Please note: Answers to Pool Reporter questions are provided by match officials as an account of the incident(s) from their perspective. The responses are not intended to serve as official statements from the Professional Referee Organization. Please do not present as statements from PRO.
MLS MD13
RBNY vs CLB
Q) Columbus Crew was awarded a penalty kick, converted in the 64th minute. Omar Valencia was called for a handball in the box. What factor kept Valencia’s arm from being considered in a natural position?
A) The player was judged to have made his body unnaturally bigger with the position of his arm. This was not deemed to be a justifiable position for the arm.
Q) On New York’s second goal, a VAR check was done to check for a possible foul. What was being looked at exactly?
A) A video review was conducted to determine whether a foul had been committed by RBNY #26 at the beginning of the attacking phase of play.
NWSL MD8
BOS vs ORL
Q) What sequence was reviewed from Orlando’s corner kick and how did it constitute a penalty kick (13:40)?
A) #14 Aissata Traóre of Boston Legacy committed a holding offense against an opponent inside the penalty area that started before the kick was taken and continued after the ball was in play. A penalty kick was called on the field. The VAR reviewed the entire sequence and confirmed the penalty kick.
MLS MD12
COL vs STL
Q) In the 51st minute, Colorado #6 Rob Holding is given a straight card, called for a foul on St. Louis #11 Simon Becher. What aspect of that play, point of contact, how off balance the attacker was, and position of the ball led to the play being ruled a DOGSO red card?
A) The holding offense by Colorado #6 denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity.
NSH vs DC
Q) Could you explain the two VAR decisions and the process behind them (Bartlett’s goal – Stroud initially called offside, and then Palacios’s goal ruled off for Nashville)?
A) In the first review, the call on the field was offside for interfering with the goalkeeper. After review, it was determined that DC United #8 did not interfere with the goalkeeper’s ability to play the ball.
In the second review, the call on the field was a good goal. After review, it was determined that Nashville SC #4 was in an offside position and subsequently interfered with play.
Q) It looked like Woobens Pacius was pulled down in the box in the final seconds. What was the rationale not to send the ref to review?
A) Nashville #17 Woobens Pacius made contact with DC United #22 and the two fell down together. The action was deemed fair and checked by VAR.
MLS MD11
NYC vs DC
Q) Can the nature of the offense that led to the penalty call in the 73’ against New York City FC be described?
A) The penalty was given for a holding offense around the neck.
Q) Was the penalty call in the 73’ against New York City FC reviewed by VAR, and was it referred for a check to the referee?
A) The penalty was checked by the VAR, and was not recommended for a review.
NWSL MD6
BOS vs NC
Q) 68th minute – How did Traore’s (BOS, 14) challenge against NCC #13 constitute a yellow card?
A) In the opinion of the referee, Boston #14 Aissata Traore committed a reckless challenge in the 68th minute against North Carolina #13 Ryan Williams. The contact was in her opponent’s back and after the ball was played, showing a disregard for her opponent’s safety.
MLS MD10
VAN vs COL
Q) What was the reasoning given by VAR to allow Colorado’s goal, which went in off Navarro’s hand?
A) There was no handball by Colorado #9 Navarro, he scores with his knee.
Q) If Colorado’s goal, which did go off a hand and into the net, is deemed a good goal, why was the Whitecaps’ goal by Caicedo, which was also incidental contact, not awarded?
A) The handball by Vancouver #14 was an attacker handball.
Per Law 12 it is an offense if the attacker scores in the opponents’ goal immediately after the ball has touched their arm, even if accidental.
MLS MD9
SJ vs ATX
Q) Question about the Jasinski yellow in 68 watching the replay it looked more mutual Hustle Danie’l wonder if you could shed some light on the decision for that
A) In the 68th minute, #17 of San Jose Earthquakes, Jack Jasinski, received a caution for unsporting behavior (stopping a promising attack by foul).
Q) Confirming the Austin bench yellow after the Werner pk as it looked like the red was pulled
A) Austin FC Assistant Coach Nico Bosch received a caution in the 69th minute for dissent by action. Bosch received a second caution in the 79th minute for dissent by action. Bosch was subsequently shown the red card and sent off for receiving a second caution in the same match.
Q) Wondering if you could break down the 14 minutes of stoppage time for us
A) The officials on the field and in the VOR all track lost time for substitutions, injuries, goals, and other delays during the half. All lost time for those reasons added up to 14 minutes.
RBNY vs DC
Q) In the 90+6′, DC United was called for a foul in the box that negated a potential goal. Can you explain why this was called as it was?
A) In the 90+6′, #17 Jacob Murrell from DC United was called for a careless foul.