Saturday, 19 August 2023

2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final: Third Place Appointment

Welsh Cheryl Foster will referee Sweden - Australia. 


Match 63 (Brisbane)
19 August 2023, 10:00 CET
SWEDEN - AUSTRALIA  
Referee: Cheryl Foster (WAL) 
Assistant Referee 1: Michelle O'Neill (IRL)
Assistant Referee 2: Franca Overtoom (NED) 
Fourth Official:Rebecca Welch (ENG)
Reserve AR :Natalire Aspinall (ENG) 
Video Assistant Referee: Marco Fritz (GER)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Alejandro José Hernandez Hernandez (ESP) 
Offside Video Assistant Referee: Sian Massey-Ellis (ENG)
SVAR : Massimiliano Irrati (ITA) 

98 comments:

  1. For me, this UEFA crew means that Staubli won‘t get the final. So Yamashita is the favourite now.

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    1. I think the same, it will be for the Japanese

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    2. Unfortunately the final was given to Penso from USA. I guess Americans needed a gift.

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    3. TORI PENSO IS THE REFEREE FOR THE FINAL

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  2. According to a one site, there are rumors that Yamashita was injured.

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    1. Big Soccer
      I saw this written.

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    2. She isn’t injured, I can inform you of that.

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    3. Or you can look at actual facts and not be an idiot and realize she deserved it

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  3. With Irrati as SVAR, regardless of who will be in the middle, I predict Chenard will be on duty.

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    1. I truly hope so. She has certainly earned it.

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  4. Didn't expect a UEFA appointment in this game, now indeed possible that at least VAR for the final will come from a different confederation, but still I think we will see another UEFA assignment for the main referee. AFC and CAF with a very poor tournament as very often happens in recent times, especially African confederations with zero appointments in KO stage. This shows us that FIFA is just forced to appoint them in Group Stage, othwerwise they would even avoid that...

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    1. I do believe that they actually tried with Mukansanga. Obviously the Amedome and Karboubi appointments were ‘forced’ and they were given an easy path with the second game for Karboubi, but I think Mukansanga was considered for a KO game beforehand

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  5. Someone was saying in another post that these discussions are silly... not sure whether it is the case after Foster's surprise appointment...

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    1. The team have been excellent in their matches
      And deserve the game for their performance and hard work.

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  6. Or can we conclude that Olofsson was initially planned as 4th official in this game (instead of Welch)? But after Sweden lost the SF, they had to find a place for her, making a switch with Yamashita?

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    1. And if Staubli was planned for the final, I would expect Fritz as main VAR. She worked a lot with Fritz during this WC

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    2. Could be the french referee for the Final.

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    3. Frappart has been sent home so it won’t be her.

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    4. Frappart had the 2019 final, unlikely

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  7. Interesting that the three last appointed referees have a card average of 1 or less YC/game in the tournament (and no RCs).
    Alves: 2 in 4
    Penso: 4 in 4 (2 in 3 before the SF)
    Foster: 1 in 3

    The only other referee with such stats and at least 3 games is Yamashita (3 in 3)...

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  8. Big change for Van Boekel as VAR in final?

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  9. The appointments of Olofsson and Welch show us that the referees from the countries that played in a semi-final haven’t been sent home. We still cannot exclude Jacewicz for the final (and they were clearly planning something with her, as the only referee with just 1 group stage game)

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    1. That’s obviously not true what I just wrote, it should say ‘the only referee with just 1 group stage game who also received a game in the further stages’

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  10. If England lost the semi these would have been the officials for the final.

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    1. There are better teams of officials than the Engish team

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  11. Surprising appointment! However, for me Staubli still in the lead for the final. I just don‘t believe that they will give her an FO appointment in the final in what is probably her last WC after she was pretty obviously the strongest referee at the WC, at least IMO. And sending her home after this three strong performances just seems really unlikely to me. Furthermore, I don‘t believe that UEFA, as the biggest and strongest association, goes without an appointment in the three most important games (2 SF‘s and final) in any world cup.

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    1. It already happened at WC 2006 with two CONMEBOL (Elizondo and Larrionda) and one CONCACAF (Archundia) ref in the semis and final.

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  12. Final prediction. For me Staubli as Referee, with Küng and Rafalski. Fourth Official Yamashita or Koroleva...

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  13. My preview for final :
    Arbitro: Ekaterina Koroleva (USA)
    Assistente arbitro 1: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
    Assistente arbitro 2: Felisha Mariscal (USA)

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    1. Two American crews get a semi and the final? Nah.

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    2. Why not ?
      They have been extremely successful in their games.
      Like the final.
      The best team of officials should be on the game.
      The final needs the best officials available for the game .
      People here need to relish that .

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    3. Koroleva wasnt the best. Staubli, Jacewicz and Carvajal were all way better than her

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  14. Kate Jacewicz for the final 100%
    Drew Fisher VAR of final 100%

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    1. Jacewicz is injured so doubt she will be on the final

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  15. We should not forget, as background for this appointment, that Foster is coming from Women's CL final, so the best performer inside UEFA Women's Elite panel before the WC kick off. This can be a further argument for the assignment, but this could also mean that she will be the last for the European confederation, to appear. We will see...

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    1. Speaking about male referees, this would absolutely be true. However, in the female elite panel, quite many already refereed the UCL final at least once. Meaning Forster was not necessarily the "best perfoming" last season. (Not meaning that her performances weren‘t good! I actually really liked her recent performances!)

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  16. No more UEFA.
    Jacewicz or Yamashita come on!

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  17. If it’s going to be AFC, let it be Jacewicz, she did quite well in her games in a style that would be appreciated by FIFA.

    As for Staubli: we shouldn’t forget her penalty to Japan, which was discussed here and might be seen as a crucial mistake by FIFA.

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    1. But if they see this penalty in JPN-SWE as crucial mistake, why did Irrati worked again as VAR in SF?

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    2. Two possible reasons:

      1. It’s Irrati
      2. They think it’s a mistake on-field, but once whistled VAR shouldn’t intervene (my opinion: you CAN whistle it, but you don’t want this to be a decisive PK in a World Cup Final)

      Or they accept the decision, let’s see tomorrow

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  18. The ref for the final is Kate Jacewicz. Reasons are: Home privillege, non-UEFA, good performance previous games, kept away from controversy, not even 4th official appointment since R16. Same path as Marciniak in men's world cup last year and Bjorn Kuipers in Euro 2020.

    4th official - Anne-Marie Keighley.
    It's not rocket science.

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    1. Keighley‘s already back home!

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    2. Haha kuipers had a 1/4 final before, so that would point towards staubli or carnaval. We will see tomorrow. I hope it will be one of those 3. The only way i will be disappointed is when mediocre Yamashita gets the big call. She showed she isnt able to handle it at USA-NL

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    3. Jacewicz is injured

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    4. Fontanato may be in contention as well, shes had a pretty solid run the whole tournament and she was retained for the Ro16

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  19. Well, I will eat my words on "silly." Some unprecedented news coming. Though, given the actual result it WAS silly for us to speculate because no one was ever going to get it right.

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  20. SPAIN - England
    Referee: Tori Penso (USA)
    Assistant Referee 1: Brooke Mayo (USA)
    Assistant Referee 2: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
    Fourth Official: Yoshimi Yamashita (JPN)

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  21. I think no one in this blog expected it, but deserved for Penso

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  22. FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand 2023
    Referee appointments - final

    Spain - England

    Referee: Tori Penso (USA)
    Assistant Referee 1: Brooke Mayo (USA)
    Assistant Referee 2: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
    Fourth Official: Yoshimi Yamashita (JPN)
    Reserve AR :Mijesa Rensch (SUR)
    Vidéo Assistant Referee: Tatiana Guzman (NCA)
    Assistant Vidéo Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)
    Offside Vidéo Assistant Referee: Ella De Vries (BEL)
    SVAR : Armando Villarreal (USA)

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    1. That is a shame. Nesbit is the best AR in the world but Penso has no business being there.

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    2. Despite her having multiple solid games she doesn’t deserve being there? What a bizarre take

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    3. Nesbit better than Massey-Ellis or Aspinall? Come on, they operate on a much better league and are much better assistants

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  23. Wow, what a surprise, but totaly deserved. I like to see Nesbitt in the team. A little bit disappointed that Chenard isn‘t the final VAR.

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    1. Chenard deserved the final, great ref

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  24. Tori penso for the final it's a surprise

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  25. I like to see Penso in the final but management by committee is bad. Why do they give one referee a SF and then the final? They could also have given the 2nd SF to Staubli and the final to Penso.

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  26. I don't like the appointment of Penso for SF and F....but she is a great referee she did a good job.

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    1. No, she is a mediocre referee and I am being generous here.

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  27. Yamashita deserves the Final

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    1. The USA NED game she officiated was an utter clown show

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    2. After that match she get NED RSA R16

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  28. Personally, I would have designated Koroleva as fourth official and Mariscal as fifth official, to have a complete USA team. And I would put Chenard as VAR and Guzman as AVAR.

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    1. Koroleva is a lot better than Penso. If they absolutely wanted to give a compensation gift to America.

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  29. I don't like the appointment-management for the semi-finals and the final. In SF1 Carvajal or Fortunato should have been rewarded for their previous achievements, in SF2 then Staubli. Penso performed great and didn't even need the VAR in all her games. She totally deserved the final. But it would have been fairer to the other top referees if she has the final directly after the round of 16.

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  30. Perhaps FIFA, Collina were still not fully convinced after Penso’s R16 game, otherwise easy to hold her back for the final. Especially with the US team out. Don’t forget it’s just her first World Cup.

    After the 1/2 final, easy conclusion she was the best referee this World Cup.

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  31. It will be a bit boring to follow the 2026 World Cup knowing that Elfath will be the referee of the final, but what can we do, money rules in FIFA.

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    1. You follow the World Cup to find out who will referee the final? What a sad life you live.

      Also, this is incoherent. What money is changing hands here? Get a grip. Penso and Staubli were almost certainly the best referees of this tournament. It is a deserved appointment on merit, if unprecedented on process/procedure. The question worth asking is why Penso got a semifinal? Or, rather, once she got a semifinal why Staubli wasn't viewed as acceptable here? Because anyone with any analytical ability whatsoever will realize that this clearly wasn't the plan. Figuring out what happened and why is interesting. Lobbing nonsensical allegations of corruption is apparently easier, though.

      Typical anonymous garbage.

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    2. Yes, all the money that the USA has invested in FIFA to host the next big tournaments, has nothing to do with Elfath appointments in Qatar (obviously he received different treatment there) and from the American referees in that tournament, if you think that there is no influence, I can only regret your naivety.

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    3. There was a clear difference before and after US Justice Department helped Infantino to get rid of Blatter and helped FIFA to get back a huge amount of money from the former leaders indicted by USA. Now FIFA is rewarding USA for that help.

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    4. What does Elfath have to do with this conversation about Penso’s (in)competence?

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  32. Arguments against Staubli:
    - 4th UEFA referee in a row
    - AR1 already had a World Cup final

    And maybe even the soft penalty in her QF (which was praised here..)

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  33. To me this appointment should be the last one Collina and his referee com ever has made. There were more great refs than only penso who could have easily been Sent to either the second SF or the final. This counts surely for Staubli and Carvajal. That said. Im happy that yamashita or koroleva arent in the middle., but this appointment is a disappointment and a real total mess IMO

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  34. This appointment is not all about referee's ability.

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  35. Handling of CAF...

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  36. Please correct me if I’m wrong, wasn’t Guzman make terrible call in QF or last match in her game as VAR (I forgot), and then now she got the final, so FIFA assessed her intervened as correct?

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  37. Well now that the referee crew has been announced. It's become clear who wins on Sunday.

    Congratulations England on wining the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup! Even if it means fouling Spain into submission to achieve it.

    I just hope the Lioness' don't injure any Spaniards or reinjure Putellas. As they will surely be targeting players.

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  38. Way to "rub salt into the wounds" of host nation Australia with this designation. You all must be really proud of yourselves Collina, Seitz, and the rest of the Referee Committee.
    Bola de corruptos!

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    1. And I thought that Blatter and his cronies were bad. These people are worse and far more dangerous. Because they are able to directly influence how games are played by instructing referees to officiate in one way or another.

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  39. After all, what was Yamashita's fourth official cancellation?

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    1. Nothing the FIFA Referee Committee does is coherent, nor does it make any sense. It's all quite ridiculous really.

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  40. IT: Could anyone report what happened in Serie B opening match Bari-Palermo refereed by Maresca, 3 VAR intervention and 2 RC, how about Maresca performance?

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    1. Very challenging game with two OFRs and an intervention for disallowing a goal at the end (impossible to see for AR).
      First OFR: SFP, clearly excessive force.
      Second OFR: holding, missed penalty.
      In the latter case, we must wait and see for the trend of this season, Marini is a VAR more used to call referees than others, so I want to understand whether there will be more severity about this offense (you know, in Italy holdings are treated differently than UEFA), or it was just due to a more incline VAR that we had the intervention.
      All in all, definitely not a good start of season for Maresca.
      We had 8 minutes of added time in first half and about 15 (originally again 8) in second half. Also in this case, Maresca is the most careful referee about added time, so we must wait for other games to check whether this will be the trend... let's see whether I can find some videos

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    2. SFP
      https://streamable.com/psu0jk

      Penalty
      https://streamable.com/wenm2d

      Offside
      https://streamable.com/mc7prk

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  41. penalty after OFR. hard to say if no penalty was a clear and obvious error, because the contact doesn't seem very hard but surely one can see a foul here.

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    1. It was a clear foul, IMO.

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    2. Taking criteria at this tournament (and other FIFA tournaments) into account, I think it was enough for the VAR to intervene. Having said that, I agree with smala017 on this one: expected decision was a penalty for me. I understand it's simple clumsiness from the defender, but she needs to take responsibility for her movements, and that was a pretty clear trip IMO.

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  42. Relatively challenging game here, Australia, having shown hints of frustration towards the end of their semifinal, are definitely getting frustrated here, especially since they’re losing. Rocky end to the first half with an altercation in the 5th minute of added time, and then a big collision (no foul called?) in the 6th.

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    1. I don't really see anything for a foul to be called in that last collision: both players went in strongly for the ball, Asllani was a split second quicker in clearing the ball and then a pretty normal (although more than strong) collision happened. Maybe I'm wrong in this assessment, but I wasn't expecting a foul tbh. Given Foster's experience as a player, I tend to say she has a more than good feeling for this types of collisions.

      I had a feeling the altercation in 5' was maybe a result of the missed off-the-ball charge on Swedish player a few moments before, like it somehow inflamed Sweden a bit, and Australians certainly seem frustrated, I agree with you. Conflict solved optimally by Foster, IMO, although Gorry didn't seem fully convinced.

      Generally speaking, apart from the VAR intervention, a pretty strong performance for me so far, but she definitely has to be vigilant in keeping control of all the emotions (of both teams, if I may notice).

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    2. I think missed fouls also at 57' and later at 75' (probably even a missed yellow there) which didn't help control. Foster was below average today, IMO.

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  43. https://streamin.me/v/3955dc30
    To me not a clear and obvious mistake, but the discussion about the severity of such penalties (soft but clear contact from behind) is always an open speech. I wouldn't have called referee because I think one can't be sure that touch was the cause of attacker's falling down.

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