49 URUKOR Stark
Wolfgang Stark was appointed to handle the first knockout stage match of World Cup 2010, rewarded for successfully delivering two high profile games in the group stage (ARGNGA - SVNENG). Uruguay and South Korea gave the German referee a deceptively challenging match to officiate; not at each other's throats by any means, this very dynamic and combative game was not an easy task for the officials.
An inspired Luis Suárez goal ten minutes from the end won it for Uruguay, only their third knockout stage victory at the World Cup since winning the whole thing in 1950, and their first place in the quarterfinals for forty years. Both sides reckoned they had a decent shot of winning this game, and made for a highly exciting encounter.
Stark refereed it well, and his performance is not remembered as a controversial one. Would that still be the case had Uruguay lost? They should have been awarded a first half penalty. South Korea too had a decent shout for one in the second half - but Stark didn't err in not pointing to the spot that time. Excellent in the first forty-five, the German wasn't bad in handling the second period either.
Stark refereed it well, and his performance is not remembered as a controversial one. Would that still be the case had Uruguay lost? They should have been awarded a first half penalty. South Korea too had a decent shout for one in the second half - but Stark didn't err in not pointing to the spot that time. Excellent in the first forty-five, the German wasn't bad in handling the second period either.
Let's start with the two big penalty area calls.
Key Match Incidents
44' Potential penalty to Uruguay
Maxi Pereira's goal-bound shot is blocked by Ki Sung-yueng's arm from a short distance. Despite the proximity of the shot to the handling, a penalty is the correct outcome - Ki enlarges his body surface with a tense arm (trying, irregularly, to protect his face).
At first I thought Stark was screened, but the final replay shows that theoretically he has a great angle into the offence. However, I think that while he has a good view of what happens, one needs to stand directly behind the shot's trajectory to to really see what happens. I wonder in the debrief if Stark would have been shocked how clear a handling this was.
CRUCIAL MISTAKE
64' Potential penalty to Korea Republic
A trickier, less close-and-shut case here. Ki Sung-yueng is carelessly tripped by Edinson Cavani inside the penalty area, and on the most basic level a penalty should be given (and a decision that should always be supported).
For me though, it is not that simple. Ki takes a rather bad touch, too close to Cavani, and just manages to poke the ball to a teammate. He did not lose possession of the ball, nor potential future possession of the ball from a one-two, because of the potential offence. The nature of Cavani's trip was also rather minimal. Also, perhaps crucially, Ki himself does see the contact as foul, and just carries on playing.
Of course, awarding a penalty would be a credible - maybe even preferable decision - but given everything (especially the much clearer Uruguay penalty not given), playing on was the sensible choice in my eyes. At the very least - a supportable decision anyway.
For me though, it is not that simple. Ki takes a rather bad touch, too close to Cavani, and just manages to poke the ball to a teammate. He did not lose possession of the ball, nor potential future possession of the ball from a one-two, because of the potential offence. The nature of Cavani's trip was also rather minimal. Also, perhaps crucially, Ki himself does see the contact as foul, and just carries on playing.
Of course, awarding a penalty would be a credible - maybe even preferable decision - but given everything (especially the much clearer Uruguay penalty not given), playing on was the sensible choice in my eyes. At the very least - a supportable decision anyway.
Other KMIs
6' - Potential penalty to Uruguay
A charge does exist here to be fair, but is definitely too trifling to award a penalty. No appeal from the attacker, Suárez, says enough.
27' - Offside against Uruguay (AR1)
This a crucial call as it denied a clear 1-on-1 chance towards the South Korea goal. First thing to say is that the change of possession is very surprising, and would have caught many ARs out. Second point is the defender makes no deliberate play for the ball, so an offside position should result in a flag.
Jan-Hendrik Salver should ideally predict this potential change in possession, but he doesn't, and is well-in front of the second-last defender. Any offside call at this point is a guess. It seems the assistant just about got it right - Luis Suárez does seem a smidgen offside. But a correct decision taken by intuition only.
This a crucial call as it denied a clear 1-on-1 chance towards the South Korea goal. First thing to say is that the change of possession is very surprising, and would have caught many ARs out. Second point is the defender makes no deliberate play for the ball, so an offside position should result in a flag.
Jan-Hendrik Salver should ideally predict this potential change in possession, but he doesn't, and is well-in front of the second-last defender. Any offside call at this point is a guess. It seems the assistant just about got it right - Luis Suárez does seem a smidgen offside. But a correct decision taken by intuition only.
38' - Potential red card for Kim Jung-woo
Stark does seem to wait before issuing a yellow card; he was surely taking communication from his compatriot Salver (whom he looked out to) or fourth official Joel Aguilar, but of what kind - no card vs. yellow, or, yellow vs. red.
Right decision was made - Kim's tackle was somewhat flying, but he had control of his body when the contact was made. Studs impact on Cavani was surely at the Serious Foul Play borderline, but really not enough to warrant an ejection, not least in a World Cup knockout match. Caution was issued, correctly so.
Right decision was made - Kim's tackle was somewhat flying, but he had control of his body when the contact was made. Studs impact on Cavani was surely at the Serious Foul Play borderline, but really not enough to warrant an ejection, not least in a World Cup knockout match. Caution was issued, correctly so.
50' - Potential penalty for Korea Republic
Diego Lugano does everything he can to try and not handle the ball - certainly no offence here, even if the ball did deflect off his arm.
Diego Lugano does everything he can to try and not handle the ball - certainly no offence here, even if the ball did deflect off his arm.
Approach
Wolfgang Stark executed his generous but firm style perfectly in the first half. Faultless in terms of detecting foul challenges, his disciplinary control was spot on too - no card at 15' (cynical yes, but didn't stop a promising attack), caution at 38'; then no card for Lugano at 44' (no SPA) was right too. His warning to Suárez for dissent (45') was effective too.
In the second half, Stark's technical accuracy dropped somewhat. He still issued cautions for the blatant offences (69', 83'), but should have also have booked Diego Pérez at 56' - I can agree that his foul was only careless, but on a PI and game management level, it was required in my view.
In the second half, Stark's technical accuracy dropped somewhat. He still issued cautions for the blatant offences (69', 83'), but should have also have booked Diego Pérez at 56' - I can agree that his foul was only careless, but on a PI and game management level, it was required in my view.
The freekick from which South Korea equalised was correctly awarded, but Stark's previously flawless foul detection dipped in the second period (47', 67'). One could arouse the impression that he was just slightly more tired in this half, compared to the first.
Criticism on a high level, principally still a good performance from the German referee both in the second half, and overall.
As for the linesmen - Salver played a very good onside for what was nearly an equaliser at 87'; Mike Pickel with a good onside too (74'), but he missed two clear fouls in his vicinity (22', 29').
Criticism on a high level, principally still a good performance from the German referee both in the second half, and overall.
As for the linesmen - Salver played a very good onside for what was nearly an equaliser at 87'; Mike Pickel with a good onside too (74'), but he missed two clear fouls in his vicinity (22', 29').
Balance
Wolfgang Stark faced a classic testing World Cup game - highly intense with lots of crucial decisions to take, this match was certainly not as easy as it may have looked. On the whole he did a good job, even if especially the missed penalty for Uruguay and the discernible dip in his second half level prevent us from considering this performance as excellent or a resume for the final.
Germany's progress saw to it anyway, but in my view, it is fair that team Stark's tournament ended with a Round of Sixteen appointment. In the bigger picture, certainly a good tournament for the German trio.
Germany's progress saw to it anyway, but in my view, it is fair that team Stark's tournament ended with a Round of Sixteen appointment. In the bigger picture, certainly a good tournament for the German trio.
| Wolfgang Stark - 7,9(3) Jan-Hendrik Salver - 8,4 Mike Pickel - 8,3 Joel Aguilar Juan Zumba GER – SLV | Uruguay 2-1 Korea Republic Round of Sixteen 26 June |
 Kim Jung-woo (38') - Tackle Cha Du-ri (69') - Tackle Cho Yong-Hyung (83') - SPA (Holding) |
Missed penalty aside, a good performance by Team Stark. The management was surely satisfying and the mistakes made were overall minor or the decisions supportable. Penalty was a rather weird incident, nowadays you would have furious players protesting, but in this case, it was rather mild. Still, unfortunate that it was quite blatant. That and Germany making it to the next round surely meant Stark's World Cup would be over.
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