Welcome to the latest edition of the Ref Report, a hotly awaited edition if you have been watching the MLS Playoffs. With only 1 match remaining in the season, its never too late to get stuck in.
Ricrdo Salazar: Houston Dynamo v DC United (1st Leg Eastern Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Missed obvious red card call on Hainault which changed the game.
Discipline: 9 fouls by Houston, 1 Yellow Card: Kandji. 13 fouls by DC.
Overall Performance: Average, turned horribly bad after an obvious blown call. The main bone of contention during this match was clearly the non-call on Hainault, which changed the match. If Hainault had been sent off, Houston would have had to battle for half the match with 10 men, and Hainault would never have been on the pitch to score Houston's first goal of the series. Almost immediately after the blown call, head of professional referees Peter Walton came out with a statement backing Salazar stating that the call was correct due to other Houston players in the vicinity, and if it had been wrong, it should have been a foul call or a yellow card and not a red card. The defense by Walton itself tells you how wrong the call was. Claiming it was right, but then saying even if it was wrong it was not as wrong as people think is a complete and total disgrace. I get that Walton needs to back his officials, which he explained on Extra Time Radio as is his priority, but how can we have faith in our ref when the head of refs won't even give us the truth. First, there were Houston players in the vicinity, trailing the action and in no position to catch up to Augusto until he was down on the ground from the Hainault challenge. Second, it was a clear attempt to stop Augusto from having a one-on-one with the keeper. Third, the biggest Houston Dynamo backer on the planet even saw the reality of the situation. In response to the non-call Houston manager Dominic Kinnear said "If it was called a foul and a red card, I wouldn't have complained one bit." What Salazer was thinking we may never know, but it changed the course of the series and may have cost DC a trip to MLS Cup, and the chance to host the match at RFK. Salazar shouldn't get another top job this season, and should start next season with the desire to make the right and obvious calls correctly.
Jair Marrufo: Los Angeles Galaxy v Seattle Sounders FC (1st Leg Western Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Missed a likely handball call on Sean Franklin in the 14th minute, possible game changer.
Discipline: 12 fouls by Los Angeles, 7 fouls by Seattle, 1 Yellow Card: Hurtado.
Overall Performance: Average to below average. While Marrufo did a passable job, 12 fouls without a card is a rare occurrence, and the Franklin handball while a judgement decision could have been bad judgement. Marrufo seems to struggle in the big matches and seems to bow to pressure from home crowds. If he can't become a stronger ref in these elements next season, his reputation as one of the better MLS refs really needs to go away. I'd be stunned if he gets another top job this season.
Baldomero Toledo: DC United v Houston Dynamo (2nd Leg Eastern Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Nothing of major note. A rather clean game between two teams not afraid to get stuck in, foul, and break up opposition tempo play.
Discipline: 9 fouls by Houston, 1 Yellow Card: Kandji. 13 fouls by DC.
Overall Performance: Consistent and slightly above average. Letting DC accumulate fouls without attempting to stem the tide with a yellow was really the only blip for a man recognized as one of CONCACAF's best referees. He let the match flow and only handed out one card in what wasn't a mean spirited or dirty match, that card being for dissent. I expect Toledo to be on the short list for the MLS Cup Final, and to see him this offseason when there are any friendlies of note in the region.
Mark Geiger: Seattle Sounders FC v Los Angeles Galaxy (2nd Leg Western Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Handball call on Johansson, Alonso second yellow for dissent.
Discipline: 14 fouls by Seattle, 3 Cards: Yellow: Johnson, Yellow: Alonso, Yellow/Red: Alonso. 14 fouls by Los Angeles.
Overall Performance: Above Average. While many were up in arms about the handball call on Johansson, (Seattle fans and LA haters) the call was indeed the correct one, even if difficult to make in front of nearly 45,000 rabid fans. One thing Geiger doesn't lack is confidence in his decisions. Johansson had one arm in a Nazi salute, and the other trailing and wide, making himself bigger in an attempt to block anything Robbie Keane was intending to do. If not made, the call would have been shockingly bad. Head of Referees Peter Walton backed the Geiger call, admitting though that the laws of the game were rather ambiguous and it was purely a ref decision. "Soccer Jesus" Alexi Lalas went on the air for ESPN to say that he agreed with the call (as did everyone who worked as on air talent for ESPN, it was that easy of a call) but said in the future all balls in the box that make contact with a hand should be called fouls, no matter body shape or position. Thankfully Peter Walton was not a fan of this idea, and claimed that the referee being in charge of body position and if the move was deliberate is what makes the game beautiful and gives every fan an opinion. Once again uproar happened with a Geiger playoff call, and once again Geiger was right. Another decision that was right was the very late sending off of Alonso for dissent on a second yellow. Geiger is in charge, and everyone needs to respect that. Alonso didn't, and he needed to go. The only problem I have with any of Geiger's performance was the accumulation of LA fouls never went anywhere. 14 fouls with no card is usually a sign of weakness. While no tackle was malicious, I've always been a fan of the early tone setting card to let both teams know the score, in particular a card for a rash challenge made by a forward, someone who has less chance of a second yellow through dangerous play than a midfielder or defender. Overall Geiger has had an impressive season following his coming out party last season as MLS Ref of the Year. If the US has a hope of an American ever taking charge of the World Cup Final, it may very well be Mark Geiger. While he is on the short list for the MLS Cup Final according to Peter Walton, the reality is he will not be the main man in charge for the Final. Even when correct, you can only cause so many uproars during a post-season before you are put on the back burner.
So there we have the Report for both legs of the Conference Finals. I shall return for the MLS Cup Final, a year end MLS Ref Power Ranking Report, and for any friendlies this off season involving notable MLS referees or CONCACAF teams. Until next time, that's The Ref Report.
BREAKING NEWS: As I type this the news wire has sprung to life with news of the MLS Cup Final referee assignments. Silviu Petrescu, recently awarded with MLS Ref of the Year, the first Canadian to ever win the award, will take charge of the final.
While Toledo would have been a safe choice, congrats to Petrescu. After receiving the Ref of the Year Award, getting the MLS Cup Final is just reward. May he have a good and consistent match where we don't even notice he is there.
Interestingly enough, Petrescu has seen action only once in these playoffs. He took charge of the Galaxy v Whitecaps match to see who made the final 4 of their conference. In a tight match, he handed out 4 yellow cards and awarded a late penalty to LA which secured the victory. I personally was not bowled over by the performance, but his seasons work clearly won him the position. 37% of players and 50% of the media voted for him in the ref of the year awards.
Daniel Belleau and Darren Clark will assist Petrescu, while Hilario Grajeda gets the 4th official's job.
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