AR Review: Week 18

This week we are going to look at two decisions near the assistant referee. They don’t look like much at first view, but the players do get fouled. How can we make sure we spot this?  On the same topic we present an incident in the penalty area on the assistant referee’s diagonal. What should you do?

Getting Stepped On

Two very similar plays near the assistant referee. Neither assistant raises the flag, and from a distance it appears to be incidental contact and not worthy of a foul. The replay shows both players being stepped on, which is a foul – and painful. At the time both ARs can be fully focused on the incident since they are isolated and without any other decision to make. There are similarities in both tackles. The ball is not being shielded. The defender lunges forward in an attempt at the ball and uses a downward movement of his cleats towards the top of the foot of the attacker. Either he will get the ball or the player. When the ball is missed the defender keeps his foot locked on the attacker’s foot. Point of contact is the top of the foot, which possibly could warrant a caution.
The referee, at a distance, will have difficulty seeing the point of contact and the AR needs to step in on this type of play and raise the flag.