“I’m not gonna comment on the referee,” Marsch said afterwards. “I was OK at halftime. I was just trying to push our guys to be ready for the second half.”
Fans and pundits in Chile and Argentina had also grimaced when South American federation CONMEBOL announced Uruguayan referee Andrés Matonte was assigned to their crucial Group A matchup on June 25.
The Chileans felt a Uruguayan referee would favor Argentina. Those two countries are also neighbors. Argentines, though, view Uruguay as a footballing rival. Argentina and Uruguay each have 15 Copa America titles — more than any other country by far. Any opportunity to sit atop that mountain and look down at a sporting nemesis is highly valued.
During the match, when Lionel Messi earned a soft foul close to Chile’s penalty area, a Chilean reporter shouted: “It’s that Uruguayan referee!”. And after Matonte failed to caution Chile left fullback Gabriel Suazo for a late challenge on Messi, an Argentinian journalist couldn’t hold back his disdain. “This Uruguayan referee is killing us,” he said.
Argentina won 1-0 and Chile would then draw 0-0 with Canada in their final group game. After their subsequent elimination, Chile’s football federation filed a formal complaint with CONMEBOL over the refereeing performance during that game against Canada.
Argentina and Chile players make their feelings known to Matonte (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Brazil fell victim to one of the tournament’s most egregious errors against Colombia at the end of the group stage.
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior was fouled inside the penalty area, but Venezuelan referee Jesus Valenzuela felt that Colombian defender Daniel Muñoz had tapped the ball away first. The VAR official, an Argentine, agreed. No penalty. The game ended 1-1 and Colombia won the group. Brazil finished second, which meant a tough quarterfinal date with tournament contenders Uruguay.
“The Copa America is always difficult because of the pitches, because of the referees who always go against us,” Vinicius Jr said after the Colombia match. “It’s always difficult, but we have to stay strong. We can only talk by winning. When we talk, CONMEBOL says we talk too much.”
“Everything that happened was very strange,” added Brazil head coach Dorival Junior.
A day later, CONMEBOL admitted a penalty should have been awarded. “In a ball dispute inside the box, a defender does not touch the ball and as a result of the dispute, reckless contact is made,” CONMEBOL explained. “The referee fails to see the action and lets the game continue. Given this, the VAR incorrectly confirmed the original field decision.”
CONMEBOL then assigned Argentine referee Dario Herrera to the Brazil-Uruguay quarterfinal. Uruguay won after a penalty shootout in a game that produced 41 fouls and a red card but no goals. Herrera allowed the Uruguayan players to impose themselves physically and mentally.
GO DEEPER
How Copa America turned the tactical foul into an art form
In South America, young players are taught to approach a referee with their hands behind their back, avoiding any sort of gesture that could be misinterpreted: be respectful but make your case heard. But from club football matches to international tournaments, players can push the limits of respectability.
They’ll surround a referee to plead their case if a call goes against them. Before the VAR era, arguing with the referee was simply a way to demonstrate frustration. Today, it’s an opportunity to sway a decision and convince them to review a play.
Yet referees in South America are referred to as “jueces” or “judges”. Instead of a gavel, they use high-pitched whistles to maintain order.
The term “juez” is meant to respect the authority of a referee.
That obviously isn’t always the case.
(Top photo: Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Source link : https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5627168/2024/07/10/referee-copa-america-argentina-brazil/
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Publish date : 2024-07-10 05:32:00
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