2018 FIFA World Cup: Officiating at Round of 16 has been mostly good, with only one VAR correction in 8 matches (analysis)

The first round of KO stage has ended. Eight matches with a direct elimination for one of the teams involved have offered overall a good officiating, with only one particular exception. 

Alireza Faghani (IRN) has officiated the first game in Round of 16, France- Argentina

Round of 16 has started with France - Argentina, for sure a very sonorous clash. This game has been officiated by Alireza Faghani from Iran. The Asian referee has faced a very challenging game with some crucial decisions to be taken, especially in first half, and a very tense battle against two heated sides. He got most of the crucial decisions right, with a correct penalty to France at the beginning, and then a few later a correct free kick at the edge of penalty area. In second half, the game became even more complicated for the referee, not so much in terms of further crucial decisions, but rather for the hot atmosphere. In the last part of second half he has for sure struggled a bit for keeping control, but in my opinion at the end he ensured a really good performance, given the extreme difficulty. Further cards were possible, and in case at least one of them would have been the second one for the player involved, of course you are entitled to have your opinions about that. Nevertheless, the first thing that one should underline is the fact that this game ended without any VAR intervention, for sure a success for the Iranian.

The second game of this round has been played between Uruguay and Portugal. Mexican César Ramos has decided to apply a full lenient style in this match, without booking any single player until the last minutes of second half. The game didn't present significant or crucial incidents, however, personally, I didn't like the choice made by the Mexican. I will always remember the scene in the last minutes with both Cristiano Ronaldo and Quaresma screaming and attacking (at least in verbally form) the referee. This was in my opinion the consequence of having shown a certain attitude to avoid cards. In any case, nothing very important and if FIFA is content we can't question too much on that. The same referee will make for sure further experience in future, before attending the next WC.

Kuipers has been in the middle for the interesting match between the host country, Russia, and Spain. The Dutch, as always happens in his game, has ensured a very good control of the match and an appropriate management of  players. He has been always respected. One crucial situation has occurred in first half, with a deliberate handball committed in the box: referee has whistled it without any need of VAR intervention. Also, correct decision by VAR to support a play-on decision by Kuipers, later in the game. Not enough to whistle a penalty, a holding looked to be quite mutual.  Without further issue, the referee from the Netherlands has ended his match.

I didn't watch the game Croatia - Denmark, but what I can report, thank also to your comments on the blog, is for sure another (at least) expected level performance by Pitana, with a crucial decision to be taken in the last minutes of second half during extra time: penalty and YC for DOGSO were the right choice there, VAR confirmed the original decision by referee.

Brazil - Mexico has been officiated by Gianluca Rocchi from Italy. The game has been not so much challenging like other ones, however this doesn't tarnish the good level of officiating. In my opinion, we can talk about an expected level performance. To be reported some mistakes made by AR2 in first half. In one situation, without the offside flag (it was wrong), a potential penalty situation occurred. In this case, referee had no faults, given the raised flag. However, the most significant incident has been for sure the one involving Neymar and Layún: in this case VAR didn't assess as clear violent conduct the action by Mexican player against the opponent, who was lying down. Very likely, one reason was the fact that the player from Brazil is well known for exaggerating contacts. I think that this was a supportable choice, especially given the "lenient" guidelines by committee. At the same time, I don't want to defend such behaviors by players, and I want to say that RC would have been for sure an understandable choice there.

In Belgium - Japan referee Malang Diedhiou from Senegal has kept everything under control. Game has been not so much challenging and without crucial decisions, but the referee from Senegal has left a very good impression.

Sweden - Swtizerland has been the only game with a VAR intervention to correct a referee's decision: this was happened in the very last minutes of second half, when a RC for DOGSO has been shown by the Slovenian. Correct decision, however, VAR had to intervene because the foul made by defender had occurred outside the box. Therefore, after an On Field Review, referee has changed his decision in free kick. I'm wondering why Skomina wanted to rewatch this incident, VAR could have detected by himself that foul had occurred outside and it was free kick instead of a penalty. No changes about the RC. Apart from that, during the 90 minutes, Skomina had offered in my opinion a more than satysfying performance, with some minor mistakes in foul detection and a disciplinary control with small points for improvement - however in any case not a big issue.

The last game of this round, Colombia - England has been handled by Mark Geiger.  Despite of any visible involvement by VAR to correct decisions, the referee from USA has been in trouble regarding the control and players management already from first half. It has been a continuous struggle to keep everything under control. Before the execution of free kicks and in occasion of the penalty whistled to England, there have been poor scenes. I don't know how much one can blame only players for that, but a very similar issue had occurred in a previous game officiated by Geiger: Portugal - Morocco. Like Colombia - England, referee had  apparently managed to control it without major mistakes, but everything in the middle and regarding the disciplinary control of the players had very important points for improvement. However, the crucial decision taken in second half - penalty to England, is fully sopportable. This has been for sure the most discussed game, and in my opinion, said with all the respect, the worst officiating of the tournament, in terms of control and players management.