Monday 2 July 2018

2018 FIFA World Cup - Referee Appointments - Rocchi in charge of Brazil - Mexico, Diedhiou with Belgium - Japan (Round of 16 - III) UPDATED WITH VAR

Italian Gianluca Rocchi will officiate Brazil - Mexico in Round of 16. while Malang Diedhiou from Senegal has been appointed for Belgium - Japan.  


Match #53
Samara, 2 July 2018 16:00 CET
Brazil - Mexico
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Elenito Di Liberatore (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Mauro Tonolini (ITA)
Fourth Official: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
Fifth Official: Pau Cebrián Devis (ESP)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
AVAR1: Pawel Gil (POL)
AVAR 2: Carlos Astroza (CHI)
AVAR 3: Daniele Orsato (ITA)

Match #54
Rostov-on-Don, 2 July 2018 20:00 CET
Belgium - Japan
Referee: Malang Diedhiou (SEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Djibril Camara (SEN)
Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Samba (SEN)
Fourth Official: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
Fifth Official: Jean Claude Birumushahu (BDI)
VAR: Felix Zwayer (GER)
AVAR1: Clément Turpin (FRA)
AVAR 2: Mark Borsch (GER)
AVAR 3: Danny Makkelie (NED)

45 comments:

  1. Great achievement for Diedhiou, now with Gassama fourth official the assessment of Peru- Denmark is more than clear... the Senegalese has overcome the Gambian.

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    1. I believe in Turpin as VAR for Diedhiou like it was in the first two times

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    2. Nobody gave Diedhiou a chance but I always maintained that he is the best in Africa at this moment... So happy to be proved right and I am really happy that the Committee has awarded the most deserving referee instead of a bigger name... Congratulations to Malang and great appointment for Rocchi also! :)

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    3. I gave him :-)
      I put Gassama on that match believing that Diedhiou will be in qf. Also I put Rocchi on that match. So, it will be 15 points for now. Cheers

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  2. Predictions: England-Colombia Irmatov
    Sweden-Switzerland Mazic

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    1. A Serbian with Switzerland wouldn't be so wise.

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    2. Damir Skomina is the favourite for Sweden v Switzerland now... If not Skomina then I think it will be Sandro Ricci!

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    3. Can we please put the whole Irmatov thing to rest already? We haven't seen the 2010 version of Irmatov in Russia. Heck, I'd be okay if he was the 2-14 version of Irmatov. But the 2018 Irmatov is not deserving on any further involvement.

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  3. I would never appoint Diedhiou for Belgium-Japan right after "ridiculous" battle for advance in last group stage game between Japan and Senegal.

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    1. At this level that is just not important... The best referee available should be appointed!

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  4. People get so hung up on irrelevancies, cant ref them if you can meet in the next round, cant ref them as played in group game, cant ref them as they fought a war back in 1982, cant have them as they share a border etc etc
    Professional referees (in the most part) just concern themselves with performing well

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  5. So it would seem Cakir, Geiger, Skomina and Ricci absolutely need matches.

    Irmatov and, perhaps Cunha seem likely. Mazic possible?

    Brych and Sikazwe are the only other referees I can see working again in the middle.

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    1. Skomina a possibility in Sweden v Switzerland???

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    2. Oh. And Mateu Lahoz also likely or possible, at least.

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    3. Mateu is 4th official in Brazil v Mexico so not really feasible to travel from Samara to Saint Petersburg in one single day!

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  6. I agree with Tomo. I also think Diedhiou deserved a KO match, but definitely not wise decision to give him this match. Again similar situation like with Brych. Even in case of a good performance (i am not saying Brych`s was) you give fuel for Japanese if they lose and some decision didnt go in their favour to say that referee hold a grunge against them because they kicked out his country from the competition

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  7. Although I think, Diedhiou is a justified appointment, I am a bit disappointed about the treatment of Gassama. Only one match as in 2014, in spite of a good performance in it. If he was not considered for R16, he should at least have gotten a MD3 appointment, e.g. JPN-POL.
    I am also a bit surprised, that BEL-JPN did not go to CONMEBOL, because I thought Cunha also deserved a further appointment. He could get SWE-SUI, but I agree with the others, that Skomina looks the favourite for it.
    Irmatov is possible for COL-ENG, but performance-wise, I would prefer Aguilar or Shukralla.
    Frontrunners for the QFs should now be Ricci, Cakir, Mazic and Geiger (if they don't get a R16, which still could happen)

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    1. Just realizing that "the others" is only Soham. :)

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    2. @Soham, it's nice to see that you root for Skomina 😉😃, but I'd rather see in a match Switzerland-Sweden a non-UEFA referee...

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    3. It can be a challenging match and I think Damir will suit both the team's style of play!

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  8. Now i seriously think that Brych WC is over.

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    1. I really don't understand FIFA's behavior here. In my opinion a VAR intervention in that case is completely wrong and against the guidelines where only for clear mistakes an intervention should be applied. That was definitely not the case here.

      Furthermore, I don't understand why Mazic, Rocchi or Marciniak after their first matches with similar mistakes were not sent home - or even got a R16 match.

      Now the completely misplaced appointment of Diedhiou who deserved a R16 match but definitely is not suited for this one.

      In my opinion Collina, Bussaca and Co. have to go after the WC.

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    2. The only logical reason for Brych now standing offside is NOT just one mistake, but if he refused to rewatch the PKsit. after an intervention by VAR this IS a good reason. Refereeing in VAR-times is not only about skills on field. It is about the ability of being member of a TEAM. And here I have my doubts about Brych. Further we do not know if he himself wants to stay in charge after the reactions to his first match. I would not be surprised if he leaves the international stage after WC and Aytekin (or Zwayer, what I definitely would not appreciate) will be on top of german international refs!

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    3. Marciniak has not been sent home... yet!
      Let's just wait for this Ro16 to be over, and then we will see.
      The same applies to Brych IMO, and the reason is the same: not listening to what the VAR teams were suggesting.

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    4. Rocchi didn’t have any mistakes, i’m sorry for you! ;)

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    5. The situation in Spain-Portugal is similar to the one in Switzerland-Serbia. In both cases a VAR intervention is wrong. But in both cases the better decision would have been to whistle in the other direction.

      Marciniak and Mazic both had crucial mistakes in their first matches. The VAR had to intervene and both referees had to see the situations correctly in live speed from their position.

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    6. Not similar situations at all. On second two cases i think VAR confirmed their decisons, on the other hand Brych refused to do what VAR told him.

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    7. If the VAR confirmed the last two cases, then the VAR project should end immediately.

      In the Mazic case, it can be argued that the foul happened too long before the goal. So, the VAR intervention was maybe deemed not important. But still, a decent referee has to see the foul in real-time and in my opinion also VAR has to intervene for such clear fouls.

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    8. That is not foul to me, but a fantastic simulation by Pepe, one of the best players in doing those Oscar worthy performances

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    9. You're right. Because any player who takes a forearm to face should not have any sort of reaction. Yup, totally makes sense ;)

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  9. For the remaining 2 1/8finals and 4 QFs... Cakir, Ricci, Skomina, Mazic, Cunha, Geiger.
    Gassama did not get a 2nd game and he is not in charge of KOL-ENG, what I do not expect, he is out again. A big mystery and not ok IMO, like 2014. Don't they trust him after the stories about one of his linesmen?

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    1. Well, in my opinion this time it is everything about his performance. The penalty was too blatant, Gassama had to whistle it by himslf, without waiting for VAR. In my opinion, among the most blatant mistakes.
      In addition, maybe the fact that he was originally planned with an AR and then his trio was changed, could have played a role. But mainly, I think all the answers are in Peru - Denmark.

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    2. This is also my point of view. But with Mr. Collina we can expect everything, also a re-appointement of a 1/8 referee for a quarter!

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    3. That's right. I've said that too in the discussion about Kuipers performance tonight.

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  10. They can't take the African best in him. Whatever they do. FIFA is foolish. They should have contengency measures for Gassama's situation. His lack of penalty call in Peru v Denmark is not unique. Many other good officials still in the tournament took the same careful approach

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  11. So, Turpin will teach Zwayer French as preparation for this assignment? ;)
    Seems a bit strange not to use Turpin as VAR there. Are French referees maybe not allowed at Belgium matches?
    Zwayer could have been appointed as VAR for COL-ENG instead.

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    1. Yes, for sure a particular choice this time. It would be interesting to know the language of this communication VAR - main referee.

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    2. Who knows maybe Zwayer speaks French fluentlly, therefore communication won't be a problem for him?

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    3. I just imagine Turpin intervening with Diedhiou in English language: "Hi, Turpin (pronounced like former FIFA-referee Paul 'Durkin') here!" :D

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    4. Probably English, common language

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  12. OT
    Best officiating of MD3 in group stage, according to your votes.
    First five positions:
    Çakır NGA - ARG 165
    Faghani SRB - BRA 130
    Geiger KOR - GER 65
    Mažić SEN - COL 47
    Skomina ENG - BEL 37

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  13. yes there will be people that will defend Felix Brych as he was instrumental in sending Serbia home... My question is: How can a referee that sees Ghosts, and thinks that Wrestling moves are legit in Football be a good choice for WC, or even be a good Ref? His actions lead the vast majority (I am not saying 99.3% :)) to think that either he is: a. Incompetent, b. Huge ego that he forgets to check at the door, or c. biased (I hope not, already FIFA is how you spell corrupt)

    Referees have to be held accountable when the majority of people (and other referees) admit they made a mistake that can blemish the reputation of the games. If not how do we protect from corrupt referees (there are examples), or incompetent referees that drive fans away.

    ps: I am not Serbian, Swiss, Albanian, German etc.... I am a citizen of earth who likes Football and want this game to continue being real fair sport

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