MLS week 24: A closer look at the assigned PRO officials

August 18, 2016June 5, 2017 PRO media Adam Wienckowski, Alan Kelly, Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, Dave Gantar, Edvin Jurisevic, FC Dallas, Frank Anderson, Houston Dynamo, Ian Anderson, Ismail Elfath, Jair Marrufo, Jose Carlos Rivero, Kyle Atkins, LA Galaxy, Mark Geiger, MLS, Montreal Impact, NASL, New England Revolution, New York City, New York Red Bulls, NWSL, Orlando City, Paul Rejer, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, PRO, Real Salt Lake, Robert Sibiga, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, Sorin Stoica, Toronto FC, USL, Vancouver Whitecaps min read

Image: Referee Edvin Jurisevic, holding the matchball, is assigned to New England Revolution v Columbus Crew in week 24

The latest week of MLS action gets up and running on Friday night, with Robert Sibiga assigned to San Jose Earthquakes versus Houston Dynamo at Avaya Stadium.

A further seven games take place on Saturday, with another two games rounding week 23 off on Sunday, including the intense Seattle-Portland match-up.

Read more: MLS Week 24 assignments

The first of Saturday’s games is a 3pm kick-off at Yankee Stadium, where Eastern Conference leaders New York City play host to LA Galaxy. Jair Marrufo, last year’s MLS Cup referee, is the man in the middle.

Toronto FC are chasing the blue half of New York at the top and they go to Philadelphia Union, refereed by Mark Geiger. Rubiel Vazquez will be the fourth official, and the 26-year-old is loving every minute of his first season on the PRO roster.

At 7.30pm, Dave Gantar and Edvin Jurisevic take the whistle for the fifth and seventh time this season respectively. Gantar referees Montreal Impact versus Chicago Fire, while Jurisevic will be at Gillette Stadium for US Open Cup finalists New England Revolution against Columbus Crew.

Statistics: Referee and AR facts and figures for the 2016 MLS season

Sorin Stoica is the man in charge of Colorado Rapids’ home match-up with Orlando City, before two of the teams featured in our most recent Play of the Week return to action.

Vancouver Whitecaps and Real Salt Lake were both inolved in incidents relating to challenges on goalkeepers in week 23, something Paul Rejer has looked at closely in his latest educational clip.

Play of the Week 23: Goalkeeper challenges

RSL are at home to Eastern Conference leaders FC Dallas, while Whitecaps are on the road at Sporting Kansas City in a game to be refereed by Kevin Stott.

Officiating at Rio Tinto Stadium will be two of the twins on the PRO roster. Ian Anderson – brother of Frank – and Eduardo, one of four Mariscals to officiate in MLS, are on AR duty in support of Jose Carlos Rivero.

Ismail Elfath and Alan Kelly are two of the most-assigned officials this season so far, with Kelly in fact leading the way with 14 games so far.

His 15th will come at CenturyLink Field, when the rivalry between Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers is renewed. The experienced Adam Wienckowski is on AR duty, opposite Kyle Atkins who carried the flag in last year’s NASL Championship Final.

That game brings the week to a close with Elfath assigned to D.C. United versus New York Red Bulls in Sunday’s earlier fixture, where Frank Anderson will join twin Ian on a league-high 17 assignments in 2016.

NASL Week 19 assignments
USL Week 22 assignments
NWSL Week 16 assignments