A Tale of Two ARs and Their Two Important Calls

The following incidents all occurred in the first half during the Champions League group match between Ajax and Real Madrid on Wednesday 7 December 2011. The match finished 0—3.

Ajax are wearing white/red shirts, and Real Madrid are in black.


No Offside One AR1 Call Correct
Correct no offside call and the score becomes 0—1.


No Offside Two AR2 Call INCORRECT
Incorrect offside call prevents the score being 1—1.


No Offside Three AR2 Call INCORRECT
Another incorrect offside call prevents the score being 1—1 (or 2—1).


No Offside Four AR1 Call Correct
Correct no offside call and the score becomes 0—2.


CONCLUSION

By the half-time interval, Ajax were unfortunately denied two goals (the ball was put in the net during both onside incidents) due to the poor performance of AR2 who incorrectly flagged offside. In contrast, Real Madrid scored two legitimate goals because AR1 was on top of his game during two similar onside incidents.

That was the crucial difference in the first half of the match; 0—2 and psychological advantage to Real Madrid instead of perhaps 2—2 and a match that could have gone either way.

A Tale of Two ARs
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ...

AR1 (the best of times?)

AR2 (the worst of times?)

The match officials were:

Referee
Manuel De Sousa (POR)
Assistant referees
Bertino Miranda (POR), João Santos (POR)
Fourth official
Rui Manuel Gomes Costa (POR)
Additional assistant referees (EARs)
Artur Soares (POR), Carlos Xistra (POR)