Japan - Sweden, crucial game for qualification, is the second assignment for Barton at this WC.
Match #57
Group F
26 June 2026, 01:00 CET
AT&T Stadium, Arlington
JAPAN - SWEDEN
Referee: Ivan Barton SLV
Assistant Referee 1: David Moran SLV
Assistant Referee 2: Antonio Pupiro NCA
Fourth Official: Dahane Beida MTN
Reserve AR: Jerson Emiliano Dos Santos ANG
Video Assistant Referee: Nicolas Gallo COL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1 : Guillermo Pacheco MEX
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2 : Rodolpho Toski BRA
1’ amazing first sprint and energy from Barton, you cannot fail to be impressed with him showcasing it means a lot to him !!
ReplyDeleteGood start
ReplyDeleteBlatant penalty not called for Sweden for a reckless challenge after the shot. Minute 5.
ReplyDeleteSaw this after posted the opposite. 😊
Deletefor me never a penalty
DeleteDelete. We were talking about different incidents, i think
DeleteAbout 4 or 5’ good non call for “pk”
ReplyDeleteMissed YC for spa 9’
ReplyDeleteYes, rather generous of Barton to forgive that one, SPA, no attempt for the ball, only to stop the player
DeleteCould have been YC for SPA, but not mandatory IMO
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteHow could he not give Japan's number 7 a yellow card for a rough foul on Elanga (9') that stopped a promising attack?
ReplyDeleteHuge, elementary mistake.
100%
DeleteFull-Sequence 5' (Two Incidents):
ReplyDeletehttps://streamable.com/9ur5fv
9' Clip: https://streamable.com/b1jj77
Delete(Commentator said it all)
5:16 is an unbelievable missed call. Blatant reckless challenge immediately after the shot was made.
DeleteNo way that's a penalty.. it would be a very soft call
DeleteNever a penalty
DeleteSoft call? Reckless lunge on the leg. IFAB clearly has that example in their guidelines.
Delete+1 with VG. 100% Stonewall penalty. Japan no 7 should been booked 3 times in the first half. Weak performance from Barton first half
DeleteI think referees have been instructed not to show yellow cards, especially at the beginning of matches.. We see the same thing in every game
ReplyDeleteCorrect first YC for SPA at 31'
ReplyDeleteClip: https://streamable.com/d7bz3a
DeleteOnly Collina and Barton can pull off this kind of body language.. I heard his name for the first time in this tournament and I really like this referee
ReplyDeleteHéber Lopes… Pitana…
Deleteoo yeah Pitana for sure
DeleteMateu Lahoz also with crazy personality and body language.
DeleteHard warning to capitains to not use pauses for injuries to to benches.
ReplyDeleteInconsistent calls today.
ReplyDeleteAnother game where every contact is a foul
ReplyDeleteNot anymore, only whistles for attempt of murder in second half
DeleteGood first half
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteExcept for that one missed yellow, a perfect performance so far.
ReplyDeleteIf you ignore the clear missed penalty for Sweden…
DeleteNever a penalty ..i think you're the only one on this forum who would call that a penalty.. it would be way too soft.
DeletePerfect? Really inconsistent level and missed PK
DeleteNot perfect and not as flawless as his first performance but still very very strong
DeleteYC 77' Clip: https://streamable.com/7ex2d2
ReplyDeleteNot a PK at any top level. He has missed a few fouls and whistled for some doubtful ones. Still a good game.
ReplyDeleteAfter the high-tension match between Turkey and Paraguay, we can say he handled this game amazingly as well.. Congratulations, Barton
ReplyDeleteAnother solid performance by Barton
ReplyDeletehope he will get a SF at least
ReplyDeleteHow is it possible that number 17 of Sweden more or less never get a freekick. He never goes down but the defenders can do what ever. You says solid performance, what reduced the demands of referees since last years. It is terrible to see that the LoG don't excist. Two persons can change the interpretation, how is that possible?
ReplyDeleteTall and strong players are expected to simply tank tackling and holding fouls. It's not fair but it's pretty consistent, they have to do more acting (but not too much - then it's counterproductive). The bar is always higher for this player profile.
DeleteVery good performance in a fairly tough game, at times at least. A little inconsistent in his foul detection, especially at the start of second half - but got most things correct.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI didn’t watch the first half but managed to catch the second half. I was much happier with his management and interaction with the players. Still firm, still no nonsense but much less aggressive but perhaps this was a result of the nature of the two teams. Maybe he felt in his first game, it required that approach but glad to see we see he can tone down the ultra aggressive approach.
ReplyDeleteMany comments across all the referees about inconsistency in foul detection but I feel sorry for the referees here. They are trying their best to raise the bar for foul detection and disciplinary action, it’s almost they are attempting a trial an error approach where every referee is attempting to raise it but trying not to lose control of the match. Once the intensity or heat rises, they end up calling more fouls to calm the game down but it is seen by us as inconsistent.
DeleteAs a result, in terms of analysing performance it’s very harsh to use inconsistency in foul detection as a way to mark down the referee. For me, Collina and Busacca care more about an end to end game, less referee/VAR intervention and less poor optics from the referee (whether it be losing control of the teams, VAR, obvious errors etc) rather than a referee’s technical performance (foul detection, disciplinary action etc).
I completely agree.
DeleteFor me a significant part of a referee’s management skills relies on them feeling comfortable within their own personality. The referees selected for this world cup have achieved that reward by management success based on their personality and what works for them.
Now the tournament management team seem to have imposed what is effectively a change of behaviour for a number of these top class referees. This naturally creates a certain “falseness” (personality vs behaviour) and we as referees ourselves can sympathise with the individuals who are being asked, in what are the most highly scrutinised match conditions, to act in an unnatural way.
I agree with both of your points. It is clear that FIFA are asking referees to adapt to a different philosophy, and I do have some sympathy for how difficult that must be. These officials have reached this level by being successful with their own personalities and management styles, so asking them to adjust under the biggest spotlight in football is not an easy task.
DeleteThat said, Barton has shown a very similar pattern in both of his matches. He starts with a slightly nervous, rushed body language, but still manages to make the important key decisions correctly. Where I think he has struggled is in his reading of unfair play. There are several situations where his foul detection and disciplinary threshold haven’t quite matched what I believe the game required.
As the match progresses, he settles down considerably. His energy is contagious, his presence has an impact, and players clearly respond to him. However, because his style is naturally very sharp and assertive, there is always a risk that it can also increase players’ emotional reactions if the key foul decisions early in the game are not quite right.
When I look at the Sweden match, where I felt some very clear cautions were missed, and combine that with a few obvious fouls that went unpunished in this game, I do wonder whether FIFA may have some reservations about his game understanding for the biggest knockout matches. I hope I’m wrong, because I still think he has delivered a very good tournament overall. But at this level we are discussing the final few percent. The very best referees seem able to adapt their game understanding more naturally to the philosophy Collina and Busacca are trying to promote, while still identifying the moments where intervention is expected. That’s the small difference I currently see.
Whether intentional or unintentional, perhaps sifting out that final few percent is a byproduct of the challenges Collina and Busacca have set the officials?
Delete