Sports

FIFA use Club World Cup to trial referee microphones

Published

1 month ago

February 9, 2023

admin

FIFA use Club World Cup to trial referee microphones

The ongoing Club World Cup is being used as a trial run for another potential refereeing revolution in football, with fans in the stadium able to hear officials explain decisions taken following VAR reviews.

Referees being hooked up with microphones is nothing new in other sports such as the NFL, but it is only now being tested in football, just as the sport is still getting used to Video Assistant Referees and semi-automated offside technology.

And so Uruguayan referee Andres Matonte was able to succinctly explain why he awarded a late penalty to Real Madrid after coming across to review a possible foul in the box during the Spanish club’s 4-1 win over Al Ahly in the semi-final in Rabat on Wednesday.

“Penalty decision, foul by number 17”, Matonte told spectators on looking at the challenge by Al Ahly’s Amr El Solia on Real forward Vinicius Junior. Luka Modric’s kick was then saved.

Matonte’s exchanges with the Video Assistant Referee remained confidential, but his brief announcement was relayed over loudspeakers in the stadium, to the delight of the crowd, with the majority of fans backing the European champions.

The International Football Association Board, the sport’s lawmakers, approved the trial last month with English FA chief executive Mark Bullingham — who sits on the board — saying it was “important in terms of transparency”.

FIFA are considering further trials at the Under-20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Indonesia in May and June.

If deemed successful, the system may be given the green light for the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

“I hope the spectators will benefit from this,” said Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of FIFA’s referees committee.

“We are at the beginning, it’s the first time we’re doing it, so certainly it might not be perfect…but I’m confident that the outcome will be positive.”

Too many changes?

The first referee to explain his decisions to spectators was China’s Ma Ning, during the tournament’s opening game between Al Ahly and Auckland City.

He came across to review a possible penalty for a challenge by Auckland’s Adam Mitchell on Taher Mohamed, before deciding to award a free-kick just outside the box and show a red card to the defender for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

“We decided to (have) this trial…to make the decision taken by the referee after a VAR intervention more understandable (for)…the spectators at the stadium or (in front of) the television,” Collina added.

“I have to say that there are other experiences in other sports, namely the NFL in American football, they (have been) doing it for quite a long time. It seems that the referees are pretty comfortable with this.”

Yet the desire to introduce more and more technology into the sport may not go down well with everyone, especially as VAR — itself first tested at the Club World Cup in 2016 — remains a source of controversy, the very thing its introduction was supposed to reduce.

“Over the last 10 years all we have seen is changes to the rules and the interpretation of them,” Eduardo Iturralde, a former Spanish referee who has taken charge of more La Liga matches than anyone else and is now a radio pundit in Spain, told AFP.

“What the spectator wants is more consistency with VAR decisions, that something that is given as a foul in Germany is also given as a foul in Spain. They want clarity.

“If you have to explain something that means spectators are confused because the rules change so much.

“I don’t think football needs to copy the NFL. They are different sports, different cultures.”

Post Views: 22

Sports

Babar Azam retains top spot in latest ODI batting rankings

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2023

admin

Babar Azam retains top spot in latest ODI batting rankings

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam maintained a healthy lead at the top of the ODI batting rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday.

In the rankings, there are a group of South Africa players who have made good ground on the prolific right-hander. Heinrich Klaasen rises 13 spots to 30th after he hit a brilliant century in the Proteas’ impressive victory over the West Indies in the third and final match of the series in Potchefstroom, while Temba Bavuma improves 17 places to 33rd following his big knock in the second game in East London.

The second place retained by South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen while Pakistani batter Imamul Haq jumped one place to secure third place. Quinton de Kock has been ranked fourth while Shubman Gill is at the fifth place.

India pacer Mohammed Siraj copped the brunt of the attack by Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head during the second match of his side’s ODI series with Australia and as a result has lost his place at the top of the rankings for ODI bowlers.

Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood – who is absent from the ongoing series in India – re-claims pole position ahead of New Zealand left-armer Trent Boult, with Siraj dropping into a tie for third with in-form quick Mitchell Starc, ICC said in its press release.

West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph jumps to a career-high rating and 11th place on the ODI bowling rankings following a strong series against South Africa, while teammate Akeal Hosein (up four spots to 20th) is another big mover.

The top place in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings is held by Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne. New Zealand’s batter Kane Williamson rose to the second place.

It means Steve Smith (third), Joe Root (fourth), Babar Azam (fifth) and Travis Head (sixth) all drop one place, while Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (10th) takes the spot of India captain Rohit Sharma inside the top 10 after he scored three half-centuries in the series against New Zealand.

Post Views: 10

Sports

Australia choose to bat in deciding 3rd ODI against India

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2023

admin

Australia choose to bat in deciding 3rd ODI against India

Australia’s stand-in-skipper Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat first in their series decider against India for Wednesday’s third one-day international in Chennai.

The visitors made two changes to the side that routed their hosts in Sunday’s last match at Visakhapatnam.

Opener David Warner returns from his second Test elbow hairline fracture for all-rounder Cameron Green while spinner Ashton Agar replaces pacer Nathan Ellis.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma fielded an unchanged team.

The two top-ranked 50-over teams are warming up for the ODI World Cup in India later this year.

Teams

Australia: David Warner, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (capt), Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Umpires: Jayaraman Madangopal (IND), Nitin Menon (IND)

TV umpire: KN Ananthapadmanabhan (IND)

Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)

Post Views: 12

Sports

African players in Europe: Kessie is El Clasico hero

Published

4 days ago

March 20, 2023

admin

African players in Europe: Kessie is El Clasico hero

Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie came off the bench to score an added-time winner for Barcelona in a 2-1 El Clasico triumph over Real Madrid at the weekend.

The dramatic victory confirmed Barca as hot favourites to regain the Spanish title for the first time since 2019.

Kessie often celebrates his goals with a military-style salute — a tribute to his late father, who became a soldier after a professional football career.

Here, AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:
ENGLAND

JEFFREY SCHLUPP (Crystal Palace)

Ghana international Schlupp scored a consolation goal for managerless Crystal Palace in their 4-1 defeat at league leaders Arsenal. The 30-year-old midfielder hammered home from close range following a corner in the 63rd minute to make it 3-1 but any faint hopes of an unlikely comeback were quashed when Bukayo Saka restored the home side’s three-goal margin.

EMMANUEL DENNIS (Nottingham Forest)

Nigeria forward Dennis opened the scoring for struggling Nottingham Forest against high-flying Newcastle. Dennis, who joined Forest from Watford this season, latched onto Sven Botman’s back-pass before dinking the ball over Nick Pope in the 26th minute but Alexander Isak struck twice to seal a 2-1 win for the Magpies.

ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE (Everton)

Mali midfielder Doucoure found the net in Everton’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea, nodding over the line to cancel out Joao Felix’s opener. Chelsea restored their lead through a Kai Havertz penalty but Ellis Simms scored a late equaliser, set up by Doucoure.

SPAIN

FRANCK KESSIE (Barcelona)

A low cross from Alejandro Balde set up Kessie at the far post to sweep the ball into the corner of the net. The match-winner gave Barcelona a 12-point advantage with 12 matches remaining.

SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (Villarreal)

The Nigerian winger continued his fine recent form by opening the scoring in Villarreal’s 3-0 win at Osasuna. Drifting into the area unmarked, Chukwueze kept his cool to volley home Alfonso Pedraza’s pinpoint cross.

ITALY

VICTOR OSIMHEN (Napoli)

The Nigeria forward was once again one of the stars of the show as Napoli continued their march to the Serie A title. Towering headers in each half in a 4-0 win at Torino helped Napoli eventually stretch their massive league lead to 19 points and took Osimhen’s tally for the domestic campaign to 21 goals.

Victor Osimhen (L) scored two headers as Napoli continued their march towards the title

KINGSLEY EHIZIBUE (Udinese)

Germany-born Ehizibue struck the goal which sealed Udinese’s 3-1 win over AC Milan and gave his team their first home win since September. Ehizibue, who represents Nigeria internationally, scored his second goal of the season in the 70th minute and helped Udinese up to eighth in Serie A.

GERMANY

SEBASTIEN HALLER (Borussia Dortmund)

Haller scored twice in Dortmund’s 6-1 demolition of Cologne. In the first half, he hammered home and was on the spot in the second half to tap in a rebound from a free-kick.

OMAR MARMOUSH (Wolfsburg)

Egypt forward Marmoush scored his second goal in three games for Wolfsburg amid speculation he will join Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of the season. His long-range effort gave Wolfsburg a 1-0 win at Stuttgart.

FRANCE

BAMO MEITE (Lorient)

The 21-year-old defender from the Ivory Coast, who moved to Paris from Abidjan as a child, scored his first senior goal for Lorient in their 1-1 draw with Nice, a result which keeps alive their slim chances of qualifying for Europe. Meite only made his first-team debut for Lorient in January but has quickly become a regular starter.

HABIB DIALLO (Strasbourg)

The Senegal international striker had an eventful game for Strasbourg in their relegation six-pointer against Auxerre. He won a first-half penalty only to then see his kick saved. Diallo atoned by scoring late on to seal a 2-0 win for his side. With 14 goals this is already his most prolific season at this level.

Post Views: 18