Argentina - Cape Verde is a very unexpected KO game in the Round of 32, it will be officiated by Canada's referee Drew Fischer, third game in the competition for him.
Match #86
Round of 32
4 July 2026, 00:00 CET
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
ARGENTINA - CAPE VERDE
Referee: Drew Fischer CAN
Assistant Referee 1: Micheal Barwegen CAN
Assistant Referee 2: Lyes Arfa CAN
Fourth Official: Katia Garcia MEX
Reserve AR: Sandra Ramirez MEX
Video Assistant Referee: Aramando Villarreal USA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1 : Ivan Bebek CRO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2 :Tatiana Guzman NCA
Foul for Argentina and YC missed for Capo Verde at 4’. Elbow in face and SFP.
ReplyDeleteGames would end with less than 7 if you got every card you wanted.
DeleteThks for the ridiculous comment. Good night.
DeleteHe didn’t call the foul because if he had, he would have had to give a yellow card.
DeleteAgree.
DeleteI wholeheartedly agree with you Referee analyst. The comment made by CWY2190 is the definition of ridiculous.
DeleteRomero clear YC not given ‘10.
ReplyDeleteThis World Cup is a total farce. They don’t call anything, even obvious fouls, and then Drew Fischer gives a completely imaginary free kick to Messi when there was absolutely, absolutely no foul here at any point. Unbelievable.
ReplyDelete+1
Delete+++
DeleteLater he gave it back… no foul by Messi but it is still called on him against Cabral:)
DeleteNo foul at all there. All Ball!
ReplyDeleteFischer shows absolutely zero intent of blowing for a foul.
But he realizes that it's his MLS buddy Messi and we get a late whistle.
Gifting Messi a goal scoring opportunity.
You're saying he is corrupt? If not please choose your words more carefully.
DeleteWe are supposed to believe that "Arbiter" is a referee/someone who follows refereeing, yet we have these comments... "The ref is bought"... Profound contribution, Arbiter.
DeleteSorry but Arbiter never spoke about corruption. You interpreted his words like that. It’s obviously different.
DeleteAnd what does saying it's his "MLS buddy" imply? Don't act dumb.
DeleteI'm a realist. I understand that's bothersome to some of you. But I frankly don't care. Much like I don't believe in Santa Claus, I don't believe in FIFA being true and honest. It is what it is and I challenge you to change my mind.
DeleteBut in regard to this match. It now makes sense as to why Collina sent Fischer. They're okay with "burning him off".
I stand by my MLS pal reference. I've seen plenty of Inter Miami matches with Fischer and the way he (and most MLS referees) interacts with him.
DeleteSo, you're saying he is corrupt? If not, please choose words more carefully.
ReplyDeleteYou said it, I didn't. If that's where my comment takes you. That's on you pal. I simply stated what everybody should have been able to see.
DeleteI don't envy the Cabo Verde manager. The man and his team are up against it all. And when I say, "against it all", I mean every aspect of the game.
ReplyDeleteEasy half in this match. Average performance by Fischer with a big foul forgotten for Argentina at 4’ and a stonewall invented one for Messi. Nothing special to say in addition.
ReplyDeleteI would add non-linear technical decisions and a personality deficit that is making him too weak
DeletePersonality?
DeleteFischer has the personality of a limp pasta noodle.
So, no surprise there.
Half time overall good performance from the Canadian referee Fischer and his crew nothing to expect in the second half still we it will be one way traffic
ReplyDeleteClear YC missed to Romero at 58min
ReplyDeleteBig mistake to not issue YC there even for WC26
ReplyDeleteIs there more crystal clear missed yc than this?
ReplyDeleteBut HOW On EARTH Romero isn’t booked for his harsh foul. That’s too much…too much !
ReplyDeleteThe reason is pretty straight forward. But I'll be accused of certain things if say it. ; )
DeleteOoooh, things get interesting when one of the actors doesn't stick to the script. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteLet's see how this plays out.
More Messi favouritism with the YC at 68’ when Romero didn’t get one.. terrible look for Collina
ReplyDeleteIt's not terrible,his fans(plenty of them) will say its justufied.
DeleteSticking to the "script"?
DeleteWhat kind of yc is this..
ReplyDeleteVery soft, but Messi is in question.
And of course unsurprisingly the Cabo Verdean player DOES get booked.
ReplyDeleteMuito mal falta mal marcada e cartão exagero.
ReplyDeleteBut when someone pulls His Majesty Messi’s shirt, it’s an instant yellow card: how have we ended up with such a ridiculous way of managing disciplinary decisions in matches? It’s clownish.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Infantino's money hungry FIFA.
DeleteOne set of laws for Messi ,another set of laws for the rest
ReplyDeleteMais uma falta inexistente esse árbitro tá mal .
ReplyDeleteAnother phantom free kick for Messi. Unwatchable
ReplyDeleteMessi is Fischer buddy. I confirm.
ReplyDeleteWhat was this??
ReplyDeleteLooks like Messi can choose when to take free kicks before the whistle too!
ReplyDeleteThe whistle was heard though…
DeleteMy bad. You don’t blow the whistle when the wall is still being set up though
Delete@oliver +1
DeleteWhy is everyone so obsessed with yellow cards? Referees throughout the tournament are showing fewer cards. It’s pretty obvious that’s the current directive. Just accept it and move on.
ReplyDeleteWe are obsessed by justice. And when you saw Romero’s foul and the one carded by other side, you can’t be silent.
DeleteBecause we're not casuals like you. And because some of us still have respect for the game that we love. And we refuse to simply bow down and stay silent as FIFA and its referees piss all over the Laws of the Game.
DeleteLetting the free kick be taken before the goalkeeper is set is slightly questionable management. ARG7 has been telling the referee how to do his job all match. I think a strong word would have helped by now
ReplyDeleteARG #7 is Fischer's MLS pal Rodrigo De Paul. He controls and dominates the referees in the same manner during MLS games.
DeleteUnbelievable.
Deletequite one-sided foul detection and disciplinary control
ReplyDeleteDang, can it be any more obvious? Fischer actually blew for the restart as Vozinha was still actively setting up the wall.
ReplyDeleteThat explicitly goes against basic refereeing 101.
He blew the whistle ay 71:58 when the keeper was in the center of the goal. The keeper then went to the post after.
ReplyDeleteWow we have an amazing exciting finish to the game so unexpected fouls going one for but overall good performance from the ref 77'
ReplyDeleteWhere on earth can the performance assesseur good here ? Good for Messi yes !
DeleteAssessed as *
DeleteThere have been a couple of missed fouls and cautions, but I think much of what is written has been a touch hyperbolic. It has generally been an okay performance
DeleteIn my opinion, follow FIFA guidelines no controversy and avoid headlines==good for me
DeleteAverage one but too much phantom decisions in favour of Messi. Too much.
DeleteBy what is written we see who has sided with Infantino, Collina, Busacca, and corporate interests.
DeleteAnd we see the "radicals" who still have respect for the beautiful game and for the Laws of the Game.
Drew is officiating while wearing a white-and-sky-blue shirt underneath his orange uniform. He has issued a phantom card and made numerous calls favoring the Argentine side. Messi is even allowed to take a free kick while the goalkeeper is still setting up the wall. Poor performance so far.
ReplyDelete+1 on Messi I guess you All forgot he even escaped a RED CARD at one point in group stage
DeletePoor performance but according acceptable
What made it even worse is that Collina came out and publicly lied to our faces by saying that Messi's tackle wasn't serious enough to warrant a Red Card.
DeleteThat bald sellout should just keep his mouth shut. Every time he speaks, he makes it obvious that he's nothing more than a corporate shill. If his referee persona could see what he's become. He'd be ashamed of himself.
Goal kick changed to corner because Argentina ran to Fischer!
ReplyDeleteCmon corner was the correct decision.
DeleteAm I dreaming, or did the referees change a goal kick decision into a corner because the Argentinians shouted at Fischer???
ReplyDeleteQuerem roubar não foi nada de pênalti
ReplyDeleteQuerem roubar não foi nada de pênalti
ReplyDeleteCorrect no penalty/handball. Clearly deflects from head to arm, not punishable
ReplyDeleteVery good no penalty by both the ref and VAR but I think it's a PK in UCL
ReplyDeleteDon’t think at all. Clear deflection by head.
DeleteWrong, That's not a penalty anywhere. Not even for Messi's Argentina.
DeleteComo
ReplyDeleteCava falta esse Messi está mal a arbitragem.
Crucial and correct call not to give handball penalty for ARG 89’
ReplyDeleteSoft call again for Messi. In ALL the others matches, these 3 FK weren’t whistled.
ReplyDeleteThere was a trip. It is a foul. The pulling was also a foul. At the very least they are supportable, but for me correct decisions
DeleteDon’t speak about the pulling but two fouls whistled before which are phantom ones. And when it’s the same on the other side at 98’, nothing. Not acceptable to be so « Messi fan » in the foul management decisions.
DeleteWhere is the foul? Messi clearly dived there
ReplyDeleteClearly tripped his foot…
DeleteFantastic no foul decision! Should be praised for that.
ReplyDeleteMissed foul for Cape Verde in attacking third 90+8’
ReplyDeleteEssa falta no final que vergonha essa no final pipocou.
ReplyDeleteYep,missed foul,potential yc and also potential big chance.
ReplyDeleteUnbelieveable how we waived that off!!
DeleteBall still clearly moving and Fischer allows Argentina to play
ReplyDeleteWell Canuck ref is very biased towards ARG let's call it as it is
ReplyDeleteBut When isn’t Messi who is « fouled »….nothing. What a jole this referee !
ReplyDeleteJoke *
DeleteFapul detection hit and miss
ReplyDeleteVery poor performance from Fischer. I dont understand why did he get this match
ReplyDeleteBecause FIFA had to use the host country referee somewhere in the Round of 32. He's a limited referee, so this is about as far as he's capable of handling.
DeleteSo, Collina figured he'd put him in what was expected to be a one-sided affair.
But Cabo Verde didn't get the memo from Infantino and Co.
Fortunately, this will the end of the line for Fischer.
Missed FK for Cape Verde on the edge of the box before full time, I admit very poor refereeing in the end even for whatever happens in extra time
ReplyDeleteThere was a missed foul and probable YC in minute 4'. There was also a missed YC early in the second half for Argentina. And I'd like to see the free kick set up (whether gk in place when initially whistled) again. But other than that, Fischer has been absolutely fine, only other minor issues. It has been nowhere near the level of disaster that I'm reading about above
ReplyDeleteFine when we see the numerous invented free kicks for Messi isn’t realistic. Sorry.
Delete@DB Never mind trying to present a nuanced assessment, this thread is full of people looking for something completely different. This actually must be the one of the worst threads during this World Cup.
DeleteSorry but no personality. No charisma. No foul detection clear line except from Messi systematic gifts. Ridiculous card management with shameful no card to Romero. Just a very good point with the no penalty call. Overall, poor performance by Fischer for me.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThis is turning out to be one of the most outrageously biased refereeing performances in the history of the World Cup. At this point, it already looks like a pro-Messi cult, with Colina completely losing all sense of shame. That last foul in favor of Cape Verde near Argentina’s penalty area—which Fischer ignored—is simply a scandal.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're ready for what's in store for Sunday at the Azteca.
DeleteGol irregular falta claramente ninguém viu que falha Grave.
ReplyDeleteThis is offside now. Clear interference.
ReplyDeleteARG9 offside? Clear impact so must have been onside
ReplyDelete17 keeps him on i think
DeleteHe looked behind the defender who was attacking the initial head on (won by the Argentinian player) for me
DeleteNever. Was offside.
DeleteAgain refanalyst? Offside?
DeleteApologies. Good decision. Didn’t change the poor refereeing performance at all.
DeleteBut there is offside here ! ARG9 is clearly on active position and played the ball touching defensor !
ReplyDeleteYep,yesterday goal was canceled,now this is given...
ReplyDelete🤣🤣🤣🤣
Replays? No replays? All that tech that FIFA brags about and we can't get a decent replay? How convenient.
ReplyDeleteWhere is replay ? Unbelievable !
DeleteAnd replay shown. Very believable. Very onside. As it looked live
DeleteNot sure what you’re seeing but your commentary is becoming completely erratic. There’s your replay just now, onside but by a body width.
DeleteYes, onside and no clear foul committed.
DeleteMy mistake. Onside. Good decision.
DeleteYour inability to watch the game without bias is too apparent and all over this page. You need to watch the game more like a referee would.
DeleteWe would be happy to watch the games as referees if we were watching referees enforcing the Laws of the Game.
DeleteInstead, FIFA and Collina have given us with "actors" cosplaying as referees.
PK was gifted to Portugal for something very similar. But yeah, we're not seeing what we see.
ReplyDeleteErro grave gol irregular da Argentina e nem o var e nem arbitragem viram vergonha senhor Fischer tem ser punido.
ReplyDeleteEveryones happy now? Talk about reactive comments
ReplyDeleteI'm happy now. 2 - 2
DeleteHow about you?
Lot's of comments on here by people who don't usually comment and simply just want Argentina to lose rather than having an objective view on the referee's performance.
ReplyDeleteBut theres some truth to the fact that messi seems to be referees differently than everybody else
DeleteMaybe but comments like the one's suggesting they purposely gave an offside goal are ridiculous
DeleteRepart. Sorry but no personality. No charisma. No foul detection clear line except from Messi systematic gifts. Ridiculous card management with shameful no card to Romero. Just a very good point with the no penalty call. Overall, poor performance by Fischer for me.
DeleteRepeat. *
DeleteNo way. You can't convince me that those animated images are better than a camera shot directly down the line with the actual players not caricatures.
ReplyDeleteThe time it takes to show the images also makes me distrust the system.
Then stop commenting on ref blog if you think the conspiracy is that deep.
DeleteCWY2190 +1
DeleteCWY2190 +++ it's inexplicable
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMissed (ignored) YC for excessive celebration
ReplyDeleteI think we call that a very clear YC, and also a happy Fifa with no YC
DeleteNo YC for SFP so…for a celebration ^^ !
DeleteNo yc
ReplyDeleteA very good point : two very good decisions of no penalty calls by canadian referee.
ReplyDeleteThe crew can't make it any more obvious than it already is. They've got to maintain some sort of balance.
DeleteWould be own decision or Villareal‘s voice on the headphone?
DeleteWe can ask the question yes.
DeleteWell Villarreal is pretty incompetent. So, it's hard to say.
DeleteAnd again Romero. This is really unacceptable disciplinary management !
ReplyDeleteThere is none for the ones in the striped shirts. They have to be kept card free for their next games. Can't possibly risk having one of them suspended.
DeleteCabral leaving the pitch without permission, climbing up to sector A and running to row #10 to make photos and stuff.
ReplyDeleteNot even warned… not even a yellow altough 21 player were waiting for him to restart the game.
How about it? Is it really okay nowadays? Holy…
All is permited. What a pity.
DeleteIt's a "SPECTACLE"! It's no longer the sport most of us grew up loving. FIFA has turned it into a CIRCUS.
DeleteFIFA needs to do some magic because the star boy is on the edge before spot kicks, in penalties anything goes it's very much luck
ReplyDelete3-2 wonderful what a game
DeleteConcerning Messi free kick and Vozinha. Clearly not possible to let him kick the ball here. Unacceptable failure by canadian referee. https://x.com/saulodias/status/2073194329934315625?s=46&t=Ok5OCp_U1mZPFDKlm4EOGQ
ReplyDeleteNah, Fischer knew exactly what he was doing.
DeleteIt was FIFA that played the beautiful corner and left the attackers open.
ReplyDeleteI think FIFA has done a poor job calculating which games will be one sided. ENG-GHA, ECU-GER, GER-PAR, and ARG-CPV all should have been appointed more "trustworthy and skilled" referees. I know hindsight is 20/20 but there aren't that difficult to judge if you actually watch the football these teams play.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree! The question is why do we have certain referees that are more "trustworthy and skilled". Any referee brought in should be able to handle any game.
DeletePoor Take!!!! What do you mean trustworthy as if some of these referees are not good enough!
DeleteJust because you don’t use to see them, doesn’t make them less valuable then others
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJust like the actual teams playing in the World Cup, there are going to be some refs better than the others. Every appointment FIFA makes takes that into account. They're not all equals.
DeleteLet's face it. There is a group of top tier referees, mostly from Europe, S. America and Mexico and maybe one or two others, like Faghani and Barton, and then there are referees from the areas of the world where FIFA is trying to develop refereeing and soccer in general.
Deletew- Completely agree. The problem is that certain teams as part of their game plan create "hot games" by mobbing referees, questioning every call and taking physical play to the limits. These teams then get rewarded by having the stronger referees assigned, while those that just accept decisions and move on get the weaker referees assigned, which is unfair.
DeleteAs a Mexican, I'd remove Mexico from that list. We're still searching for a worthy replacement for the Archundia and Rodriguez era.
DeleteRamos is there and has been there because he's the best we got. I know, not very promising. Worse yet, there isn't a clear replacement for him either. Yup, that's how bad things are in Mexico.
Horacio Elizondo (ARG) took over some time ago. And under his direction we've hit rock bottom.
Now it's a foul and YC for Cape Verde at the very same area
ReplyDeleteYC for Argentina. A miracle.
ReplyDeleteYep,10 seconds added.
ReplyDeleteWho cares about added time?
Agreed. Ridiculous time management. Martinez down for at least a minute, and no more than 15 seconds are added.
DeleteAnd he showed his watch when the argentinian player layed down in the added time for 40seconds😆
Delete30 second was waisted by arg player in 120 +1 and whistling on 123 firm
ReplyDeleteNow wonder there's not added time in stoppage time just 7 seconds its a shame
ReplyDeleteLost 1 mn and you let 10 seconds ! No charisma, no personality. Poor performance.
ReplyDeleteIdk if u watch the game! Or u just emotional supporter that is trying to put referee down because u hate certain team ?
DeleteThks for the comment Damir but I explain my point of view. And I m not your student. So you can think whatever you want. Not my business.
DeleteCrazy. The referee was there to ensure Argentina go through.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that all the referees are competent and capable.
ReplyDeleteBut things change when the referees arrive and are told to throw away everything, they know and everything that they've done their entire careers. That's where Collina ruins capable and competent referees.
A good referee manager recognizes and accepts that each referee is different and that they all have differing abilities, strengths and weaknesses. And he assigns his referees to matches accordingly.
But that takes more work. So instead, they take the easy way out and just toss out blanket instructions and directives to all the referees. And expect them all to robotically perform in the same manner. No wonder we're left with this disarray in terms of officiating.
Yup, I am looking at you Collina and Busacca. The people you were as referees would be ashamed of what you've become and what you're doing to refereeing.
The refereeing remained substandard: chaotic and inconsistent disciplinary management, soft — if not completely phantom — free kicks consistently awarded to Messi, a free kick allowed to be taken before the goalkeeper was even set, and timid management of stoppage time. Fischer simply isn’t at the level required for a World Cup knockout match. No charisma, no command, no authority. In my view, it was a poor performance.
ReplyDeleteSeen enough of him in MLS and CONCACAF to know that is who he is. He got the assignment because Collina had to use the host referee somewhere in the round of 32.
DeleteAnd yet again Collina got it wrong by thinking that this match would be a walk in the park for the anointed one and Argentina.
Fortunately, we will no longer have to endure another 90 minutes of Fischer with the whistle at this World Cup.
+1 100% agree with referee analyst
DeleteThis is a blog where we discuss referees, styles of referee and the politics that surround it. However, in this WC, it seems a place where people try to discharge their frustrations.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, it was with the 2nd disallowed goal to Croatia. FIFA and UEFA invest so much money in technology but it appears when used, some people try to fit it in their theories.
Today, we witness a regular exhibition of a referee. IMO, he missed 2 yc. But he had a 120 + 19min of a game. More than 2h. And, he might got fouled 1 or 2 times but if a person that didn’t watch the game read the comments above, my god, it will think Fischer had the worst performance ever when it was so far from it.
Not to speak of our tendency (I’m including myself) of be more harsh to non European referees just because we are used to a different way of referee. Of course that the average quality of an European referee is higher than the remaining confederations but there are plenty of good examples of others very good referees belonging to other continents (Martinez, Barton, Faghani - are all doing a pretty decent WC).
My point is that criticism is welcome, is good and we should always exchange our perspectives. But it seems we are watching the games trying to find elements that justify some conspiracy theories we see on the internet.
Thank you for that. This thread has become all but unreadable. It is as if Arbiter and Referee Analyst were having beers together then Arbiter said to Referee Analyst, “I bet I can go on this Refereeing Blog and spew more ridiculous unsupported nonsense in this thread than anyone ever has in the history of the blog,” to which Referee Analyst replied, “Oh yeah??? Hold my beer!”
DeleteCheers. Explain me on my summary where you see « ridiculous ». I m waiting for it. With a beer.
DeleteAnd the 3-2 goal was scored by a player who should have been sent off, but nobody cares. Well done, FIFA.
ReplyDeleteIt more of a YC but still a good argument
DeleteFrom the very start it felt like this game was going to be won by Argentina whether they won it or not. Many missed fouls against CV and stupid fouls for Messi and am I crazy or wasn't Messi off sides for that first goal he scored?? Clearly it's better for revenue and global viewership for Argentina to win over Cabo but damn I felt bad for Cabo. IMHO, theyARE the winners of this match. What a great game they played!
ReplyDelete