Referees

Flying Kicks, Avant-Garde Linesmen's Flags And Other CONMEBOL Qualifiers Highlights

Here it's a pill hard to swallow: Concacaf doesn't have the monopoly on absurdity. Sorry. Other confederations also have a fair share of the industry, and they are not shy when it is time to demonstrate it. 

And yes, we are looking at you, CONMEBOL.

Thursday night there were three games in the South American qualifiers, and all of them brought goals, emotions but also a good amount of WTF moments.

You don't have time; I don't have time, so let's go to the point.

Alisson Praises VAR After Two Red Cards Rescinded

QUITO — Alisson said the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) had prevented his side from being "punished unfairly" after the Brazil goalkeeper had two red cards rescinded in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier.

Alisson was shown a red card after 25 minutes for a fierce tackle and another in stoppage time for felling Ayrton Preciado as he attempted to punch the ball, but on both occasions the referee consulted VAR and changed his mind.

"I think this was the first time this has happened in the history of football," the Liverpool keeper said.

Patada A Andrés Guardado Se Convirtió En La Primera Expulsión Por VAR En Eliminatorias Concacaf

Después de jugar media campaña sin sus servicios, el VAR finalmente hizo su estreno en el universo de la Concacaf.

La tecnología de videoarbitraje se activó por primera vez durante el duelo eliminatorio entre Jamaica y México para dar su opinión en una dura entrada de Damion Lowe sobre Andrés Guardado.

Primer expulsado por VAR en la Concacaf 

La jugada ocurrió en el minuto 43, cuando Lowe fue a disputar el balón con los tachones arriba. El jugador jamaicano no le dio al balón y terminó enterrándolos sobre el tobillo izquierdo del Principito.

Uno Que Se Va A Echar De Menos: ¿Por Qué Chucky Lozano No Va A Jugar Ante Jamaica?

Con Raúl Jiménez y Tecatito Corona medios abollados y en duda, muchas de las esperanzas de los aficionados de México, en su duelo ante Jamaica por las eliminatorias 2022, estaban siendo depositadas sobre los hombros de Hirving Lozano. Sin embargo, aunque el jugador está fresco como una lechuga, es un hecho que tiene cero chances de vestirse de corto ante los Reggae Boyz.

Should You Call Heads Or Tails For A Coin Toss In Soccer?

Heads or tails? Usually, the choice doesn’t matter too much in soccer. Because of the inherent fairness of a football match, there’s no real advantage to kicking off in the first half vs. the second half or which end you defend (barring an extreme weather event). So should you call heads or tails in a coin toss in soccer?

Barcelona Crashes Out Of Copa Del Rey In Round Of 16 For First Time In A Decade After Bilbao Brilliance

Barcelona has crashed out of the Copa del Rey in the Round of 16 for the first time in 12 years after Athletic Bilbao won in extra time 3-2 on Thursday. This was revenge for Athletic after losing in the final to Barcelona 4-0 last season.

The game got off to a thrilling start when rising star Nico Williams burned Jordi Alba down the right wing before sending in a dangerous cross. Iker Muniain picked up Nico’s ball to score a beautiful goal to send San Mamés wild.

Salah Gets His Goal And Launches Egypt One Step Closer To Knockout Stages

It was only a matter of time before Mohamed Salah found the back of the net for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. The Liverpool star hardly had a sight of goal in Egypt’s opener against Nigeria. He still had few opportunities in front of his opponent’s goal on Saturday, but Salah was the man to make the breakthrough as he and his side defeated Guinea-Bissau 1-0.

Ref Twice Blows Final Whistle Before 90 Minutes In Bizarre AFCON Match

LIMBE, Cameroon — Mali completed a 1-0 victory over Tunisia in a controversial Group F game at the Africa Cup of Nations that was ended prematurely by referee Janny Sikazwe, who later tried to play the final four minutes only for the north Africans to refuse.

Zambian Sikazwe, who officiated at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, initially blew for the final whistle on 85 minutes as he got his timekeeping all wrong.

But after playing on, he then repeated the error when he blew for fulltime once more before the clock had ticked over to the 90 minutes.

Dicen Que No Descansa: Andrés Guardado Superó Un Impresionante Récord De Hugo Sánchez

Andrés Guardado no es un jugador que destaque por hacer trucos dentro del campo, pero nadie puede negar su constancia y regularidad. El mexicano es lo que llaman un metrónomo. Y si bien eso puedo sonar aburrido, sobre todo para la gente que quiere fuegos artificiales, en el sabor vainilla de su carrera, Guardado igual se las arregló hoy para conseguir algo increíble: superar a Hugo Sánchez como el mexicano con más partidos en Europa.

Este domingo 9 de enero, Guardado alcanzó su partido número 496 al otro lado del Atlántico.

Concacaf Will Keep Concacafing It, But Now With VAR Available In World Cup Qualifiers

Justice is coming to Concacaf. Finally. After several months in the Dark Ages, the soccer bosses of the continent are prepared to deploy VAR in the final stages of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Yes, you can roll your eyes. And yes, you know what this means: Concacaf will keep concacafing it, but now with the mighty assistance of technology. What a time to be alive!

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