World Cup 2018

[aucanucktiger 1,794]

He's taken some heat but unfairly I think. The non-American (some would say anti-American) ref selection committee at FIFA chose him to this his second World Cup with multiple assignments because he has done a good job in some difficult World Cup games. My Morrocan friend blamed his country not advancing solely on Gieger awarding divemaster Chrissy Ronaldo a penalty against Morrocco and I agree that was not his best game but I've looked at Chrissy's foul  multiple times and several other World Cup centers in this would have also awarded it IMHO (one will be the center in Sunday's final0. fwiw, I also told my Morrocan friend his team needs to stop putting the ball in their own net (see Morroccan loss to Egypt) instead of looking for an American to blame. Frankly, I would place Geiger behind a half dozen other world class American refs that for one reason or another were not pegged for this World Cup.

[Mid Atlantic Tiger 150]

20 hours ago, aucanucktiger said:

Huge side note: USA ref Mark Geiger made FIFA's final pool to ref Sunday's game - we find out if he's on the crew Friday.

Is he the one that Ref'd the England/Columbia match?  I have heard many negative comments regarding this Ref from my German and Russian colleagues.  They believe that he was bought and paid for by the English side.  

[aucanucktiger 1,794]

32 minutes ago, Mid Atlantic Tiger said:

Is he the one that Ref'd the England/Columbia match?  I have heard many negative comments regarding this Ref from my German and Russian colleagues.  They believe that he was bought and paid for by the English side.  

Yes that was him. Not sure about germans or russians but the brits are ALSO piling on (dspite winning) because their aging favorite son gary linekar tweeted that the Colombian headbutt should have been a red, not yellow. That call is consistent with recent international pecedent as mandated by fifa and just one of many examples of refs in this cup with marching orders from FIFA (which hasnt kept it a secret) to avoid having cards decide subsequent games and to let 'em play. In the ages of zidane, linekar, matthaus etc that WAS a straight red. Long story short - fifa has consistently given geiger high marks RELATIVE TO other grade 1 & 2 refs. He's flawed like every body else but gets many foreseably hard assignments because he toes the FIFA party line. Look for him to do a third world cup in 2022 then be on the assignment committee for 2026 in the US.

[mustache eagle 2,406]

I thought geiger did fine.  No significantly better/worse than any I've seen this world cup.  He probably could have started pulling cards a little earlier, but I dont fault the guy for wanting to let the teams play and to keep himself out of the spotlight.  i actually prefer a ref to lean that direction. 

As for the whole Eng/Columbia game , it was ridiculous anyways.  The Colombian team deserved a disproportionate amount of the fouls/cards ... that was the game they purposefully intended to play.  I don't recall the ronoldo incident.  If it was a deserved straight red card ... geiger would not be the first ref to not penalize a superstar who deserved it.  It is human nature. 

As an aside, I hope the increased visibility of the diving/over-acting, the positive use of VAR and some of the retroactive penalties will clean up some of the foolishness in the games.  I hope FIFA and the major soccer leagues will start reviewing games and retroactively penalize clear diving/simulation ... I have additional thoughts on this but will hold off.

[McLoofus 35,182]

12 minutes ago, mustache eagle said:

I thought geiger did fine.  No significantly better/worse than any I've seen this world cup.  He probably could have started pulling cards a little earlier, but I dont fault the guy for wanting to let the teams play and to keep himself out of the spotlight.  i actually prefer a ref to lean that direction. 

As for the whole Eng/Columbia game , it was ridiculous anyways.  The Colombian team deserved a disproportionate amount of the fouls/cards ... that was the game they purposefully intended to play.  I don't recall the ronoldo incident.  If it was a deserved straight red card ... geiger would not be the first ref to not penalize a superstar who deserved it.  It is human nature. 

As an aside, I hope the increased visibility of the diving/over-acting, the positive use of VAR and some of the retroactive penalties will clean up some of the foolishness in the games.  I hope FIFA and the major soccer leagues will start reviewing games and retroactively penalize clear diving/simulation ... I have additional thoughts on this but will hold off.

The bolded part is fair.

The headbutt was delivered by a Columbian in his own box to an English player. Geiger gave the Columbian a yellow card. Seems you either acknowledge it or you don't, but evidently that's a FIFA problem and not a Geiger problem.

Geiger has sucked in MLS duty, too, so I have to admit to not liking the guy before the tournament started. 

[AUDub 11,149]

Croatia doing a good job keeping the French pinned back. 11th minute and they look like the more progressive team on the attack. 

 

[AUDub 11,149]

France leads off of a set piece. Greizman's FK hits Mandzukic on the way by and finds the net. Just unfortunate..

[AUDub 11,149]

Croatia equalizes off a set piece of their own! Perisic with a wicked left footed strike from the top of the box! 1-1 30th minute.

[AUDub 11,149]

VAR grants France a penalty in the 38th. 

[AUDub 11,149]

Greizmann gets France the lead back. 2-1 in the 39th. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

Both of the French goals were helped by Croatia. Croatia needs to tie it up and not let France get that 2 goal advantage.  Fun game so far. 

[AUDub 11,149]

Both keepers have had to make a save early in the half. Croatia attacking hard. 

[AUDub 11,149]

Lawd Mbappe is fast. 

Some DA runs on to the field, interrupting play. 

[AUDub 11,149]

Kante being subbed out. That’s a surprise. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

2 minutes ago, AUDub said:

Lawd Mbappe is fast. 

Some DA runs on to the field, interrupting play. 

That would have been a flop and complain for PK chance if Ronaldo was in that spot. Kudos for MBappe for playing with integrity there. 

[AUDub 11,149]

Pogba makes it 3-1 in the 59th. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

Goalie must have lost it there. Crucial goal to go up 2

[AUBwins 10,075]

That was almost brilliant 

[AUDub 11,149]

Mbappe from range. 4-1. France is just too good. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

Yep. Croatia couldn't finish on those early 2nd half chances. Over now. 

Whoa... never mind. That makes up the OG from earlier

[AUDub 11,149]

We can take some solace in the fact that we drew with them lol. 

[AUDub 11,149]

Wow. That was uncharacteristic of Lloris.

[AUBwins 10,075]

If Croatia can score in the next 5 mins, this could get interesting 

[Mid Atlantic Tiger 150]

Croatia has grit.  They don't give up.

Stupid move by the Frog Goalkeeper.

[AUDub 11,149]

Time for them to throw everything forward. Got to attack like mad.