Unofficial Referee Observer’s Report © Árbitro Internacional & The Third Team

1:0
(IRQ) IRAQ PARAGUAY (PAR)
a.e.t.
Round of 16, 03 July 2013, 20:00 CET – Antalya (TUR)

Match Officials Name ORI Mark1 Mark2 Difficulty3

Very
Referee Roberto Moreno PAN 8.6 -----
Challenging
Very
Assistant Referee 1 Daniel Williamson PAN 9.0 -----
Challenging
Assistant Referee 2 Keytzell Corrales NCA 8.5 ----- Challenging
Fourth Official Peter O’ Leary NZL 8.0 ----- Challenging
Blog Referee Observer Edward GRE
1
Final mark according to evaluation scale.
2
Mark if the final mark had not been influenced by a crucial mistake (only in case of a crucial mistake, to be held empty if no crucial mistake occurred).
3
Difficulty has to be integrated into the final mark. Levels of difficulty are: “normal”, “challenging” and “very challenging”.
4
Blog-Referee Observer =Inofficial referee observer appointed by the blog administrator.

Evaluation scale
(for referee, ARs and Description of the Marks
fourth official)
9.0 – 10.0 Excellent.
8.5 – 8.9 Very good. Important decision(s) correctly taken.
8.3 – 8.4 Good. Expected level.
8.2 Satisfactory with small areas for improvement.
8.0 – 8.1 Satisfactory with important areas for improvement.
7.9 One clear and important mistake, otherwise 8.3 or above.
7.8 One clear and important mistake, otherwise 8.0 – 8.2.
Below expectation, poor control, significant point(s) for
7.5 – 7.7
improvement.
Disappointing. Below expectation with one and clear important
7.0 – 7.4 mistake or a performance with two or more clear and important
mistakes.
6.0 – 6.9 Unacceptable.

Small description of the match (extra-ordinary incidents etc.):

Knock-out match for the round of 16 between Iraq and Paraguay. The match was played at
Antalya (Akdeniz University stadium) with an attendance of 2983.
Pitch and weather conditions were very good contributing to a very good match. Iraq and
Paraguay presented a close match with many duels, 29 fouls, 1 goal at extra time and
several difficult situations especially for the referee.
 Unofficial Referee Observer’s Report © Árbitro Internacional & The Third Team

Referee
Crucial Decisions (refer to penalty kicks, sending-off situations etc.)

Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the referee’s decision

Straight Red Card. Sanabria (PAR) after loosing the ball steps on Tareq’s (IRQ)
79’ ankle with his foot extended and with power causing an injury to his opponent. It
is a case of serious foul play and the referee correctly issued the red card.
Penalty appeal by Paraguay. After a tackle by Adnan (IRQ) to Dominguez
98’ (PAR) the Iraqi player hit the ball which hits the foot of the Paraguayan player and
goes to goal-kick. He was definitely helped by AR2.
Penalty appeal by Paraguay. After an air pass by Gimenez (PAR) the ball hits to
the hand of Ismael (IRQ). Even though that the distance is sufficient and the hand
108’ is not stuck to the body, it doesn’t appear to be a deliberate move to play the ball
with the hand so Moreno for me decided correctly to let the game flow and
apparently with help from AR1.

Basic Observations (refer to the general application of the LotG, highlight the
referee’s tactical approach, personality, match control, management of the teams
and players, teamwork etc.).
Please deploy short but precise and detailed sentences!

Positive Points
Foul detection. He had a good foul detection overall and even though he missed
1.
some he was able to give all the big offences punishable with a caution.
Card Management and Control. He issued all the mandatory cautions and
2.
controlled the match in a very good way being authoritative.
Decision making. He had to evaluate 3 crucial decisions and he solved them all
3. correctly. He appeared very confident at this area and with great awareness of
such situations.

Points for Improvement

More backwards movement needed. He should adjust his training and include
1. more backwards exercises because he was turning his back especially after
awarding a free-kick in the box or a goal-kick.
Better dealing of added time. He gave 2 minutes at the first half, 3 at the second
2. half, and 1 minute in each half of extra time. If you exclude the first half, all the
other stoppages should have been more.
 Unofficial Referee Observer’s Report © Árbitro Internacional & The Third Team

The referee’s character

Physical Aspects + Expected -

Fitness / Stamina X
Always close to play without inferfering with it X
Flexible diagonal movement X
Positioning at set pieces X
Efficient positioning, having a good angle of
X
vision to play
Close to the penalty area, if needed X

very very
Tactical Approach lenient medium strict
lenient strict
Description X

Yes So-so No
Consistency in the tactical approach / style X
The tactical approach suited to the require-
ments of the match / the match benefitted X
from the tactical approach of the referee
Ability to adapt the tactical approach if
X
needed

Further observations (peculiarities of the referee revealing his character)

He was lenient and didn’t punish every foul but the match was so weird and in
fact the match benefited by his approach. He preferred to issue some verbal
warnings especially at the first half but he had to change this approach
especially at the last 15 minutes of the match.
 Unofficial Referee Observer’s Report © Árbitro Internacional & The Third Team

Assistant Referee 1

Please assess the first assistant referee’s performance.

Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the AR’s behavior

He had some offsides/onsides and did well. He helped the referee at the penalty
appeal by Paraguay at the E.T. and contributed at a correct decision. He even
Full time
faced one of the most difficult decisions of the whole tournament. A goal/no goal
situation and he brilliantly decided no goal.
51’ NO FLAG on Gonzalez (PAR). Correct.
53’ Gonzalez (PAR) is flagged for offside. Correct.
67’ Again Gonzalez (PAR) is flagged for offside. Correct.
108’ Helped the referee at the penalty appeal.
GOAL/NO GOAL situation. After a shot by an attacker Ali Adnam (IRQ) clears
117’ the ball on the goal-line and before crossing it wholly. Excellent decision by
Williamson to waive play-on on a difficult situation.

Assistant Referee 2
Please assess the second assistant referee’s performance.

Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the AR’s behavior

Less work than his colleague at offsides/onsides but he also helped the referee at
Full time
a penalty appeal. He appeared attentive, as needed.
49’ NADHIM (IRQ) is flagged for offside. Correct.
90+1’ Adnan (IRQ) is flagged for offside. Correct.
98’ Helped the referee at the penalty appeal.

Fourth Official

Please assess the fourth official’s performance.

Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the fourth official’s behavior
He executed his duties in a defective way. Even though all technical procedures
were executed properly, he did nothing to stop the Paraguayan coach from
Full time protesting to almost every decision the referee took especially at the extra time.
At min. 40 he should intervene to calm the coach in order not to protest. At the
extra time he had the chance to intervene several times but failed to do so.