Sunday 15 July 2018

2018 FIFA World Cup Match 64 (Final): France - Croatia, referee Néstor Pitana (discussion)

Let's discuss here the performance of Néstor Pitana in 2018 World Cup Final France - Croatia. Good luck to the officiating team!
Match #64
Moscow, 15 July 2018 17:00 CET
France - Croatia
Referee: Néstor Pitana (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Hernan Maidana (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Juan Pablo Belatti (ARG)
Fourth Official: Björn Kuipers (NED)
Fifth Official: Erwin Zeinstra (NED)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
AVAR1: Mauro Vigliano (ARG)
AVAR 2: Carlos Astroza (CHI)
AVAR 3: Danny Makkelie (NED)

193 comments:

  1. Can't wait for the start of the final. Good luck to Néstor Pitana.

    For who's interested, I just got the chance to speak with FIFA instructor Esfandiar Baharmast about the World Cup: https://www.dutchreferee.com/preparing-referees-for-a-world-cup-final/

    Good luck to the refs and wish you all a great final.

    Jan
    DutchReferee.com

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  2. FIFA sends the same referee to two of WC's most special (beginning and final) matches. POOR FIFA..

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  3. Nestor, world looks at you, show everyone you're the best .Socks above the knee and......... te deseo mucha suerte

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  4. Pitana / Irrati World Cup, together they did the main matches. Congrats!!!

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  5. Good luck, Nestor Pitana and his team !

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  6. Goodluck to Pitana! Not my favorite choice, but a deserved appointment. Hope he will have a very good game!

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  7. An hour to kick off and I'm still hoping that Kuipers would take over the task ...

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  8. OT
    Thank to Dutchreferee, UEFA RAP 2018:1
    https://www.dutchreferee.com/refereeing-assistance-programme/

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  9. Where do the players and referees their warming-up during the show?

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  10. The face of Kuipers says enough

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  11. Not the best choice by Pitana. Light blue vs the blue of france. There is contrast but red/yellow/green would be better.

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    Replies
    1. Red offcourse not because of Croatia home kit.

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    2. Why not? Not even close to look the same. Maybe yellow would be better?

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    3. Green is Subasić, yellow is Lloris

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    4. Not likely Pitana’s choice.

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    5. @Quilava: i would less mind the colour of the keepers than that of the players.

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    6. @Fidje: Anyway, LOTG clearly establishes:

      "Each goalkeeper must wear colours that are distinguishable from the other players and the match officials"

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  12. Russia or Coca-cola???

    😁😂😁

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  13. Early minutes: in some situations Pitana very far away from the action. However, he saw the foul by Croatia, very important whistle there at the edge of penalty area...

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    Replies
    1. Very good comunication from him and AR2.

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  14. Replies
    1. Definitely a dive !!!! mistake by Pitana

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    2. A definite and obvious dive what a pity!!

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  15. What is that? For sure wrong mistake just beginning of the game. And now goal . What a bad mistake. Var should be here

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  16. What a mistake from Pitana, goal scored after Griezmann dived. Incredible!

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  17. No foul and then goal. Very good, Nestor.

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  18. Replies
    1. VAR would have intervened. Another thing is if the player interfered with play. I don't know how this will be treated with VAR. If he was in offside position and there are doubts, should an OFR take place?

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    2. Nope, there was replay from the other side of the pitch.
      From AR's position it looked like offside but it's not

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    3. The white foot is a defender’s foot, so I think it’s a (thight) onside. And when offside, I don’t think it’s an clear case of interfering with an opponent. But I would need to rewatch to be sure.

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    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. Replies
    1. It's not an offside, Vida's leg was in a line with Pogba. There was replay from other side of the pitch

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  20. I am not sure it wasnt foul

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  21. I am not so sure. There was a contact against Griezm. left foot. For me 50/50 and supportable decision.

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  22. No foul on Griezmann and probably offside. Nigtmare...

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  23. It was own goal. It cant be offside

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    Replies
    1. OMG. Are you serious man?
      Please, take Laws of the game and read it

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    2. Of course it can. He's distracting the defending players.

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    3. Of course i know it can be in general, but i am not sure about this particular case

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  24. They did not want controversies in the WC. Look what happens now. What if game ends this way?

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  25. The over demonstrative unofficial signals for no fouls, frantic movement. Looks a very nervous figure. Now false advantage and no recall.

    Not very good to watch.

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    Replies
    1. Very very poor advantage, has to call it back.

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  26. Replay of the foul before the 1-0 goal, at 0:23 you will notice Griezmann was already falling when the contact happened:

    https://www.clippituser.tv/c/elgzzv

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the video, it was simulation.

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    2. In real time i had it a foul also, we are being harsh. Of course after replay we can see it wasnt

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  27. One mistake and game changed 180 degree,,and this is final match what a mistake

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  28. Good dec. YC Kante.
    And a brilliant goal KRO.
    A great match developping.

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    Replies
    1. I don't like YC for Kante, yes it was tactical foul and according to spirit of the game it's YC but attacker was alone with 4 defenders. That's not SPA

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    2. Of course, it's good decision but if we want to be pedantic it's not YC :)

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  29. In my opinion the free kick before 1-0 is a mistake, I rewatched it, almost no contact. For sure, in case of such penalty whistled, VAR would have annulled it. But you must accept this decision... VAR can't question on everything.

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  30. Can they make a substitution halftime and bring in Kuipers?

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  31. Sorry but this is PK, look at left arm and compare it to right.
    There is movement of the left hand

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  32. Handball Perisic? Difficult again. I go for PK.

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  33. OFR, this has to be penalty ! He raised his arm up then pulling back..

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    Replies
    1. Ufff... Jovan , I am not so sure. I would not call Pk in this situation
      PItana called it... but this decision is very problematic

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  34. Pitana's position was great how he couldn't see this hand

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  35. Correct and good VAR intervention. PK assigned.

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  36. Not the best Pitana today... for sure he had been better in his previous game, this game is now very difficult and he is not accurate.

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  37. Unbelievable. Crucial mistake. More to follow after the game.

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  38. He actively moves his arm towards the ball. No question whatsoever

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  39. Crucial mistake of VAR. No reason to intervene here.

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  40. I see a tired and stressed Pitana. Not so good today.

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    Replies
    1. is it a penalty? Yes
      Should var intervene? i'm not sure

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    2. If it is a penalty and Pitana didn't see it, yes VAR should intervene.

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    3. Definitly VAR should intervene. Its a problematic situation...but even after watching VAR, I would not call PK

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  41. Jonas Eriksson not so sure about the PK.

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    Replies
    1. Eriksson is awful, clear missed penalty on Karagounis in 2012 Euro, this was a clear hand ball

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    2. Yeah. A referee who missed a penalty in 2012 must be awful. In 2013 okay, but 2012....

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    3. To be fair, Eriksson said it was an 50/50 situation both. He thaught it was a handball but that VAR maybe shouldn’t have intervened.

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  42. No intentional handball for me. Movement of hand completly normal. No clear mistake to play on. Bad VAR

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    Replies
    1. Can't be normal. Compare it with other hand

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    2. DrMr, the other hand comes down at the same time - which is natural when you've jumped up, your hands don't stay in the air.

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    3. The other was lower. That's the point... guess what, that hand touched the ball :)

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  43. Hand moving to the ball.
    Ball so expected.
    Pk for sure.
    Refs are very uncertain.

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  44. 40. Wrong YC Lucas Hernandez. Ball was played.

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    Replies
    1. At least he tried to play the ball. Free kick ok but not more.

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    2. Tackle-Player-Ball :)

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  45. What Perisic should do there, to cut his hand ? France player hit the ball 0.5m in front of him, while Perisic was in the air and hit him in his hand. Please, I don't know how somebody could say this is PK.

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    Replies
    1. Because it's expected ball. Attacker didn't played the ball clearly, he only slightly touched the ball. So, no unexpected ball.

      Biggest problem is movement of defenders hand.

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    2. Watch the image before writing such things... Matuidi doesn’t touch the ball !

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    3. So what if he doesn't touch the ball, he try to hit the ball make the movement and ball pass 1mm above his had. Perisic was in the air, and you can't say the ball was expected. For the hand movement, when you jump and go down, it's normal that hand go down. I don't see any intention from Perisic here to play the ball with his hand.

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    4. I don't agree.. sorry

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    5. We are here to talk about siuations like that, no need to sorry ;).

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    6. That's the beauty of this blog.
      To be honest, live, this is not penalty... after replay, IMO it is.

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  46. Very short distance for me OFR correct but not a clear mistake!

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  47. Good decision, penalty kick for my taste in any time, clear move to the ball by the hand of Perisic.

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  48. Pitana - Faghani WC18 is like Webb - Irmatov WC10?

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  49. i wrote since 3 days. Pitana is overrated. Mazic, kuipers, cakir, faghani, ricci, Diedhiou is better than him, but fifa gave hom opening match, 3 k.o match and final. Huge mistake this appointment. Pitana will be new member of fifa ref. Committe and they gave his bribe forehand. He lost the control of the game totally.

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    Replies
    1. I wouldn't say that he lost control... but he made 2 problematic decisions (Faul over Griezman and PK) which will be debated for a long time

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  50. Unfortunately Pitana’s mind is still with the free kick he called that resulted in a goal

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  51. Pitana gave me the impression that he was not so convinced about the handball, and he had to "accept" that it was a penalty, following VAR input. Indeed, after having watched the video on the monitor, he returned back to rewatch for a while...
    I want also to remember that in Mexico - Sweden he had rewatched a possible deliberate handball, but then deciding to play on.
    In any case, I don't see him so good as the previous appearances, today he looks also tired.

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    Replies
    1. 3 KO matches taking it's toll?? Or is it mental fatigue relating to the fact that this performance won't fetch him something bigger!

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    2. I'm not 100% sold on the PK. And seeing the referee taking quite a lot of time to decide only makes it more dubious, at least that's what people and especially the Croatians will feel like. Could be a very difficult 2nd half and unfortunately, Pitana has very much contributed to it.

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    3. lots of referees have briefly returned to monitor before giving decision. I think you will find chefren that he was just double checking which player (number) handled. so if players ask you have the answer.

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    4. +2 excellent observation.

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  52. I was not impressed by Pitana this tournament and after the first half we can say that this appointment was a mistake. You can blame Bussaca and Collina for that

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  53. Missed YC 45+3 for Strinic.
    Not a good first half for Pitana.

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  54. If you say that Pitana has done a good half you can nothing and my respect for this site is zero. He is embarassing in the first half. No free kick for the first goal. Penalty very doubtful. No card on clear foul on strinic. That is not good for a a world cup final

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  55. Giving 3 Knockout games and 5 games overall wasn't really a good idea it seems... Faghani, Kuipers and other potential final candidates are having a smirk maybe now!

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    Replies
    1. Why should they be having a smirk? You can be disappointed but you shouldn't ridicule others mistakes.. We are all referees and should support the referees in charge.. If there are mistakes they have to be analyzed but not ridiculed

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    2. I agree completely Johanes. Too often that this happens on this site. Where I am watching they are not talking about the referee. Instead about a wonderful final.

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    3. We are humans of flesh and blood and I'm sure every other referee are having their "I told you that..." moments now... That's just as humane as it could get!

      Overall in the 1st half Pitana hasn't justified his appointment to the Final!

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    4. Agree with you Soham! I described a perfect world :-)

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    5. @Jackson This is a blog to discuss about refereeing so the discussion will centre on refereeing decisions... This site isn't really the place to discuss how brilliant the final is and all that... Maybe you are in the wrong site!

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    6. The point Soham which you seemed to miss is that you and others don't seem to discuss referee decisions but rather criticize just because you can. I was merely pointing out that where I am watching they are not saying the referee is terrible as some people here seem to suggest but that final is good. Is that not our job as the referee? To manage the game? and in the world cup finals case, the event.

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  56. Tired, hesitant, cristal YC missed at the end. Pitana did a bad job on this first half. Poor Faghani...

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  57. I think pitana is victim of politics of fifa. He surely knows that the didn’t deserve 5 matches in this world cup that’s why he is really stressed today. He watched the penalty position 2 min. and then he returned back to watch again. Very poor. He is normally not so bad.

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  58. Not a very good first half by Pitana. Not a good foul detection (which lead to a goal), a possible wrong YC, a possible missing YC (extra time), and not looking very self-assured of his decisions.

    But that is something that can happen. I don't blame the appointment for the final. Maybe what should be blamed are the previous appointments (or in other words, the workload he has been given). For me he was a candidate for the final based both on experience and performances. I just think he had too many matches.

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  59. Only 3 minutes of added time when the OFR on its own took about 4 minutes and 20 seconds is a joke.

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    Replies
    1. Indeed, I have noticed this too... the PK situation lost 3-4 min alone.

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  60. Pitana is a great referee with fantastic career, but I still believe that this final should not be for him...

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    Replies
    1. Overappointed and overworked is the impression... And receiving this appointment, he has probably reached a point of mental saturation in terms of motivation as well!

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    2. Nah..I think he will survive this final :) He is very good ref.

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  61. Kuipers would have beem tired too.
    I would have gone with Mazic. But now it's easy to second guess.

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    Replies
    1. I would have gone with Faghani... Both Pitana and Kuipers should've stayed with 4 games... Mazic no way because after a crucial mistake in QF that directly affected a teamst progress, a referee can get anything but the Final!

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    2. I love Mazic... but CRO/SER is very close... and they would speak Serbo/Croat on the pitch, which might annoy French players.
      Mazic for sure would do a great job, but Pitana did have these limiting factors.

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    3. Crucial mistake? What was mistake there? Gotta love how you hate Mazic and praise Kuipers so much.
      That wasnt even Mazics fault at all.

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    4. It wasn't crucial mistake. That's how FIFA evalueted the situation

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    5. Mazic would be professional enough to not speak Serbo/Croat on the pitch!
      That would be stupid!

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    6. @Soham The crucial mistake? Oh, yes! Of course. :)
      115 min: RUS vs. ESP and two crystal clear penalty-kick for Spain (first Pique, second Ramos). But, it is forbidden to write here! Oh, dear Bjorn... :D

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    7. Well you had Felix Brych speaking German with Swiss team constantly in SWISS-SER. It is not impossible that the same thing would happen to Mazic.

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    8. Language is not a problem.
      Cunha spoke Spanish in some matches, Pitana also...

      These two countries were in the civil war 25 years ago. That's the main reason.

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  62. Regarding the incidents,

    1- No foul before the 1st goal.
    2- Correct 1st goal, Pogba wasn’t offside.
    3- Regarding the penalty, I think the ball was unexpected even though it came straight from the corner, the French player (Matuidi) right infront of Croatia #4 (Perisic) jumped and we all expected him to make contact. Not deliberate so no Penalty for me.

    Overall, poor 1st half i have to say. We all expected better.

    The 2nd half must be a lot better!

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  63. Well I knew this was coming. Pitana already officiated too many matches, kind of peaked early, and was a wrong decision to assign him for the final. Indeed I agree he also looks tired. Either Faghani or Kuipers would be much better choice. I hope he recovers for the second half but I doubt it

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    Replies
    1. Kuipers would be kind of overworked too but one point is Pitana worked in MD3, R16 and QF consecutively whereas Kuipers had a break in MD3 and then worked consecutively in R16 and QF... Pitana's last 3 matches were on 27 June, 1 July and 6 July so recovery period of 9 days after refereeing 3 games in 10 days... Faghani was a proper solution but it's always easy in hindsight!

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    2. Yes Pitana's tempo was overwhelming. Shouldn't been considered for the final. Faghani was indeed the best choice, but current international climate regarding Iran may have blocked his assignment (just guessing). Especially when you put Russia as the host into the perspective. Argentinian image seemed more secure for decision makers.

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  64. In all major finals, there are always pitch invaders, they study it because they have always success, that's incredible. Security doesn't work...

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  65. 54’ : offside missed and foul on Lloris...Pitana is under-Level...

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    Replies
    1. Can't blame AR for 5cn offside but it was obvious foul on Lloris

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  66. I hope the WC will not be influenced by the two wrong decisions of a bad referee.

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  67. Pitana's positioning is also looking a bit iffy... Super close to impeding players' way on several occasions!

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  68. I said Pitana was not the best choice. This is his 5th match, he is tired, loosing concentration is something that could be expected. That was obvious in his last match in 1/4 final. In this format, no one ref should be appoint 5 times, it is too much. Also, Pitana wasn't that good, neither better than other big names to get opener and match for the title.

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    Replies
    1. Who would be the best choice then in your opinion?

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    2. Faghani/Kuipers/Mažić

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    3. Faghani, kuipers, cakir, ricci, mazic, rocchi, Diedhiou, brych (even he is gone) may be even geiger would be better when you see potana’s mistakes

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    4. Mazic was expected to left out considering Croatia-Serbia situation but no reason not to assign Faghani or Kuipers.... 5 matches was indeed too much for Pitana. He is visibly tired

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  69. By I can see there are a lot of Mazic's widows here. Terrible supporters

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    Replies
    1. You are free to leave the blog anytime.

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    2. I like to laugh with idiots as you

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    3. I realise thats your therapy.

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    4. hmmm... come back when you turn 18 , or have 1100 refereed Games in your feet like me... Mazic most likely has 1600 games out of which plenty of them were on the highest possible level in CL

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    5. Not really, with your wife would be better

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  70. Tonight we are watching how one referee can kill the world cup final. They should show this match in the referee education programs. But its not pitana’s fault, he is not that bad. Fifa ref. Conmittee make him like this.

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  71. The three first half key match incidents:

    17’ FK FRA before 1-0
    https://vimeo.com/280079107

    18’ Goal FRA
    https://vimeo.com/280079119

    34’ Penalty FRA after OFR
    https://vimeo.com/280079965

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    Replies
    1. On the FK at 17', if you look at the third replay (starts about 21s), there's a good toe clip and that's when the FRA player begins to fall...

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    2. He begins to fall before the contact:
      0:22

      https://www.clippituser.tv/c/elgzzv

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  72. After this match nobody will tall about pitana,, everybody will talk subasic,, star of the game:))

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    Replies
    1. Lloris said ,no I am the star,,pitana so Lucky really , everybody talking goalkeepers

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  73. Today we again see the UEFA refs are the best and competent ones. Luigi should have choosen Cakir or Kuipers in this one. Our taste of WC has been killed.

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  74. Pitana is lucky because of the score and bad goal keeping for both sides nobody will discuss the wrong fk that resulted with the first goal

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  75. Pitana is lucky because of the score and bad goal keeping for both sides nobody will discuss the wrong fk that resulted with the first goal

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  76. 73’ : missed YC for Mandzukic now. This referee is a phantom. Terrific performance...

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    Replies
    1. After 861 missed YCs during the WC, can't blame the ref for disciplinary.

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    2. Foul detection, man managment and control are problems

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    3. @DrMr think that know anything..lol

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  77. This is probably the most odd and the strangest World Cup Final of the recent times... Pitana is lucky in the 2nd half largely because of the scoreline but I'm sure although this is Pitana's biggest match of his career, he won't be looking back on this performance ever as one of his top 10-15 performances of all time!

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    Replies
    1. Generally , it looks like there is some kind of GK virus, which is causing unexplainable reactions and mistakes by TOP CLASS Goal Keepers :)

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    2. Goran, you are right. It's called Karius virus, which seems to spread very quickly between goalkeepers.

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    3. Soham, the final will be remembered by the victory of France, 6 goals and Pitana as a main referee. Croatia will remember it as well by missing the biggest chance in their football history...

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    4. Referee fans will remember it for the first ever VAR intervention in a World Cup Final :D

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  78. Everyone knows he slipped. Stopping bringing attention on yourself. Growing false confidence could lead to more errors.

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  79. Bad free kick management by Pitana

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    Replies
    1. How many philipp we have here ,philip s ,,philipp s , who is next? Philip k ?

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    2. We also have two visitors named Niclas, one from Wien, one from.the USA... Niclas from The 3rd team should be the third one

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  80. The match is drawing to its conclusion now and nothing more important to report... Anyway the free kick awarded before the foul : if that situation is evaluated as a dive (which I think it definitely was), then it's a big mistake by Pitana in a Final... I can live with the penalty award, no major problems with that... Overall not the best impression created, inconsistent and tired, lots of points for improvement and gives an image of reaching a mental fatigue in terms of his motivation... Not his best performances, not even among his top 10-15 best performances... So overall Pitana hasn't been able to justify his appointment to the Final to the best of his abilities and lots of small errors with one very important potential mistake mars his final performance! 8.0 will be my mark!

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    Replies
    1. To sum up, this for sure Pitana's biggest appointment of his career... But unfortunately this isn't among Pitana's finest performances of his career!

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  81. I notice nobody has pointed out the 3 terrific advantages played by Pitana including the one that led to a goal being scored.

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