56 KORITA Moreno (Updated)
HIGHLIGHTS
Perhaps the game of World Cup 2002 - and not just for the refereeing.
Byron Moreno achieved international infamy for the way he handled the game, with more melodramatic views asserting that "this [match] proves that FIFA are rigged". Actually, it was FIFA and their directives that sunk Moreno in the match of his life - had Totti not been ejected for simulation (FIFA's crusade against which bordered on the ridiculous) Moreno would have convinced in the match of the competition, cognisant of some mistakes.
As Totti walked off, Moreno's chances went with him. As a referee, as a man, that one call changed everything. Well, how was the refereeing in the rest of the game? Not perfect, but pretty good. Even Jorge Rattalino who was always right at World Cup 2002 could have saved Moreno, but he flagged when he shouldn't have - it was that sort of night. C'est la vie.
A full analysis of his performance follows, starting with the most important situations:
110' - Offside given by AR Jorge Rattalino
Without the flag of the assistant referee from Argentina, Italy would almost undoubtably have scored a golden goal. For the first time at the whole tournament according to my records (marks in his three games: 8,6 - 8,5 - 8,4 (FRASEN - RSASVN - RSAESP)), he made a mistake, and incorrectly flagged for offside in a tricky situation. It's genesis means that his call was on some level a guess - this time it was a wrong one.
CRUCIAL MISTAKE
He started the second half with an excellent verbal warning (49'). He was lenient, perhaps too much so, with SPA offences that weren't tactical fouls. Also - did Zanetti commit a violent conduct on him? Italy player was cautioned. The rest of his cards were clearly correct.
Two further correct cautions for tackles were issued in extra time, and the one that ejected Totti. Save for 65', his foul detection was very good throughout, with only small mistakes here-and-there. To be honest, I struggle to really see what the Ecuadorian got wrong here.
Perhaps the game of World Cup 2002 - and not just for the refereeing.
Byron Moreno achieved international infamy for the way he handled the game, with more melodramatic views asserting that "this [match] proves that FIFA are rigged". Actually, it was FIFA and their directives that sunk Moreno in the match of his life - had Totti not been ejected for simulation (FIFA's crusade against which bordered on the ridiculous) Moreno would have convinced in the match of the competition, cognisant of some mistakes.
As Totti walked off, Moreno's chances went with him. As a referee, as a man, that one call changed everything. Well, how was the refereeing in the rest of the game? Not perfect, but pretty good. Even Jorge Rattalino who was always right at World Cup 2002 could have saved Moreno, but he flagged when he shouldn't have - it was that sort of night. C'est la vie.
A full analysis of his performance follows, starting with the most important situations:
Key Match Incidents
4' - Penalty to Korea (Holding)
Very courageous and correct call by Moreno - Panucci clearly holds his opponent's shirt, on both sides actually, and the referee from Ecuador had the bottle to rightly punish it. Well done.
49' - Violent Conduct (Striking)?
I have revised my view on this situation - having been excessively held by Alessandro del Piero, Kim Tae-young pushes him away with an elbow, which I would argue is careless.
Sure, Kim could have had no complaints if Moreno had have sent him off, but his decision to verbally war both was practically optimal in my view. He does so in a convincing way too.
69' - Serious Foul Play?
I don't see the scope for discussion here - Zambrotta had to be substituted after this dangerous and highly unnecessary foul on him: clear Serious Foul Play, one hopes even eighteen years ago (Moreno himself said this was a red card that he missed).
CRUCIAL MISTAKE
103' - Second Yellow Card (Simulation)
It is worth noting that FIFA were "very satisfied" with Moreno's performance thus far, putting the two prior mistakes more into the de jure category.
From the long ball hit forward, Moreno was in the perfect drop-zone position for initial header, but he didn't foresee that the header would be played in Totti's direction, who moved diagonally to try an instigate a shot from wide of the goal. The referee was caught. He tried to make up the ground and couldn't, he had to decide from far away - but crucially he ran right, and actually got a sound insight angle.
If Moreno had not given a penalty, and simply given a defensive freekick to Korea for Francesco Totti's later handling, I doubt anybody would really have complained. But actually, the ref from Ecuador got this call spot on - Totti jumps into the defender to try and win a penalty -> simulation. Some of the replay angles don't do the referee too many favours, but at least in my judgement he got this decision spot on.
The chaotic scenes where he checks his yellow card in order to determine if Totti had already been cautioned (he had), are not the greatest argument in his favour. At least in my eyes, Italy had little reason to complain here.
The chaotic scenes where he checks his yellow card in order to determine if Totti had already been cautioned (he had), are not the greatest argument in his favour. At least in my eyes, Italy had little reason to complain here.
110' - Offside given by AR Jorge Rattalino
Without the flag of the assistant referee from Argentina, Italy would almost undoubtably have scored a golden goal. For the first time at the whole tournament according to my records (marks in his three games: 8,6 - 8,5 - 8,4 (FRASEN - RSASVN - RSAESP)), he made a mistake, and incorrectly flagged for offside in a tricky situation. It's genesis means that his call was on some level a guess - this time it was a wrong one.
CRUCIAL MISTAKE
Approach
Byron Moreno chose to issue early cards in this game, credibly so - one could perhaps argue the first two cards given were avoidable. He missed one reckless elbow foul in the first half, and correctly punished another with a caution. Moreno ensured the rest of the first half was quiet - good.He started the second half with an excellent verbal warning (49'). He was lenient, perhaps too much so, with SPA offences that weren't tactical fouls. Also - did Zanetti commit a violent conduct on him? Italy player was cautioned. The rest of his cards were clearly correct.
Two further correct cautions for tackles were issued in extra time, and the one that ejected Totti. Save for 65', his foul detection was very good throughout, with only small mistakes here-and-there. To be honest, I struggle to really see what the Ecuadorian got wrong here.
Style
As in the United States - Portugal game, Moreno excelled in this field.
His manner is very interesting - certainly not a player's friend type of leader, but he always managed to communicate on their level (see 49'). He always stayed calm (see 22'), and never lost the overview. I would say his style was certainly ahead of his time. Moreno also had courage: to award a penalty in the opening minutes, to adhere to FIFA's demands to eject Totti - Blatter just decided he didn't want to punish simulation any more, and blamed Moreno for not feeling the game.
I don't really know which referees could have got through this game without making some mistakes; they aren't immortal - but the conspiracy has their man. Byron Moreno was actually one of the excellent refs of his time, and it is with genuine sadness that I reflect on everything that followed this match in his life. He was one of the best!
His manner is very interesting - certainly not a player's friend type of leader, but he always managed to communicate on their level (see 49'). He always stayed calm (see 22'), and never lost the overview. I would say his style was certainly ahead of his time. Moreno also had courage: to award a penalty in the opening minutes, to adhere to FIFA's demands to eject Totti - Blatter just decided he didn't want to punish simulation any more, and blamed Moreno for not feeling the game.
I don't really know which referees could have got through this game without making some mistakes; they aren't immortal - but the conspiracy has their man. Byron Moreno was actually one of the excellent refs of his time, and it is with genuine sadness that I reflect on everything that followed this match in his life. He was one of the best!
Assistant Referees
As aforementioned, Jorge Rattalino made a crucial mistake at 110', but also played an excellent onside at 73'. Ferenc Székely had a mostly quiet evening but made two correct offside calls in the first half.| Byron Moreno - 7,9(4) Jorge Rattalino - 7,9(5) Ferenc Székely - 8,4 Mohamed Guezzaz (ECU, ARG, HUN) | Korea Republic 2-1 Italy (after sudden death extra time) Round of Sixteen |
 Kim Tae-young (17.) - Tackle Song Chong-gug (80.) - Lack of Respect (Holding) Lee Chun-soo (99.) - Tackle Choi Jin-cheul (115.) - Tackle | Coco (4.) - Tackle Totti (22.) - Striking Tommasi (55.) - Lack of Respect (Holding) Zanetti (59.) - Dissent |
 Totti (103.) - Simulation |
Could you check the link for the highlights? I am directed to a general ok.ru page.
ReplyDeleteI would also mention this situation:
www.gifs.com/gif/Q0rpj0
At least a missed YC (elbow), I think - not clear from these pictures, whether tool or weapon.
Thanks for the pointer, rectified now.
DeleteThere are replays in the highlights, which now you should be able to see :D. I wouldn't say a Red Card is out of the question, but a caution is clearly the better solution in my view (blocking rather than striking motion, not a clenched fist which is a good indicator of (a lack of) intent).
Thanks, I agree.
DeleteAn interesting recent interview with Moreno about the Korea - Italy game can be found below.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/TRRiStPgnq8
Accessible for Spanish speakers and there is also an Italian subtitles option.
Scandalous? I expected a lot more to happen than what actually did.
ReplyDeleteLet's review the crucial scenes: 4' penalty for KOR: fully correct decision, reminds me of Frisk's - clear holding offence, prolonged and obvious. Only thing to criticize is that it should have been a booking (I operate under the belief than he punished the holding by unbooked ITA #2 and not the other duel involving already booked ITA #4).
49': This is clear case of VC, elbow hit that should have been punished with a RC. The same goes for 69', but I guess back then, such tackles weren't considered 100% SFP. Contact seemed rather little and the arguments that it was more accidental than intentional - whether that is true - were more important back then.
The contentious offside call? Close, but wrong - such calls happen, I understand Italy being frustrated that most of these went against them back then. Still, he had yet to score, he would have in 9 out of 10 cases, still: Nothing so obviously blatant as one would believe.
Totti's sending off I see as a result of a draconic punishment of such incidents, whether they be actual simulation or not at this tournament. Totti (and Panucci) had made such dives in their last group stage match and Moreno was surely aware of that. For me, neither penalty nor dive, but not a big surprise how the decision went. But that is not solely the Ecuadorian's fault, but that of FIFA orders.
Otherwise, good and strict disciplinary control, challenges from behind were correctly punished. Only in 101' I saw another possible card and Vieri's elbow in 8' was definitely one he should have seen.
In the end, the big mistakes Moreno made were more the ones most people have forgotten by now. While the major decisions went against Italy and were more wrong than right, I see no conspiracy here - but who really wants to spend some time on actually studying the case when parroting good old prejudices is so much easier?