2014 MLS Cup Playoffs – In focus: Conference Championship 2nd leg referees

PRO duo Baldomero Toledo and Jair Marrufo will blow the whistle this weekend in the Conference Championship second legs of the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Eastern Conference Championship second leg

New York Red Bulls face New England at Gillette Stadium on Saturday after going down 2-1 to the Revs last time out, and the experienced Toledo will be in charge of the game which kicks off at 3pm ET.

The head referee was last in the middle for the Western Conference Semifinal second leg between Seattle Sounders and FC Dallas. That was his 20th MLS assignment of the season and he has vast experience of the end-of-season Playoffs having twice worked the Cup Final, in 2008 and 2009.

Toledo, who made his professional debut 10 years ago, will be assisted by the Anderson brothers, Frank and Ian, who have officiated 36 MLS games between them this season.

INTERVIEW: The Anderson brothers are fully focused on the Eastern Conference Championship second leg

Another PRO referee with many years of experience, Silviu Petrescu, will be on fourth official duties.

Western Conference Championship second leg

Marrufo will take to the field on Sunday at CenturyLink Field, where Seattle Sounders welcome the visit of LA Galaxy, for a 9pm ET kick-off, in the decisive second leg.

Like Toledo, PRO’s Marrufo was also most recently in action in the Western Conference Semifinals, when the Galaxy beat Real Salt Lake 5-0. That was the FIFA referee’s fourth Galaxy game of 2014, and he has also been assigned as the center referee to two matches involving the Sounders.

This isn’t the first time that the 37-year-old has been in the middle for a Sounders versus Galaxy Playoff clash, as he also took charge of LA’s 3-0 win against Seattle in the 2012 Western Conference Championship first leg.

Eric Boria and Corey Rockwell, who have collectively ran the line at 27 games in 2014, are the assigned assistants, while last year’s MLS Cup Final referee Hilario Grajeda will be on the touchline as fourth official.

THE MEN IN THE MIDDLE

Baldomero Toledo – New England Revolution v New York Red Bulls

Professional center official debut: Kansas City Wizards vs. Colorado Rapids – 05/01/2004
MLS games in 2014: 20
Fouls awarded: 473
Cards issued: 69 yellows (3.5 per game) – 6 reds (0.3 average per game)
Last MLS assignment: Seattle Sounders v FC Dallas – CenturyLink Field – 11/10/2014

Jair Marrufo –  Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy

Professional center official debut:  Colorado Rapids v New England Revolution – 05/10/2000
MLS games in 2014: 18
Fouls awarded: 333
Cards issued: 29 yellows (1.6 per game) – 2 reds (0.1 average per game)
Last MLS assignment: LA Galaxy v Real Salt Lake – StubHub Center – 11/08/2014

Click here to see the MLS Playoff Conference Championship second leg assignments in full