Make-Up Call? No Matter to Galaxy
Certainly, RSL was relieved to have earned a penalty kick in stoppage time last night, allowing it to momentarily reclaim the lead on the Los Angeles Galaxy after the Galaxy had equalized on their own penalty following an obvious handball in the box.
But coach Bruce Arena seemed to think RSL didn't deserve it.
“It’s not easy being a referee,” the Galaxy boss said after the game. “I think we could tell that today. A clear penalty for us, a handball. He calls it, and then it just seems to me that the second one was a make-up call, which seemed odd.
“But we were fortunate to get the second goal, a great finish by Mike Magee.”
Indeed, Magee fired the final equalizer under RSL's Tony Beltran and between goalkeeper Chris Seitz's legs in the 94th minute for the 2-2 final, marking the fourth time in team history that RSL has allowed an equalizer in extra time. It was Magee's first goal as a member of the Galaxy — he seemed to be kept onside by RSL's Will Johnson, sagging back just enough on the other side of the box — and marked the first time in four home games that RSL allowed more than a single goal.
“I saw someone kind of in front of me — they didn’t call it, so I definitely wasn’t offside,” Magee said. “I didn’t really see much. I know the ball was bouncing around the top of the box and we had a couple of shots, so I was trying to stay to the side and maybe get a deflection. Then it kind of popped up perfect for me.”
Johnson played a huge role in the wild finish.
His handball allowed the Galaxy's Landon Donovan to equalize first — “last year, we would have lost that game,” Donovan said later — but he stepped up and confidently scored the penalty that Arena thought came off a make-up call, when RSL's Fabian Espindola went down in the box.
“I knew I needed to make up [for the handball], and I wanted to put that on my shoulders,” Johnson said. “I’ve taken penalties for a few teams and I feel confident, I feel like I can strike a good ball. Penalties for me are all about confidence, and I don’t feel that I am short on that.”
But coach Bruce Arena seemed to think RSL didn't deserve it.
“It’s not easy being a referee,” the Galaxy boss said after the game. “I think we could tell that today. A clear penalty for us, a handball. He calls it, and then it just seems to me that the second one was a make-up call, which seemed odd.
“But we were fortunate to get the second goal, a great finish by Mike Magee.”
Indeed, Magee fired the final equalizer under RSL's Tony Beltran and between goalkeeper Chris Seitz's legs in the 94th minute for the 2-2 final, marking the fourth time in team history that RSL has allowed an equalizer in extra time. It was Magee's first goal as a member of the Galaxy — he seemed to be kept onside by RSL's Will Johnson, sagging back just enough on the other side of the box — and marked the first time in four home games that RSL allowed more than a single goal.
“I saw someone kind of in front of me — they didn’t call it, so I definitely wasn’t offside,” Magee said. “I didn’t really see much. I know the ball was bouncing around the top of the box and we had a couple of shots, so I was trying to stay to the side and maybe get a deflection. Then it kind of popped up perfect for me.”
Johnson played a huge role in the wild finish.
His handball allowed the Galaxy's Landon Donovan to equalize first — “last year, we would have lost that game,” Donovan said later — but he stepped up and confidently scored the penalty that Arena thought came off a make-up call, when RSL's Fabian Espindola went down in the box.
“I knew I needed to make up [for the handball], and I wanted to put that on my shoulders,” Johnson said. “I’ve taken penalties for a few teams and I feel confident, I feel like I can strike a good ball. Penalties for me are all about confidence, and I don’t feel that I am short on that.”
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 10:00 AM |
3 Comments:
I would challenge your thought that the Johnson's handball was obvious, consider the US Soccer directives on handballs to MLS Officals from just two weeks ago:
Handling the Ball: Law 12
This year, several new guidelines have been introduced to assist match officials with making a determination as to whether a handling offense has occurred. This criteria or framework can be reviewed as part of the 2009 Referee Program Directives. Officials have been provided three (3) new guidelines to use to assist in deciphering whether to penalize a player for handling the ball:
1. Making yourself bigger
Did the player make his/her body bigger? Did the hand or arm take away space and passing lanes from the opponent? Did the player use the hand/arm to occupy more space by extending his/her reach? Was the hand/arm used as a barrier?
2. Unnatural position
Is the arm or hand in a position that is not normal or natural for a player performing the task at hand?
3. Did the player benefit?
After considering the two criteria above, the referee should also consider the result of the player’s action by asking:
o Did the defender’s action (handling of the ball) deny an opportunity (for example, a pass or shot on goal) that would have otherwise been available to the opponent?
o Did the offending player gain an unfair tactical advantage from contact with the hand/arm which enabled him to retain possession?
In other words: Did the player benefit by putting his hand/arm in an “unnatural position?” The referee needs to be able to quickly calculate the result of the player’s action to determine whether a hand ball offence has been committed.
I don't believe based on the replays that a PK should have been awarded, that ball wasn't on a path that would have taken it to a Galaxy player.
Thanks for the comment (and very thorough assessment), but I would disagree. The ball was headed on a trajectory straight toward the Galaxy player just past Johnson, and the handball was clear, deflecting the ball to safety instead.
Mike
Sorry Michael, but I have to agree with f4denz. Will didn't seem to stick his arm out to trap the ball. It bounced on to him. Also, had it missed his arm it clearly would have been played off of his body. It's tough to tell on the replay, but that's what looks like. Will did however keep the LA player onside with the 2nd tying goal.
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