Do you see that as dangerous play? VAR did review. Post match, the Atlanta coach said the ref told him at the time that Mulraney did not get ball on the play. Obviously even if he did get ball first it doesn’t matter if it was a reckless/dangerous play, but it’s a bizarre comment by the ref if true.
I don’t believe there is a “book” out on Mulraney being reckless. I don’t think he’s picked up an unusual number of cards, and I don’t recall him being cautioned in this match before the red.
I could see how the ref saw it that way, coming in from behind, high contact.
Perhaps he saw it as DOGSO? (Aside: I think the refs could explain to the audience somehow – not stopping the game to proclaim, because that would be a waste of time – via a note to the production crew. After all, the ref will write a report post-match and fill in a box with his opinion of the violation.) There was another defender nearby, seemingly in line with the attacker.
Serious Foul Play in The LOTG:
A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses
excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the
front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force
or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.
I see some “lunge” “from behind” and possibly “endangers the safety of an opponent” (assisted by an Academy-Award nominated performance by the attacker in a supporting role).
From The AJC:
The Professional Referees Organization was asked to explain why a straight red card was given, and why the original decision wasn’t overturned by the Video Assistant Referee.
The group answered: “Jake Mulraney committed a foul by tackling the opponent, denying him an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
“The VAR checked the incident and did not identify a clear and obvious error.”
No, I had not read that before I posted above.
Heinze said that he is going to ask Atlanta United Vice President to appeal the red card.
That other defender was even with the attacker before the foul. Not sure if DOGSO applies.
Page 104 of The LOTG:
A player, sent-off player, substitute or substituted player who enters the field of
play without the required referee’s permission and interferes with play or an
opponent and denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring
opportunity is guilty of a sending-off offence.
The following must be considered:
• distance between the offence and the goal
• general direction of the play
• likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball
• location and number of defenders
Longer, better video here:
At the 22th second, you can see that the second defender is even with the attacker at the time of the foul. So, should not be DOGSO (in the opinion of this referee (me)).
This
I think Atlanta has a case.
MLS hitting it big time. Lead story right now on 538:
ATLUTD roster status
The red card here was overturned. VAR made an error by not having the ref look at this one.
MLS also told the club that VAR missed a penalty suffered by ATL in the prior match on 6/20, again where VAR decided there was nothing to see but it should have been sent for review.
Tata back to Atlanta?
This was called a penalty on Minnesota United in the 90th minute while leading 2-1. The VAR ref did not say to take a 2nd look. Inexcusable.
Vancouver went ahead and drilled the PK to tie the game and cost the Loons 2 points.
MLS transfer window closes today.
I watched a little bit of the MLS skills challenge. It pitted MLS players vs Liga MX players in some skill challenges (hitting targets in the goal, playing a giant skeeball thing,…). The final context called “Cross and Volley Challenge” included a player getting service in the top half of the box and trying to score a goal with one touch while the other side played GK. I started laughing when the GK for Liga MX engaged in shithousery: after the MLS player Pepi put the first 2 shots in the net the GK laid down and faked a cramp. The “ref” stopped play. Players were all mocking the guy including one presenting a fake red card. The GK was even laughing about it while trying to keep a straight face about his “injury”. He was of course perfectly fit to continue after being teased. It was so CONCACAF to fake an injury in a silly skills challenge.
I first read Skeeball thing as skeet and started to wonder if that wouldn’t be the coolest skill test?
538 bagging on the MLS by excluding them from “major” professional sports leagues.
Even the WNBA is considered more major than The MLS.
One year, MLS will be able to stand tall against the best teams of Liga MX and go toe-to-toe in the highest levels of competition, especially in the later stages of those competitions. This year will (again) not be that year, save Seattle attempting to win the Europa League North American Europa League Americana League Leagues Cup.
Wait, we won the 2019 Campeones Cup? Yeah, I don’t remember that either. I think that makes it 1 title in major competitions featuring Liga MX clubs in the last 20 years.
I do! I was there. Even though Campeones Cup doesn’t get much press in the US, an MLS team winning it then got a lot of air time in Mexico.
LigaMX is still better than MLS at the top end, and will likely continue to be under current MLS roster rules. I don’t see those changing anytime soon. The bigger Mexican clubs have deeper and more talented rosters than MLS. Of course an MLS team may get on a hot streak and win one sometime in the next few years.
LigaMX is probably better at the bottom end, but those teams don’t get invited to play each other for, um, lowest basement dweller, or what-have-you.
Probably. We just don’t see that
Best we got is 538:
LigaMX teams range from 93 (Club America) to 349 (Queretaro).
MLS teams range from 117 (NYCFC) to 451 (FC Cincinnati).
How do they rank? Well, it’s pretty nebulous, they use last year, then sum of market value of players, then how things have gone so far this season.
Rankings are probably +/- 50, starting at #150 or so.
MLS and Liga MX have announced a new format for Leagues Cup starting in 2023: ALL clubs in MLS and Liga MX will participate in a world cup style tourney. Both domestic leagues will pause for a month in the summer. It says 3 CCL spots are at stake, but I wonder if this will overtake the CCL in terms of interest.
I’ve thought the Leagues Cup was pretty lame up until now, but this sounds like it could be fun