I would argue the Mexican ref failed in this scene (see below).
27' - Potential Second Yellow Card to Marco Estrada
Rodríguez second-guessed himself. If he took the instinctive decision, to card Estrada for his foul sliding tackle (which everyone was expecting, by the way), then Chile would rightly have been down to ten men.
Perhaps he had his ejection of Tim Cahill on his mind? Once you start to compartmentalise situations like these - "was it really reckless?", "is that a clear SPA?" - it all goes to pot. We all know that horrible feeling in the pit of one's stomach when you know you have messed up like that in a game, but to do so at the World Cup must really have hurt.
Perhaps he had his ejection of Tim Cahill on his mind? Once you start to compartmentalise situations like these - "was it really reckless?", "is that a clear SPA?" - it all goes to pot. We all know that horrible feeling in the pit of one's stomach when you know you have messed up like that in a game, but to do so at the World Cup must really have hurt.
CRUCIAL MISTAKE
36' - Penalty to Spain?
Officials got this spot on - if anything Fernando Torres trips Arturo Vidal, not the other way around. Play on is the best decision here, well seen by the referee.
Officials got this spot on - if anything Fernando Torres trips Arturo Vidal, not the other way around. Play on is the best decision here, well seen by the referee.
37' - Second Yellow Card to Marco Estrada
Mexican referee got his man - Estrada ran too close to Fernando Torres, tripping him up (my feeling being deliberately, or at least in the hope it would succeed) and preventing him from running into a promising position in the penalty area.
Mexican referee got his man - Estrada ran too close to Fernando Torres, tripping him up (my feeling being deliberately, or at least in the hope it would succeed) and preventing him from running into a promising position in the penalty area.
Rodríguez looks very keen to punish Estrada - one would be c. 27' - and after Spain did score their second goal, he flashes the cards and Chile are without the full compliment.
For me, an acceptable decision, even if everyone knows why Rodríguez sent him off. Imagening 27' didn't happen - would anyone really have cared if Rodríguez assessed that contact as an accident and just gave the goal? I don't think so.
For me, an acceptable decision, even if everyone knows why Rodríguez sent him off. Imagening 27' didn't happen - would anyone really have cared if Rodríguez assessed that contact as an accident and just gave the goal? I don't think so.
+47' - Potential Second Yellow Card to Waldo Ponce
First thing to say is that Marco Rodríguez was simply too close to properly assess this incident at all (despite being the best back-peddler I've ever seen as a football referee!).
The situation bares quite a likeness to clip A21 on UEFA's 2020:2 RAP. Waldo Ponce's intervention from behind is not ball-orientated at all, and has the danger to cause his opponent a serious injury. It is churlish to even imagine Rodríguez pulling (another) straight red out given everything before, but Ponce had already been booked, and he really had to go.
First thing to say is that Marco Rodríguez was simply too close to properly assess this incident at all (despite being the best back-peddler I've ever seen as a football referee!).
The situation bares quite a likeness to clip A21 on UEFA's 2020:2 RAP. Waldo Ponce's intervention from behind is not ball-orientated at all, and has the danger to cause his opponent a serious injury. It is churlish to even imagine Rodríguez pulling (another) straight red out given everything before, but Ponce had already been booked, and he really had to go.
CRUCIAL MISTAKE
78' - Potential Red Card to Esteban Paredes
Quite a bad tackle by Paredes, just look at the hit point, but not enough for a red card, given the relative lack of intensity in the studs contact. Definitely a missed caution though.
Approach
Marco Rodríguez unfortunately failed to take the initiative in the challenging portion of the game. His perception accuracy was pretty high throughout (9' was reckless, but fine) but Rodríguez showed significant deficiencies in his leadership of the match and in setting tactically wise signals.
I would highlight Waldo Ponce's caution at 21' particularly. This was a moment where the referee had to show who was in charge on the pitch, and that actions such as Ponce's would not be tolerated. Instead, he issued the yellow card whilst running backwards (!), merely escaping the conflict scene, hurrying both to get out of there and to restart play.
I would highlight Waldo Ponce's caution at 21' particularly. This was a moment where the referee had to show who was in charge on the pitch, and that actions such as Ponce's would not be tolerated. Instead, he issued the yellow card whilst running backwards (!), merely escaping the conflict scene, hurrying both to get out of there and to restart play.
Sorry, but for me he simply failed there as a leader of the players. By contrast, Archundia gave a masterclass in using card procedure to show who is the boss earlier in the day. In Chile - Spain, Rodríguez struggled in this regard in a smaller way during other scenes as well (9', 15').
After the horse had bolted, Mexican referee did handle the game in a more preventative manner (eg. 43'); actually, everyone was rather calm after the second yellow card, for which Rodríguez deserves some credit for ensuring remained the case.
Arturo Vidal should really have been cautioned for persistent infringement - he carried on fouling, in addition to showing no respect for this referee (43', 45', 60', 87'). Given everything, it is understandable that Rodríguez didn't want to disturb the equilibrium of everyone by chucking a caution at Vidal.
I found it remarkable how much (especially Chile) players accepted Rodríguez's officiating, just look at the nature of their protests at halftime! His personality was very amiable on, and off, the pitch (as I discussed in a previous post) and it seemed the players accepted his olive branch manner. That being said, perhaps, simply, nobody (else) wanted to step out of line, and in doing so miss a potential knockout match as Marco Estrada now would.
I found it remarkable how much (especially Chile) players accepted Rodríguez's officiating, just look at the nature of their protests at halftime! His personality was very amiable on, and off, the pitch (as I discussed in a previous post) and it seemed the players accepted his olive branch manner. That being said, perhaps, simply, nobody (else) wanted to step out of line, and in doing so miss a potential knockout match as Marco Estrada now would.
Balance
For the second World Cup running, Marco Rodríguez unfortunately fell rather short.
Noted in his first match in South Africa for the courage to eject Tim Cahill, it seemed he lacked courage - or at least decisiveness - in sending off Marco Estrada in this game. Rather finding an offence ten minutes later in which to send him off was technically acceptable, but hardly the most satisfying refereeing. He showed some wider deficiencies too.
Perhaps the most disappointing thing is that when you reflect that in the event, despite what it promised, this was not really a very challenging match to handle. If Marco Rodríguez wanted to come out of a World Cup as a winner, it would have to be with a third attempt, in 2014.
Perhaps the most disappointing thing is that when you reflect that in the event, despite what it promised, this was not really a very challenging match to handle. If Marco Rodríguez wanted to come out of a World Cup as a winner, it would have to be with a third attempt, in 2014.
| Marco Rodríguez - 7,2 José Luis Camargo - 8,4 Alberto Morín - 8,4 Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh Mù Yùxīn MEX – MAS, CHN | Chile 1-2 Spain Group Stage 25 June |
 Medel (15') - Tackle Ponce (19') - Aggressive Behaviour Estrada (21') - Tackle | |
 Estrada (37') - Tripping |
Rodríguez is a weird case as I did not see him as lenient or overindulging per se, but in this match, he failed on a management level. Was it lack of courage that would explain YC at 19' and no SYC in 27'? Or was it remembering the hassle his colleagues who did send off players in the first half got? Or his own share of criticism for the ONLY SFP RC at this World Cup in his first match?
ReplyDeleteWhatever it was, Rodríguez was left as a rather ineffective shell. I saw him control feisty matches before and after this one, but he was beside himself here. At least one further sending off missed, at least two cautions missed and his management, as seen in several scenes was neither sufficient nor a complete disaster.
If 2014 was good for anything, then for giving Rodríguez a tournament he finally got far. But I think the "genius and insanity" of his WC career were perfectly encapsuled in ITAURU...
Probably by his own admission, Rodríguez rather preventably messed this game up.
DeleteMy explanation for his 2006 and 2010 charges failing, on reflection, is that he simply got nervous:
- very poor in an easy ENGPAR on the second day of the tournament, but a really convincing solid performance in the dead rubber CIVSCG which he knew would be his last game
- in CHIESP, once he knew that he'd 'f***ed it', actually refereed the game rather well / fine
May I say, that ITAURU is one of my favourite matches EVER for the narrative of the referee. Maybe I can discuss it in a future project. :)