Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea Referee: Michael Oliver
Oliver struggled in this match in my opinion, and looked a little out of his depth in such an important fixture.
16th Minute: Oscar is bowled over by Arsenal Goalkeeper David Ospina. It looks like a penalty to me since Ospina didn't get any ball, but Oliver says no, the first of many mistakes on the afternoon.
23rd Minute: Cesc Fabregas goes down in the box after being tripped by Santi Cazorla. It looks like a penalty kick to me, but Oliver disagrees and yellow cards Fabregas for simulation.
34th Minute: Gary Cahill slides in front of Santi Cazorla and blocks a shot, but seems to use his hand in the process. Tough for Oliver to spot, but this was another missed penalty kick by the young referee.
Crystal Palace 0-2 Hull City Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Clattenburg is regarded by many as England's top referee, but he struggled in this bottom of the table match.
51st Minute: Dame N'Doye nets Hull's first goal of the afternoon, but Crystal Palace players protest that Robbie Brady handled the ball just before the goal was scored. Watching the replay, it looks like a clear handball. Tough to spot for Clattenburg because Brady had his back turned.
83rd Minute: Yaya Sanogo thinks he has leveled the score with a header goal, but Clattenburg signals a push by Sanogo on Paul McShane as he was going up. I watched multiple replays and it looks like McShane goes down too easily under little contact from Sanogo. Key mistake from Clattenburg.
Burnely 0-1 Leicester City Referee: Anthony Taylor
Taylor had a decent match, but I have my doubts about his penalty call.
58th Minute: Burnley's Matthew Taylor goes down in the box near Paul Konchesky. Taylor calls a penalty but I don't see enough contact on the play. This mistake was less prevalent, however, after Burnley failed to convert on the spot kick.
Queens Park Rangers 0-0 West Ham Referee: Mike Jones
Jones had a good bounce back performance in this match, making a very good call on a QPR penalty appeal.
22nd Minute: West Ham defender James Collins blocks an effort from Bobby Zamora with his extended hand. Jones correctly signals for a QPR penalty kick, though Charlie Austin failed to capitalize.
Manchester City 3-2 Aston Villa Referee: Mike Dean
Dean didn't make any major mistakes in this match, but one call by his assistant raised questions in my mind.
88th Minute: Aston Villa have a breakaway stopped when Christian Benteke is called offsides. Unfortunately, replays show Benteke was onside and probably would have scored to put Villa ahead 3-2. It was a tough call, but still a big mistake by the AR.
West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Liverpool Referee: Roger East
Southampton 2-2 Tottenham Referee: Jonathan Moss
Newcastle 2-3 Swansea City Referee: Neil Swarbrick
Stoke City 1-1 Sunderland Referee: Martin Atkinson
Everton 3-0 Manchester United Referee: Andre Marriner
No controversy for East, Atkinson, Moss, Swarbrick, and Marriner. Nice work by them and their crews.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
CONCACAF and OFC Champions League Finals reports
CONCACAF Champions League Final Leg 1
America 1-1 Montreal Referee: Hector Rodriguez (Honduras)
45th Minute: Rodriguez gets his first taste of controversy when Montreal's Dominic Oduro is fouled from behind on a breakaway by Osvaldo Martínez. For me, this was as clear a Denial of an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity as there can be, but Rodriguez strangely opts for a yellow. Key mistake there for Rodriguez.
Overview: Rodriguez and his crew started well with a strong offside decision on a goal by America, but his inexperience showed as the game went on. His first sign of weakness was failing to send off Martínez, starting a downward spiral towards loss of control in the match. This loss of control was especially evident in the end of the match, when multiple skirmishes broke out. Looking back, I have to question CONCACAF's decision to appoint Rodriguez instead of a more experienced referee such as american Mark Geiger.
OFC Champions League Final
Auckland City 1(4)-1(3)Team Wellington Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)
14th Minute: Hauata correctly calls a penalty after Marko Đorđević of Auckland City is dragged backwards in the box by a Wellington defender. Auckland would convert to go up 1-0.
NOTE: CONCACAF report by Manuel Martinez. OFC report by Mark Bradford.
America 1-1 Montreal Referee: Hector Rodriguez (Honduras)
45th Minute: Rodriguez gets his first taste of controversy when Montreal's Dominic Oduro is fouled from behind on a breakaway by Osvaldo Martínez. For me, this was as clear a Denial of an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity as there can be, but Rodriguez strangely opts for a yellow. Key mistake there for Rodriguez.
Overview: Rodriguez and his crew started well with a strong offside decision on a goal by America, but his inexperience showed as the game went on. His first sign of weakness was failing to send off Martínez, starting a downward spiral towards loss of control in the match. This loss of control was especially evident in the end of the match, when multiple skirmishes broke out. Looking back, I have to question CONCACAF's decision to appoint Rodriguez instead of a more experienced referee such as american Mark Geiger.
OFC Champions League Final
Auckland City 1(4)-1(3)Team Wellington Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)
14th Minute: Hauata correctly calls a penalty after Marko Đorđević of Auckland City is dragged backwards in the box by a Wellington defender. Auckland would convert to go up 1-0.
Overview: Hauata, who also correctly called a penalty in extra time, had a very good match. With the retirement of Peter O'Leary, Hauata is needed to slide in as the top OFC referee, and he showed he is capable tonight. Good work!
CONCACAF Champions League Final Leg 2
America 4-2 Montreal Referee: Henry Bejarano (Costa Rica)
Overview: Bejarano wasn't perfect, but he was the referee that this match needed. He probably could have shown a couple more cards, but he kept great control on the match in a game between two teams that really do not like each other. So, since Bejarano kept this match under control, unlike the Leg 1 match, he deserves a very high mark in my opinion.
CONCACAF Champions League Final Leg 2
America 4-2 Montreal Referee: Henry Bejarano (Costa Rica)
Overview: Bejarano wasn't perfect, but he was the referee that this match needed. He probably could have shown a couple more cards, but he kept great control on the match in a game between two teams that really do not like each other. So, since Bejarano kept this match under control, unlike the Leg 1 match, he deserves a very high mark in my opinion.
NOTE: CONCACAF report by Manuel Martinez. OFC report by Mark Bradford.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
MLS Week 8 Reports: High red card tally marks tough week for referees
Chicago 1-0 New York City FC Referee: Ricardo Salazar (United States)
Good game for Salazar, who nailed his most important call of the game.
24th Minute: Chicago's David Accam breaks free and is tackled from behind by Andrew Jacobson. Salazar correctly shows a red for Denial of an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity. Nice work by the veteran MLS referee!
Colorado 1-1 FC Dallas Referee: Allen Chapman (United States)
Chapman had one tough call in the match, and it is such a borderline call that I don't know what I would do.
58th Minute: Dallas Forward Blas Perez is sent off after an altercation with Drew Moor. It is hard to tell what actually happened from the replay angle, but it is clear that Moor was on the ground at the end. My best guess from what I can see is that Perez gave a push to Moor, who responded theatrically. It depends where the push was, but I think a yellow would have been Chapman's best option.
Columbus 4-1 Philadelphia Referee: Chris Penso (United States)
Good game from the young referee Penso. Nothing to go in depth on.
New England 4-0 Salt Lake Referee: Ismail Elfath (United States)
Elfath had a good game, but I think AR Corey Parker missed an offside on New England's third goal. Since it didn't matter in a 4-0 Revs win, I won't go into it any further. Pretty good match overall by this crew.
Houston 4-4 Kansas City Referee: Kevin Stott (United States)
Stott struggled in this match, with his penalty and red card decision drawing questions.
79th Minute: Houston's Jermaine Taylor is called for a handball on the goal line and subsequently red carded by Stott. Unfortunately it looks like the shot hit Taylor in the chest, not the hand. Huge mistake there by Stott.
Vancouver 1-2 DC United Referee: Dave Gantar (Canada)
Gantar was criticized by many for his performance in this game, but I actually commend it.
42nd Minute: Vancouver's Matias Laba, already yellow carded, clips the heels of Fabian Espindola. Many criticized Espindola for going down too easily, but I say it doesn't matter. Laba clearly tried to slow him down on a promising attack, meaning a yellow was absolutely warranted from Gantar. Good work by the Canadian referee.
New York 1-1 Los Angeles Referee: Ted Unkel (United States)
Unkel had a good match in an important game for both sides. Nice work by Unkel, who is getting an increasing number of high stakes appointments this year.
Orlando 0-2 Toronto Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero (United States)
Rivero had a good match, though I think he missed an elbow by an Orlando player right before Jozy Altidore doubled Toronto's advantage.
Seattle 1-0 Portland Referee: Alan Kelly (Ireland)
No controversy in this match for Kelly. Nice work by the former League of Ireland referee.
Thanks for reading!
Good game for Salazar, who nailed his most important call of the game.
24th Minute: Chicago's David Accam breaks free and is tackled from behind by Andrew Jacobson. Salazar correctly shows a red for Denial of an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity. Nice work by the veteran MLS referee!
Colorado 1-1 FC Dallas Referee: Allen Chapman (United States)
Chapman had one tough call in the match, and it is such a borderline call that I don't know what I would do.
58th Minute: Dallas Forward Blas Perez is sent off after an altercation with Drew Moor. It is hard to tell what actually happened from the replay angle, but it is clear that Moor was on the ground at the end. My best guess from what I can see is that Perez gave a push to Moor, who responded theatrically. It depends where the push was, but I think a yellow would have been Chapman's best option.
Columbus 4-1 Philadelphia Referee: Chris Penso (United States)
Good game from the young referee Penso. Nothing to go in depth on.
New England 4-0 Salt Lake Referee: Ismail Elfath (United States)
Elfath had a good game, but I think AR Corey Parker missed an offside on New England's third goal. Since it didn't matter in a 4-0 Revs win, I won't go into it any further. Pretty good match overall by this crew.
Houston 4-4 Kansas City Referee: Kevin Stott (United States)
Stott struggled in this match, with his penalty and red card decision drawing questions.
79th Minute: Houston's Jermaine Taylor is called for a handball on the goal line and subsequently red carded by Stott. Unfortunately it looks like the shot hit Taylor in the chest, not the hand. Huge mistake there by Stott.
Vancouver 1-2 DC United Referee: Dave Gantar (Canada)
Gantar was criticized by many for his performance in this game, but I actually commend it.
42nd Minute: Vancouver's Matias Laba, already yellow carded, clips the heels of Fabian Espindola. Many criticized Espindola for going down too easily, but I say it doesn't matter. Laba clearly tried to slow him down on a promising attack, meaning a yellow was absolutely warranted from Gantar. Good work by the Canadian referee.
New York 1-1 Los Angeles Referee: Ted Unkel (United States)
Unkel had a good match in an important game for both sides. Nice work by Unkel, who is getting an increasing number of high stakes appointments this year.
Orlando 0-2 Toronto Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero (United States)
Rivero had a good match, though I think he missed an elbow by an Orlando player right before Jozy Altidore doubled Toronto's advantage.
Seattle 1-0 Portland Referee: Alan Kelly (Ireland)
No controversy in this match for Kelly. Nice work by the former League of Ireland referee.
Thanks for reading!
Europa League Quarterfinals Leg 2 Reports: CL Final candidates Çakir and Eriksson raise doubts
Napoli 2-2 Wolfsburg (6-3 aggregate) Referee: Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey)
Nothing to go in depth on.
Overview: In my opinion, Çakir himself had a good match, but his assistants foul detection was concerning, specifically by both AARs and the AR2. Usually this would not be a big deal, but there has been a general feeling for a while that Çakir was going to get the CL final. At this point, I can't be sure. In my opinion, Çakir is one of the best UEFA referees, but I can understand potentially not appointing him to the final because of his assistants' struggles. Many people have agreed with this logic and suggested Jonas Eriksson as a replacement for Çakir. Personally, I think that the overall performance by Çakir's crew outweighs the struggles in this one match. However, I would like to hear what you think, so please feel free to leave a comment with your opinion on the issue.
Zenit 2-2 Sevilla (3-4 aggregate) Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy)
Rizzoli, the World Cup Final referee in 2014, was decent in the match overall, but his penalty call was confusing for me.
5th Minute: Zenit's Luís Neto challenges Vitolo for the ball in the box, causing Vitolo to go to ground. Rizzoli calls a penalty, and though I can't find a good angle, I don't see much wrong with the challenge as it looks like Neto won the ball cleanly.
Overview: Rizzoli handled a very difficult match well in my opinion, but his only slip was sadly crucial in the match, given that without the penalty goal the game would have gone to extra time. Overall, a little below Rizzoli's usual high standard but still an acceptable performance.
Dnipro 1-0 Brugge (1-0 aggregate) Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain)
Nothing to go in depth on.
Overview: Very good match from Mallenco, who is often overlooked as a top referee because of other elite Spanish referees. Not much criticism for Mallenco's team either. Good job!
Fiorentina 2-0 Kiev (3-1 aggregate) Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)
Eriksson made a big mistake in this match, but otherwise controlled the match well.
40th Minute: Jermain Lens of Kiev goes down in the box but Eriksson calls a dive and gives Lens a second yellow. The problem is that when I look at the replay, there was clearly contact by the Fiorentina defender, perhaps enough to warrant a penalty kick. Whether it was a penalty or not, this was still a game changing mistake by Eriksson.
Overview: Besides the one mistake, Eriksson and his assistants had a pretty good match, with the AR1 making a fine onside call on Fiorentina's first goal. I do think this match works against the argument for Eriksson as the referee for the CL Final, since he struggled almost as much as Çakir's team. CL final aside, Eriksson's mistake was crucial, but he refereed well overall.
Nothing to go in depth on.
Overview: In my opinion, Çakir himself had a good match, but his assistants foul detection was concerning, specifically by both AARs and the AR2. Usually this would not be a big deal, but there has been a general feeling for a while that Çakir was going to get the CL final. At this point, I can't be sure. In my opinion, Çakir is one of the best UEFA referees, but I can understand potentially not appointing him to the final because of his assistants' struggles. Many people have agreed with this logic and suggested Jonas Eriksson as a replacement for Çakir. Personally, I think that the overall performance by Çakir's crew outweighs the struggles in this one match. However, I would like to hear what you think, so please feel free to leave a comment with your opinion on the issue.
Zenit 2-2 Sevilla (3-4 aggregate) Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy)
Rizzoli, the World Cup Final referee in 2014, was decent in the match overall, but his penalty call was confusing for me.
5th Minute: Zenit's Luís Neto challenges Vitolo for the ball in the box, causing Vitolo to go to ground. Rizzoli calls a penalty, and though I can't find a good angle, I don't see much wrong with the challenge as it looks like Neto won the ball cleanly.
Overview: Rizzoli handled a very difficult match well in my opinion, but his only slip was sadly crucial in the match, given that without the penalty goal the game would have gone to extra time. Overall, a little below Rizzoli's usual high standard but still an acceptable performance.
Dnipro 1-0 Brugge (1-0 aggregate) Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain)
Nothing to go in depth on.
Overview: Very good match from Mallenco, who is often overlooked as a top referee because of other elite Spanish referees. Not much criticism for Mallenco's team either. Good job!
Fiorentina 2-0 Kiev (3-1 aggregate) Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)
Eriksson made a big mistake in this match, but otherwise controlled the match well.
40th Minute: Jermain Lens of Kiev goes down in the box but Eriksson calls a dive and gives Lens a second yellow. The problem is that when I look at the replay, there was clearly contact by the Fiorentina defender, perhaps enough to warrant a penalty kick. Whether it was a penalty or not, this was still a game changing mistake by Eriksson.
Overview: Besides the one mistake, Eriksson and his assistants had a pretty good match, with the AR1 making a fine onside call on Fiorentina's first goal. I do think this match works against the argument for Eriksson as the referee for the CL Final, since he struggled almost as much as Çakir's team. CL final aside, Eriksson's mistake was crucial, but he refereed well overall.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals Leg 2 Reports: Brych has strong performance in Madrid derby
Barcelona 2-0 Paris St. Germain (5-1 aggregate) Referee: Sevin Oddvar Moen (Norway)
No calls to go in depth on.
Overview: Good match by Moen, who didn't face many problems in the match. My biggest criticism of Moen is his lack of discipline on some fouls that could have been yellow cards. Moen's assistant Kim Thomas Haguland was very sharp, however, making a very nice onside decision on Barcelona's second goal. Overall, a solid effort from this team.
Bayern Munich 6-1 FC Porto (7-4 aggregate) Referee: Martin Atkinson (England)
Again, nothing to go in depth on.
Overview: Atkinson and his crew had a decent match, though I would have liked a couple more yellow cards on rough plays. Regardless, Atkinson and his assistants did a good job helping the game run smoothly, even if wasn't the most difficult match.
Real Madrid 1-0 Atletico Madrid (1-0 aggregate) Referee: Felix Brych (Germany)
Brych had a very good game and could be moving towards a CL Final in a couple years.
76th Minute: Arda Turan, already sitting on a yellow comes into a challenge with studs raised on Sergio Ramos. Despite the fact that Turan only made minimal contact on Ramos, I definitely think that the second yellow Brych showed was warranted.
Overview: Overall, I was very impressed with Brych's performance. I thought he was spot on with the most important decision of the match and kept good control on the game throughout. My lone criticism from the match is that Brych could have been a little less lenient (possibly considering a red on a late Atletico studs up challenge.
Juventus 0-0 Monaco (1-0 aggregate) Referee: William Collum (Scotland)
Nothing to go in depth on.
Overview: Collum's appointment surprised many, but he performed very well in my opinion. The only tough call he had was on a 36th minute Monaco penalty appeal. I can't tell whether the defender got the ball or the man, so Collum doesn't get any criticism from me on the play. Overall, a fine match from the Scottish referees in the match.
No calls to go in depth on.
Overview: Good match by Moen, who didn't face many problems in the match. My biggest criticism of Moen is his lack of discipline on some fouls that could have been yellow cards. Moen's assistant Kim Thomas Haguland was very sharp, however, making a very nice onside decision on Barcelona's second goal. Overall, a solid effort from this team.
Bayern Munich 6-1 FC Porto (7-4 aggregate) Referee: Martin Atkinson (England)
Again, nothing to go in depth on.
Overview: Atkinson and his crew had a decent match, though I would have liked a couple more yellow cards on rough plays. Regardless, Atkinson and his assistants did a good job helping the game run smoothly, even if wasn't the most difficult match.
Real Madrid 1-0 Atletico Madrid (1-0 aggregate) Referee: Felix Brych (Germany)
Brych had a very good game and could be moving towards a CL Final in a couple years.
76th Minute: Arda Turan, already sitting on a yellow comes into a challenge with studs raised on Sergio Ramos. Despite the fact that Turan only made minimal contact on Ramos, I definitely think that the second yellow Brych showed was warranted.
Overview: Overall, I was very impressed with Brych's performance. I thought he was spot on with the most important decision of the match and kept good control on the game throughout. My lone criticism from the match is that Brych could have been a little less lenient (possibly considering a red on a late Atletico studs up challenge.
Juventus 0-0 Monaco (1-0 aggregate) Referee: William Collum (Scotland)
Nothing to go in depth on.
Overview: Collum's appointment surprised many, but he performed very well in my opinion. The only tough call he had was on a 36th minute Monaco penalty appeal. I can't tell whether the defender got the ball or the man, so Collum doesn't get any criticism from me on the play. Overall, a fine match from the Scottish referees in the match.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Premier League Review Week 33: Surprisingly little controversy in smaller slate
Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United Referee: Mike Dean
Dean had an excellent match with just one blemish on his performance.
35th Minute: David de Gea appears to handle the ball inches out of the area. Near impossible for Dean or the AR to spot so I can't blame them.
95th Minute: Manchester United want a penalty after Ander Herrera goes down in the box after contact from Gary Cahill. Dean calls a dive on Herrera. At first, I disagreed, but after taking a closer look it is clear that Herrera created the contact by moving into Cahill. Incredible call by Dean, who showed superb guts in making that call.
Everton 1-0 Burnley Referee: Mike Jones
Jones had a tough matches, and I have questions about two of his key decisions.
10th Minute: Burnley's David Jones clearly trips up Aaron Lennon right on the edge of the box. Very hard to tell whether the contact was in the box, but Jones is sure it was. My gut tells me the contact was just outside the box, but I can't be sure.
45+2nd Minute: Burnley's Ashley Barnes, sitting on a yellow, trips up Seamus Coleman. To me, the second yellow that Jones showed was excessive. Barnes barely missed the ball, and the foul didn't stop a promising attack, meaning yellow might have been too much. In my opinion, Jones should have instead given a final warning to Barnes.
Crystal Palace 0-2 West Bromwich Referee: Jonathan Moss
Leicester City 2-0 Swansea Referee: Lee Probert
Stoke City 2-1 Southampton Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Manchester City 2-0 West Ham Referee: Anthony Taylor
Newcastle 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur Referee: Kevin Friend
No controversy for Moss, Probert, Clattenburg, Taylor, and Friend. Good work by those five and their crews.
If you are looking for FA Cup reports, go to:
http://worldsoccerrefereeing.blogspot.com/2015/04/fa-cup-semifinal-reports.html
Dean had an excellent match with just one blemish on his performance.
35th Minute: David de Gea appears to handle the ball inches out of the area. Near impossible for Dean or the AR to spot so I can't blame them.
95th Minute: Manchester United want a penalty after Ander Herrera goes down in the box after contact from Gary Cahill. Dean calls a dive on Herrera. At first, I disagreed, but after taking a closer look it is clear that Herrera created the contact by moving into Cahill. Incredible call by Dean, who showed superb guts in making that call.
Everton 1-0 Burnley Referee: Mike Jones
Jones had a tough matches, and I have questions about two of his key decisions.
10th Minute: Burnley's David Jones clearly trips up Aaron Lennon right on the edge of the box. Very hard to tell whether the contact was in the box, but Jones is sure it was. My gut tells me the contact was just outside the box, but I can't be sure.
45+2nd Minute: Burnley's Ashley Barnes, sitting on a yellow, trips up Seamus Coleman. To me, the second yellow that Jones showed was excessive. Barnes barely missed the ball, and the foul didn't stop a promising attack, meaning yellow might have been too much. In my opinion, Jones should have instead given a final warning to Barnes.
Crystal Palace 0-2 West Bromwich Referee: Jonathan Moss
Leicester City 2-0 Swansea Referee: Lee Probert
Stoke City 2-1 Southampton Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Manchester City 2-0 West Ham Referee: Anthony Taylor
Newcastle 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur Referee: Kevin Friend
No controversy for Moss, Probert, Clattenburg, Taylor, and Friend. Good work by those five and their crews.
If you are looking for FA Cup reports, go to:
http://worldsoccerrefereeing.blogspot.com/2015/04/fa-cup-semifinal-reports.html
FA Cup Semifinal Reports: Rodgers fuming over offside call
Reading 1-2 Arsenal Referee: Martin Atkinson
Nothing to go super in depth on in this match.
Nothing to go super in depth on in this match.
Overview: Atkinson may have missed a penalty just after Reading's equalizer, as a Reading shot appeared to hit the outstretched arm of an Arsenal defender on the edge of the area. Very hard to tell if it would have been a penalty though and almost impossible for Atkinson to see from his angle. Overall, a well-officiated match from Atkinson.
Aston Villa 2-1 Liverpool Referee: Michael Oliver
There was just one mistake by this crew, but it was a big one.
88th Minute: Mario Balotelli appears to have leveled the score at 2, but John Brooks inexplicably raises the offsides flag despite Balotelli being more than a yard onside. Tough for Brooks to see because the player keeping Balotelli on was on the opposite side, but a bad call nonetheless.
Overview: Oliver was good in the match, but his assistant's error drew most of the talk. In my opinion, unfair calls like this could be changed if we just had instant replay. Regardless, an overall good performance with one blemish coming at a bad time.
Aston Villa 2-1 Liverpool Referee: Michael Oliver
There was just one mistake by this crew, but it was a big one.
88th Minute: Mario Balotelli appears to have leveled the score at 2, but John Brooks inexplicably raises the offsides flag despite Balotelli being more than a yard onside. Tough for Brooks to see because the player keeping Balotelli on was on the opposite side, but a bad call nonetheless.
Overview: Oliver was good in the match, but his assistant's error drew most of the talk. In my opinion, unfair calls like this could be changed if we just had instant replay. Regardless, an overall good performance with one blemish coming at a bad time.
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