Alireza Faghani, extremely experienced WC referee, will be in charge of Colombia - Portugal, second game at 2026 WC for him.
Group K
28 June 2026, 01:30 CET
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
COLOMBIA - PORTUGAL
Referee: Alireza Faghani AUS/IRN
Assistant Referee 1: Georga Lakrindis AUS
Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Lindsay AUS
Fourth Official: Said Martinez HON
Reserve AR: Walter Lopez HON
Video Assistant Referee: Jerome Brisard FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1 : Hernan Mastrangelo ARG
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2 : Mahmoud Ashour EGY
Interesting that they didn't give Evans the VAR here (not surprising after his controversy) but misses out at the world cup. Silly gesture and misses out.
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't the VAR on the first match either
DeleteThey couldn't give him one so close to the controversy but thought he might have got at least one before the knock out.
DeleteGreat early flag by Lakrindis. Strange situation but good call
ReplyDeleteA game very similar to the Australia vs Paraguay game. Both teams will go through, on paper it looked like a difficult game with two teams that can be aggressive but since both teams will progress it doesn't seem either team are really going all out
ReplyDeleteCorner kick over ruled by VAR, like this new tweak but know in Collina's books he doesn't like to see the mistake in the first place.
DeleteAmateur mistake... referee instead of trusting his regular AR convinced by player reaction to give CK then we see an overturn poor from the referee there
DeleteAgree poor form to disregard his AR1
DeleteI thought the crew wasn't supposed to stop a corner from being taken to do a VAR check?
ReplyDeleteBut this fits in the purview of VAR no? So makes sense not to take it until they can confirm corner or goal kick?
DeleteVAR Protocol: e. Clearly incorrectly awarded corner kick if the decision can be changed immediately and without delaying the restart
DeleteHighlighted though that VAR can intervene on a wrongly given corner, but not a wrong lying given goalkick - I feel it should be all or nothing
ReplyDeleteEspecially when a player picks up a YC for dissent on the 2nd one
I’m sure it will come next year, Collina said that now it’s only for wrong CK as he don’t want to see a goal scored from something that should not have been given.
DeleteHis fitness doesn't seem great compared to other referees at the tournament but perhaps I'm being too harsh on him being 48
ReplyDeleteI love him ! Il defend him … but his allowing so much awful persistent fouling to happen and never taking a sanction the players don’t know where the line is…. He is going to lose complete control
ReplyDeleteI love him too but let me tell you this, Faghani had a high bar before this World Cup, so I have no idea how far he takes it? Or whether this just justifies his style and approach. For me he is able to have that real aggressive nature that he can pull out if things get out of hand.
DeleteExpected performance in first half. He didn't have any big calls to make. Couple mistakes regarding GK/CK and strong presence when needed.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWell, Faghani still an impressing figure, but all the old Imperator-gestures still lend him authority, but he is far away from the accuracy and the positioning he showed many years ago. When things get more heated, this still could go terribly wrong... Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteAgree
DeleteClear YC missed at min 50 for SPA
ReplyDeleteCK missed but VAR can not interfere with GK wrongly given.
ReplyDeleteRefs will quickly adapt and always give ck if any doubt at all. Silly limitation IMO
DeletePretty sure they will allow it for the next season, they need to
DeleteIs this sock length thing a Fifa thing, or a AFC thing? I feel that's the second, different AFC referee be very particular about making sure the sock is pulled up. Usually, as long as the bottom grip sock (or similar) is mostly covered, officials don't care. Very common for some to have their socks barely above their ankles
ReplyDelete74' Good no penalty, attacker clearly kicks defender
ReplyDeleteCorrect decision no penalty for Colombia at 73'
ReplyDeletegreat decision not giving a penalty, but not a flawless game for me it's quite unbelievable no yellow cards have been shown yet
ReplyDeleteNow kicking the ball away in anger no YC
ReplyDelete82' I'm not convinced it was instigating contact, but far far more like that than Mbappe's no penalty. Then the most clear case of kicking the ball away possible (levels of if you ignore this, you ignore everything), which I think was on target based on the goal watch flashing. Didn't make it any less of a YC however
ReplyDelete86' Correct YC after advantage, step on foot. Faghani's really frustrating. For everything he does that is rather dislikable, he does something excellent to match it. It makes it really difficult to assess
ReplyDeleteWow, I was convinced after replay that there was no offside prior to Colombia goal
ReplyDeleteWow. Just toes were offside.
DeleteGreat call by the AR2, the camera used on TV is not square so hard to make a call using those images. VAR checked and confirmed the offside decision.
ReplyDeleteJust remember the cameras used by VAR and the SAOT are different cameras in different position to the broadcast cameras (well was the case in the past)
DeleteThe problem with watching two games at once, hard to watch either game or analyze the referee properly.
ReplyDeleteAnd based on the graphic, an excellent offside by AR2, less than the 10cm that would have given him the SAOT buzz. One of them, with some leagues tech, that would be a winner, but with no tolerance in Fifa, a superb decision
ReplyDeleteI thought this was another great game called by Faghani. His presence, management style, and experience all helped for this match by two top teams go pretty smoothly and without controversy. I will look for Faghani to receive an important R32 or R16 assignment before even the later rounds of this WC. He is still a top candidate for me to be appointed for the final.
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