Monday, 31 May 2021

2021 UEFA Under-21 Championship - Referee appointments for Quarterfinals

After a long break between group stage and KO phase, 2021 UEFA Under-21 Championship resumes with the remaining games. These are the referees appointed by UEFA to handle the quarterfinals, to be played on 31 May 2021.



31 May 2021, 18:00 CET - Budapest
NETHERLANDS - FRANCE
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Alberto Tegoni (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Daniele Bindoni (ITA)
Fourth Official: Daniele Doveri (ITA)
UEFA Referee Observer: Konrad Plautz (AUT)
UEFA Delegate: Łukasz Wachowski (POL)

31 May 2021, 18:00 CET - Maribor
SPAIN - CROATIA 
Referee: Giorgi Kruashvili (GEO)
Assistant Referee 1: Levan Varamishvili (GEO)
Assistant Referee 2: Zaza Pipia (GEO)
Fourth Official: Irakli Kvirikashvili (GEO)
UEFA Referee Observer: Marc Batta (FRA) 
UEFA Delegate: Felix Grigore (ROU)

31 May 2021, 21:00 CET - Szekesfehervar
DENMARK - GERMANY 
Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández (ESP)
Assistant Referee 1: Iñigo Prieto López de Cerain (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Juan Martínez Munuera (ESP)
UEFA Referee Observer: Vladimir Medved (SVK)
UEFA Delegate: Paul Lyon (GIB)

31 May 2021, 21:00 CET - Ljubljana
PORTUGAL - ITALY 
Referee: François Letexier (FRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Cyril Mugnier (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Mehdi Rahmouni (FRA)
Fourth Official: Jérôme Brisard (FRA)
UEFA Referee Observer: Vladimir Šajn (SVN)  
UEFA Delegate: Elena Kobak (RUS)

89 comments:

  1. As discussed in the other post, Visser and Osmers should be out as they are appointed or friendlies.
    Then, we can observe that committee has appointed the referees with the nations still in the tournament for the last possible games (Mariani, Letexier, Cuadra Fernández). A surprise is surely Kruashvili, he wasn't so good like other referees, but one can still understand this appointment.
    I would easily guess the Turkish and the Swedish for semifinals and then the name for final should come from the four referees appointed for quarterfinals.
    The games are treated as "normal" international duties, with referees coming from home with fourth officials. Appointments announced three days before the date, as it is for qualifiers.

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    1. How can one understand Kruashvili appointment? He was one of the worst so far, at least IMO (although not so terrible).

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    2. Geo-political balance between Western and Eastern Europe.

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    3. He was not the best in group stage, but maybe the key to explain this choice by committee is that there weren't crucial mistakes in his games, all decisions were at least supportable. This seems to be enough for UEFA sometimes (maybe too often?). However, I think that names like Schaerer, Nyberg and Umut Meler were definitely better than him, but very likely one of them will skip KO stage.

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    4. Maybe none of them will skip ko stage, since there are 3 matches left, so each of them can get one of them.

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  2. Ot: when we can excpect new categories?

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    1. An anonymous said after EURO, I don't know if he is reliable or not, however I find reasonable that it will be indeed after the major tournament with the possible promotions of Category 1 referees involved. Brych and Kuipers should immediately retire after that, if they don't change idea...

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  3. Replies
    1. Why Peljto? Was he involved in the group stage?

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  4. We are back, basketballofficiate.blogspot.com. Visit our page and follow news from basketball officiating in Europe. See you!!!

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  5. Yes, France - Denmark, but after that he had COVID issues.

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    1. The fact that he stayed with only one game maybe was not enough for committee to appoint him in KO stage. Of course, not his fault at all, but there was surely another referee even less lucky than him, de Burgos...

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  6. I had forgotten Schaerer, so we have at least three good names for remanining games, including also Nyberg and Umut Meler. In my opinion it would be surprising to see one of them missing a KO stage game, all three deserve it.

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    1. If Schärer is available (i.e. not saved for his job at the EURO), the same should count for Frankowski, I think.

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    2. How about Higler? UEFA loves Dutch refs.

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    3. Would not surprise me at all if Higler gets pushed (again!) However performance wise I would have given a QF to the dutch if they wanted to use Higler again

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  7. predictions the semifinals

    - esp/cro v por/ita: NYBERG Glen (swe)
    - den/ger v ned/fra: BOGAR Tamas (hun; because: home nation!)

    FINAL

    - MELER Halil Uhut (tur)

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  8. Germany had 2 matches and all were handled by Cuadra. The 3rd one will be handled by... hmmm. Cuadra!

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  9. - esp / cro v por / ita: Halil Umut Meler
    - den / ger v ned / fra: Irfan Peljto
    FINAL

    Sandro Schärer

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  10. New refereeing lists in Germany
    Promoted to 1. Bundesliga: Matthias Jöllenbeck (34), Tobias Reichel (35)
    AR promoted to 1. Bundesliga: Jonas Weickenmeier (32)
    End of career: Manuel Gräfe, Markus Schmidt, Guido Winkmann - Markus Häcker (AR)
    Promoted to 2. Bundesliga: Robin Braun (25), Florian Lechner (30)
    Trial games 2. Bundesliga: Franz Bokop (31), Max Burda (31), Patrick Hanslbauer (30)
    Promoted to 3. Liga: Christian Ballweg (25), Marc Eckermann (23), Nico Fuchs (26), Richard Hempel (23), Mario Hildenbrand (25)

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    1. Does that mean that Brych will continue after Euro? I hope so.

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    2. If he can continue in Bundesliga until 47, DFB should also keep him on the FIFA List for another year, since Germany does not have a better candidate for WC2022.

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    3. Yes, Brych will continue domestically - probably for two more seasons.
      But as far as I know, he will end his international career either after the EURO or at the end of the year.

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    4. And what about Tobias Welz? Is he still on the list?

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    5. Yes, he is.
      Apparently they expect him to come back.
      Same for Benjamin Brand, who missed the most of the season.

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    6. It is also interesting that 1. and 2. Bundesliga will only have one VAR-list with 34 VARs and 38 AVARs. So there will be referees who won't act as VAR anymore and VARs from 2. Bundesliga will be able to act in matches in 1. Bundesliga.

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    7. @Philipp S: why would Brych only continue domestically and not internationally until the end of 2022, same as Orsato (also born in 1975)?

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    8. Is Grafe on the new DFB VAR list or will he become an instructor/observer?

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    9. Markus Schmidt and Guido Winkmann reached the age limit, but accepted the offer to act VAR-only. Manuel Gräfe did not.

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    10. Does that mean that he still hopes to continue to referee or has other offers?

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    11. Brych stated in an interview, that the EURO will be his last tournament.
      But I don't know, whether that's his personal choice or somehow suggested by DFB, UEFA or FIFA.

      Gräfe is considering sueing DFB regarding the age limit. As he is not in best terms with the association, it seems unlikely that he becomes instructor or observer.
      However he will be a TV pundit at the EURO (replacing long-term expert Urs Meier at ZDF), so he might continue working in that role.

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    12. why only 2 promotions in stead of 3?

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    13. Because DFB wanted to reduce the number of referees in Bundesliga.

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  11. Highlights of Ovidiu Alin Hațegan's performance in the hectic Cypriot Cup final between Anórthosis Ammochóstou and Olympiakós Lefkosías

    https://we.tl/t-cKswFRF0fT

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  12. Highlights of Mustapha Ghorbal's performance in the CAF Super Cup between Al-Ahli Cairo and RS Berkane)

    https://we.tl/t-XiaJfbswFM

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  13. Does anybody have the new RAP - 1 / 2021?

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  14. MOL Aréna Sóstó - Szekesfehervar
    Winner QF 1 - Winner QF 2
    Referee: Sandro Schärer (SUI)
    Assistant Referee 1: Stéphane De Almeida (SUI)
    Assistant Referee 2: Bekim Zogaj (SUI)
    Fourth official: Ádám Farkas (HUN)
    Observer: Sándor Piller (HUN)

    _________

    Stadion Ljudski vrt - Maribor
    Winner QF 3 - Winner QF 4
    Referee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)
    Assistant Referee 1: Mahbod Beigi (SWE)
    Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderqvist (SWE)
    Fourth Official: Rade Obrenovič (SVN)
    Observer: Darko Čeferin (SVN)

    As the teams are not still known, I will open the new thread this evening after the quarterfinals, but UEFA has already made these appointments.

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    1. so, if the Netherlands reach the semis, they have three times Schärer as a ref in five matches, quite strange

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    2. Well, Germany has Cuadra in 3 out of 4 matches.

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    3. that's weird too indeed

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    4. Final will go to Meler or Higler or one of the QF referees?

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  15. According to Japanese media, Kozo Tashima, one of the FIFA members, said that “Wenger offside rule” will be applied from July 2022.

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  16. OT:

    Promotion to LaLiga play-off appointment, semi-final 1st leg:

    Wednesday 2nd of June

    21:00 Girona-Almería
    Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz (1991) - Fabián Blanco Rodríguez, Asier Pérez de Mendiola González de Durana - Mateo Busquets Ferrer
    [Dámaso Arcediano Monescillo, Álvaro Moreno Aragón]

    Debut in play-off for Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz in his 2nd season in the category, for me he's a quite talented referee and hope to see him in LaLiga sooner or later.

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  17. Who do you think will be in charge of France-Germany on 15th June? IMO Kuipers, Orsato, Lahoz, Makkelie and Cakir can be candidate for this big match. Based on last season's appointmenets, it could be one among Lahoz, Orsato or Kuipers.

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    1. You basically answered the question yourself. :)
      I would add Taylor to the list of candidates though.
      Orsato had France in their last WC qualifier, but IMO that should not rule him out.
      I will post my full predictions for MD1 later this week.

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  18. OT I would like to ask was Mateu Lahoz performances reason that cost him knock out phase at world cup in Russia. Thanks for answer in advance

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    1. I think that three years ago it wasn't the best moment of Mateu's career, you remember the big discussions following Italy - Sweden play off, my sensation is that he attended the 2018 edition of WC without a high reputation by committee... now totally different, he can have an outstanding EURO in case of good performances shown.

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    2. Clearly remember the 3 penalties much-debated in that Sweden-Italy qualifier, but... if they were deemed as big errors, why did he go to WC? Or, if they were deemed correct and he went to WC deservedly, why not give him any ko match at WC? It is one or the other or that does not apply to a powerhouse like Spain?

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    3. Of course before answering let me clarify it is just my opinion and nothing more.
      I think that removing a referee from WC when you have planned to call him and this referee is maybe a strong name from a big federation (like it was for Mateu), it is always a very difficult thing. Almost impossible to happen. We can go further back in the past, to 2010 edition, when Hansson, after the famous mistake against Ireland, still attended WC but without officiating games... he was not from a strong federation, but he was called despite of a mistake that cost the qualification to a national team. So I would draw my conclusion that it was a compromise to call him but with less chances than the ones he could have had in "normal conditions".

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    4. I agree with you, but, in that case, why not the same treatment for Hategan, who "only" had one major error?

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    5. He was also less experienced than other UEFA referees - it was his first big tournament.
      Furthermore he needed VAR for a penalty in his second match. FIFA obviously counted those scenes as negative point for the referee (see e.g. Gassama and Aguilar).

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    6. Maybe committee had not still clear ideas about Hategan when play offs were played, so the crucial mistake he made was decisive for the final decision, selecting another name instead of him.
      Mateu Lahoz was in a more solid situation than the Romanian, the only Spanish referee, missing WC would have been widely discussed.
      I know it is very unfair, but maybe an explanation!

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    7. I asked about his performances on World Cup, was them so bad

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  19. OT: Germany - Mexico (Vítor Melo Pereira) and Netherlands - Yugoslavia (José María García-Aranda) are today's games from FIFA World Cup 1998.

    wc98refs.blogspot.com

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  20. Still not convinced by Kruashvili in this first half.
    Mostly, almost nothing happened until the very last minutes of the half, but referee didn't give me the impression he was in full control.
    I can report:
    33' wrong offside call by AR1, player ONSIDE, stopped a possible promising attack
    36' missed foul in the midfield
    42 potentially crucial situation, maybe inside the box (still not clear), if missed foul penalty to be whistled
    43' correct YC for reckless challenge, but this situation happened also as result of a previous missed alertness by referee, if you ask me.
    Situation in 42' must be rewatched for a correct assessment.
    In addition, there were two incidents in 10' and 29' with players got injured, I think basically both accidental contacts, you can support referee. The difficulty of this first half was normal.

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  21. The Dutch equalizer in 51’ after an extremely tight onside! Having seen the replay seem to prove AR2 correct, and Ithamar would be an excellent assessment in that case!

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    1. …and that would be…*

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    2. And again two EXCELLENT and not so easy onside decisions by AR2, allowing the Dutch to score the decisive goal 15 seconds before the final whistle! Very strong performance by

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    3. by Mr Bindoni ;)

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    4. Did not see good replays, but if those two decisions were correct, he has indeed an eagle eye!

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  22. Correct penalty for Croatia by referee Kruashvili in 90+3'.
    Extra time to be played

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    1. really, really, really, really soft IMO

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    2. Am I the only one who didn't see any contact?

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    3. there was slightly contact on the feet I think but it was way too soft for a penalty, it's more a dive actually

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    4. If the penalty was awarded for tripping at the attacker’s left foot, I agree (although the decisive contact was hard to see in the replays). When awarded for the slight contact with the hand it’s not a penalty for me.
      But given the lack of protest by the perpetrator himself I think the correct decision was taken.

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    5. the contact with the feet seemed to be accidental tbh

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    6. Video of the scene:

      https://streamable.com/tuusxw

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    7. Incidental contacts which make the attacker fall can be penalties as well, e.g. the penalty awarded by Anthony Taylor in the PSG-BAR game this season (awarded even after VAR-intervention).

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    8. Correct pk, replays show tripping from behind, last replay shows it.

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    9. This was a very crucial call by Kruashvili, I didn't watch the full second half and I missed the first half of extra times.
      To be honest I see your points of view, very different opinions, because it is difficult to have an accurate assessment about the incident. At first glance, it looked to me very soft, but I saw that nobody protested and the decision accepted, sometimes this can be enough, in the meaning that one must have the clear evidence to say the contrary.
      I think supportable, but with a closer view personally maybe I wouldn't have whistled it.
      In second half I noticed here and there too many mistakes by assistant referees, in my opinion not so good enough for such tournaments, all situations in which flag must stay down. Only very good decision by AR in 63'.
      YC in 62' was correct and maybe close to RC for SFP (would have been a very important mistake to miss it). I couldn't watch more.

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    10. IMO at least supportable, one can say that it is a tripping offence, I think.

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    11. Congrats to Kruashvili, not sure how many other refs from a small football country would have awarded a penalty kick against Spain in min 93!

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    12. It's a clear penalty. Defending player runs behind the attacking player who fully controls the ball. The fact that the contact occurred is only his fault. Careless in its nature.

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  23. UEFA President is watching Portugal - Italy at stadium.

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    1. The match is played in his hometown, so why not? :)

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  24. DEN-GER:
    Despite having disclosed some minor inaccuraties in foul detection (e. g. defensive FK instead of promising offensive FK given), Cuadra Fernández showed a very solid performance so far in a easy and fair match. He issued no cautions so far - and rightly so.

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    1. What penalty is that???

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    2. Correct penalty, tripping

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    3. If that is an expected penalty kick in a football match, so be it...

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    4. PK for me, defender didn't get the ball

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  25. POR-ITA: The Italian to finish extra time with one player down after a 2nd YC for Lovato after an illegal use of arm.

    https://streamable.com/j86rws

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  26. OT:

    Last Sunday a 19 year-old grassroots AR collapsed during warm-up prior to a game in Murcia (Spain) and couldn't be reanimated, tragically passing at such a young age.

    That evening María Dolores Martínez Madrona (UEFA Second Women referee), who is also from Murcian regional commitee handled Women's Cup final and had some quite emotional moments in minute of silence, but also at FT and during awards ceremony, as she knew about the death of his colleague only a few hours before kick-off.

    https://twitter.com/ffrm_es/status/1399417895516471296

    Rest in peace, Fernando Alcaraz Bernal.

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  27. Copa America was moved from Argentina to Brazil due to Covid-19.

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  28. Really!!!! I'm astonished. Brasil is the worst country in the world in term Covid management due to a sciagurate politic of his "president". This is widely demonstrated by the impress8ve number of death and deseases.
    Whatever country in South America would be better than Brasil in term of Covid management. For.me it's just a political choice

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  29. 90 minutes well handled by Letexier. The match has been intense but not difficult in terms of teams management. Clear YC missed at 58' for Portugal. Bad performance from 90' to 120', with 2 clear fouls by Portugal missed and another clear YC not given to Portugal for illegal use of arm just few minutes after correct second YC for Italy. Then, 4-3 for Portugal was offside. Overall, Letexier's performance would have been excellent without those clear mistakes occurred in the extra time.

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