The Definitive Angle: MLS Week 19
The Definitive Angle is PRO’s analysis of the week’s Video Review use in MLS.
Week 19 overview
There were four Video Reviews during Week 19.
NSH vs STL: Review for penalty kick (foul challenge) – not given
What Happened: Jack Maher (NSH) challenged Nicholas Gioacchini (STL) inside the penalty area, and Gioacchini went to ground. The referee did not identify an offense in real-time and allowed play to continue.
Maher had moved to close the space between himself and the attacker and initially placed his foot in an area that Gioacchini was not directly running into at the time.
The VAR analyzed the available angles and determined that Maher had tripped Gioacchini and recommended an on-field review for a penalty kick.
After Video Review, the referee maintained his original decision of no penalty.
On-field decision: Play on.
Type of review: Penalty kick.
Final decision after review: No change.
Length of review: 1:46.
PRO’s Opinion: There was contact between the players’ legs as Gioacchini changed direction; however, he was already off balance, and it was not a tripping offense. There was also no pushing foul. The referee was correct to maintain his original decision not to award a penalty kick. This intervention did not meet the threshold of a clear and obvious error.
NSH vs STL: Review for goal (offside) – given
What Happened: A goal was scored by Nicholas Gioacchini (STL) but was disallowed for offside. The assistant referee believed the last touch before Gioacchini scored was by his teammate Tim Parker (STL) and that Gioacchini was in an offside position when Parker played the ball.
The VAR determined that Parker did not touch the ball and that it was last played by Daniel Lovitz (NSH) instead. Therefore, Gioacchini was onside when Rasmus Alm (STL) crossed the ball into the penalty area. The VAR recommended an on-field review for no offside.
During the Video Review, the referee, having determined that Gioacchini was not offside, had to then consider whether the ball came off his arm before it went into the goal. He concluded that there was not sufficient evidence or angles to say that the ball definitively struck the arm and awarded the goal to St Louis CITY.
On-field decision: Offside.
Type of review: Goal.
Final decision after review: Goal.
Length of review: 3:35.
PRO’s Opinion: There were two parts to this review. The review recommendation for offside was clearly correct; Gioacchini was onside when the ball was last touched by a teammate. The second part was whether there was an attacker handball infraction by Gioacchini to score the goal. Although it appears that the ball may have touched the arm of Gioacchini as he fell backward, no conclusive angle showed the ball touching the arm, and after viewing the best angles, the referee decided to allow the goal.
What Happened: Denil Maldonado (LAFC) slid in to challenge Gadi Kinda (SKC) inside the penalty area, and Kinda went to ground after Maldonado had failed to play the ball. The referee believed that Kinda was falling before any contact and did not award a penalty.
The VAR analyzed the available angles and determined that the non-awarding of a penalty kick was a clear and obvious error and recommended an on-field review.
After Video Review, the referee awarded a penalty kick.
On-field decision: Corner kick.
Type of review: Penalty kick.
Final decision after review: Penalty.
Length of review: 3:15.
PRO’s Opinion: This was a penalty kick. Maldonado made contact with the legs of Kinda and did not make any contact with the ball. This was a good use of the Video Review system to overturn a clear and obvious error.
What Happened: A goal was scored by Roger Espinoza (SKC) and awarded by the on-field officials.
The goal came after Khiry Shelton (SKC) had gained possession of the ball after a challenge on Aaron Long (LAFC) just outside the LAFC penalty area. After the turnover and a series of passes, a cross was delivered from the left, which Espinoza headed into the goal.
The VAR analyzed the available angles and determined that the contact from Shelton was a clear kicking offense and recommended an on-field review for a foul in the APP.
After Video Review, the referee disallowed the goal and restarted play with a direct free kick to Los Angeles FC.
On-field decision: Goal.
Type of review: No goal.
Final decision after review: No goal.
Length of review: 3:00.
PRO’s Opinion: While Shelton tried to play the ball, he did not get a clean touch on it and went over the ball and made contact by kicking Long in the leg just below the knee. This was a foul and allowed Sporting Kansas City to maintain possession of the ball. This was a correct Video Review.