Kuwait SC AFC Cup 2009 Champions

On Tuesday 3 November 2009, Kuwait Sports Club beat Al Karamah of Syria to win the AFC Cup 2009.

The match officials for the AFC Cup 2009 Final were from Iran.

Match Commissioner: Muzammil Mohammad (Singapore)
Referee Assessor: Salem Saeed Rashed (UAE)
Referee: Masoud Moradi Hasanli (Iran)
Assistant Referee 1: Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)
Assistant Referee 2: Reza Sokhandan (Iran)
Fourth Official: Akbar Bakshi Zadeh (Iran)

Meanwhile, Hong Kong's South China are still getting over their disappointment in losing to Kuwait SC and over the weekend suffered a 2-1 league defeat to local rivals Kitchee.


References:
Kuwait SC Are AFC Cup Champions
AFC Cup final match officials
Classy Kitchee capitalise on Caroliners' AFC Cup hangover

Classy Kitchee capitalise on Caroliners' AFC Cup hangover
SOCCER
Chan Kin-wa
Nov 01, 2009

South China proved they have still not recovered from their AFC Cup heartache after losing 2-1 to Kitchee in the BMA First Division at Hong Kong Stadium yesterday.

The Caroliners' impressive form left them on the verge of reaching the AFC Cup final two weeks ago in front of a patriotic 38,000 home crowd, only to lose 3-1 on aggregate to Kuwait champions, Kuwait Sports Club, in their semi-final clash.

And their misery continued when they lost for the first time in four domestic games as arch-rivals Kitchee, who also beat them in the pre-season Community Shield, outclassed them.

Chan Man-fai opened the scoring for Kitchee in the eighth minute, tapping home Lo Kwan-yi's cross from close range before, 14 minutes into the second half, Chan Wai-ho's own-goal from a scuffed clearance made it 2-0.

Leandro Silva converted a penalty for South China to close the gap in the 73rd minute, but then - when it would have been easier to score - missed a simple, close-range chance with only Sergio Aure, Kitchee's Spanish goalkeeper, to beat.

Kitchee's win took them back to the top of the league on 11 points from six matches - two ahead of South China, who have two games in hand.

Steven Lo Kit-sing, South China's team convenor, was unhappy with the performance of his players.

As was Kim Pan-gon, the team's coach, who admitted the team were mentally tired after the AFC Cup tournament.

"It is very disappointing. We were hoping that they could have recovered quickly after the disappointment of losing in the AFC Cup, but they simply failed to do so," the South Korean said.

"They lacked the motivation to attack and failed to live up to the standards they set in the fine run they had reaching the AFC Cup semi-final."

Kim said the team's attack needed to improve if they were to challenge for a fourth successive league title.

Ken Ng Kin, Kitchee's president, added: "We played some good football with some excellent movement by the players.

"Our passing game is a style of play not seen in domestic football for a long time.

"Before kick-off I said we were not too concerned with the result, as long as we played the game the way we know we can; we certainly did that."

He was disappointed that only 5,442 people watched the game. "We were expecting more for such a big game. Hopefully, we'll attract more against South China next time."

Optimum Officiating: AFC Cup 2009 QF 2nd Leg

The referee team officiated the match between Hong Kong’s South China and Uzbekistan’s Neftchi intelligently and effectively.

During the half-time break, referees should use their time wisely by considering the match situation and possible team tactics. The half-time score is: South China (red) 1 : 0 Neftchi (yellow); and the aggregate score is 5:5.

Match situation. South China (red) are one goal up, and simply need to protect their lead in the second half to win the quarter-final tie against Neftchi (yellow). Neftchi need only to draw the game in order to win the quarter-final tie.

The experienced match officials understand that the home team’s strategy is to “run down the clock”. If the referee is not careful, tensions and ill-feelings could potentially escalate and boil over as one team seeks to delay, and the other team seeks to play.


The following related posts are 6 videoclips of the second half of the 2nd Leg Quarter Final tie, with punctuated remarks. The videoclips show that the referee’s management of this tension-filled second half is intelligent and effective.

2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 1 of 6
2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 2 of 6
2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 3 of 6
2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 4 of 6
2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 5 of 6
2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 6 of 6

HKRef welcomes comments and remarks about refereeing in particular, and football in general.

South China on Verge of History

On 21 October Wednesday evening at 8pm at Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong’s oldest football club South China will attempt to become the first Hong Kong side to reach the final of the AFC Cup tournament.


To do so, South China will have to beat Kuwait SC 1-0, or if they concede goals a winning margin of at least two goals will be required. The first leg of the AFC Cup 2009 semi-final saw Kuwait SC win 2-1 against South China.

If South China are successful, they will also have the opportunity to compete in the play-offs for the 2010 AFC Champions League. South China did enough to get past Neftchi (Uzbekistan) in the AFC Cup 2009 quarter-finals.

The only other Hong Kong team to have reached the same position of the AFC Cup is Sun Hei, which reached the 2005 semi-finals before losing 6-2 on aggregate to Lebanon’s Nejmeh.


The match officials for the South China (Hong Kong) vs Kuwait SC (Kuwait) match at Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong, 21 October, 20:00 are:

Match Commissioner: Rivilla Nazareno (Philippines)
Referee Assessor: D’costa Anthony John (India)
Referee: Mohammad Omar Al Saeedi (Oman)
Assistant Referee 1: Ahmad Nasser Bahrooz (UAE)
Assistant Referee 2: Mohammad Abdulla Jassim (UAE)
Fourth Official: Fareed Al Marzouqi (UAE)

Interestingly, referees from China make up the majority of the match officials for the other AFC Cup 2009 semi-final second leg:
Al Karamah (Syria) vs Becamex Binh Duong (Vietnam)
Khaled Ibn Al Waleed Staduim, Homs, 21 October, 19:30.

Match Commissioner: Mazen Ramadan (Lebanon)
Referee Assessor: Ali Bujsaim (UAE)
Referee: Tan Hai (China)
Assistant Referee 1: Tuo Wei Ming (China)
Assistant Referee 2: Huo Jige (China)
Fourth Official: Zhao Liang (China)

AFC Cup 2010 South China v Persiwa Wamena

The following incidents of unsporting behaviour occurred during the AFC Cup group stage match between South China (Hong Kong) v Persiwa Wamena (Indonesia) on Tuesday 23 March 2010 at Siu Sai Wan stadium in Hong Kong. The attendance was 2,393 and the final score was 6—3.


23 Mar 2010 AFC Cup Simulation




Simulation is unsporting behaviour
In the 50th minute, South China player (red #9, Lee Wai Lim) controls the ball ahead of the Persiwa Wamena player (green) to put himself in an attacking position. A big hint for referees is that red #9 goes down too easily. The player could have stayed on his feet to either shoot at goal from a tight angle or place the ball across the face of goal for his teammate to tap in. But instead, he chose to fall over.

There is little need for unsporting behaviour, particularly at this stage of the match when South China is already 5—1 ahead.

When the Referee showed the yellow card, red #9 actually smiles sheepishly and hangs his head in shame because he knew he was caught cheating. Restart was an IFK to the defending team.


23 Mar 2010 AFC Cup GK shocking tackle Penalty




Goalkeeper’s shocking tackle
In the 70th minute, the South China goalkeeper (blue #17, Ho Kwok Chuen) makes a shockingly dangerous two-footed tackle on Persiwa Wamena player (green #50). He launches himself using his right foot, goes over the ball with his left foot, and then his whole weight appears to land on his right foot. This is probably the reason why he could not get up when he put his weight on his right foot. He clearly injured himself, and after receiving lengthy treatment was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.
Note: Players are not allowed to receive treatment on the field of play. But exceptions apply when:
• a goalkeeper is injured
• a goalkeeper and an outfield player have collided and need immediate attention
• a severe injury has occurred (e.g. swallowed tongue, concussion, broken leg)

In similar situations goalkeepers would normally dive for the ball using their hands. Instead, this goalkeeper made a shocking tackle leading with his feet. Therefore a hint for referees is the aggressive nature of the South China goalkeeper’s challenge.

The Referee correctly awarded a penalty. In the match report, it was recorded that the Referee cautioned the GK. However, during the match the Referee did not show the yellow card to the GK on the field of play probably because the injured keeper could not stand up and was carried off on a stretcher. The challenge by the GK was at least a yellow card offence and perhaps could have been a red card. Restart was a penalty kick to the attacking team.


23 Mar 2010 AFC Cup Playacting Theatrics




Playacting is unsporting behaviour
In the 80th minute, Persiwa Wamena player (green #10, Edison Pieter Rumaropen) makes a meal out of an incident where there is little chance that he would be awarded a free kick or penalty. A big hint for referees is that the player moves to-and-fro (at least a dozen times), when surely if it was a serious injury the player would remain still (see also Player Theatrics by HKRef).

About 30 seconds after restart, green #10 is seen running up the touch line and re-enters the field of play near the halfway line. Perhaps the Referee should have cautioned the player for unsporting behaviour.

Match Report
South China 6-3 Persiwa Wamena (AFC news)

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 22:27

Hong Kong: Brazilian strike duo Tales Schutz and Leo each grabbed a brace as South China revived their AFC Cup Group G campaign with a thrilling 6-3 comeback win over Indonesia’s Persiwa Wamena at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground on Tuesday.

After picking up just one point from their opening two games last year’s semi-finalists were behind after just six minutes as Pieter Rumaropen struck for Persiwa.

But a quick-fire brace from the returning Schutz turned the contest in South China’s favour before Leo (Leonardo Ferreira da Silva) and Kwok Kin Pong added to the lead before half-time.

Leo extended the advantage just after half-time and after Albertho Mambrasar and Lewis Weeks netted for Persiwa, Lee Wai Lim sealed the win in stoppage time.

After South China captain Chan Wai Ho wasted a glorious chance after just three minutes the visitors opened the scoring as a punch from South China goalkeeper Ho Kwok Chuen fell to Rumaropen on the edge of the area and the midfielder lifted the ball over the stranded custodian.

But South China were back on level terms after eight minutes when Schutz beat Persiwa goalkeeper Timotius Mote with a deft flick at the front post.

Mote only just turned Li Haiqiang’s long-range swerving free-kick onto the post after 11 minutes as the frantic start continued with end-to-end action.

And after 21 minutes South China completed the comeback as Schutz muscled his way through a crowd inside the area to send a stooping header past Mote from Li’s superb whipped in free-kick.

With several Persiwa attacks being halted by the off-side flag, Leo capitalised on the visitors’ inability to clear their penalty area 11 minutes later to fire a low shot across Mote and into the bottom corner to double the lead.

And just three minutes later Kwok raced into the area unmarked to head home Lee Wai Lun’s left wing cross to complete the emphatic comeback.

With just over a minute on the clock after the break Leo charged down an attempted clearance to race clear and skip round substitute goalkeeper Andre before rolling in his second into the empty net.

Leo was denied a hat-trick by Andre four minutes later before Mambrasar volleyed home from inside the area to give Persiwa faint hope six minutes before the hour mark.

And the visitors pulled another goal back with 15 minutes remaining as Weeks beat substitute goalkeeper Zhang Chunhui from the penalty spot after Ho was injured in bringing down Rumaropen.

But the visitors were unable to build on their quick-fire double and suffered a second defeat of the competition as Lee’s late header capped an enthralling contest.

South China Secure Semi-Final Slot

Hong Kong’s South China are through to the semi-finals of the 2009 AFC Cup with a comprehensive 1-0 win in the second-leg of their quarter-final tie against Uzbekistan's Neftchi. In last night’s return leg at Hong Kong Stadium, the Hong Kong Division One Champions overturned their AFC Cup first-leg 5-4 deficit in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and ultimately won the tie by the away goals rule.


The all-important goal by Brazilian striker Leandro Silva came in the second minute of the first half. There were 4 yellow cards in total, and the referee team officiated the match intelligently and effectively (further details to follow).


Reference
South China (HKG) 1-0 Neftchi (UZB). Agg 5-5.

Caroliners edge into AFC Cup semis (SCMP; subscription required)
Chan Kin-wa and Agence France-Presse
Oct 01, 2009

South China moved a step closer to completing their AFC Cup mission after sneaking past Neftchi of Uzbekistan at Hong Kong Stadium last night.

A slender 1-0 victory was good enough to take them through to the semi-finals, thanks to the away goal rule after they banged in four goals in the first leg when they lost 5-4 to the Uzbekistanis two weeks ago.

Brazilian forward Leandro Silva scored the only goal in front of a 20,000 crowd, mostly in red shirts in support of the home team, after heading home a Leung Kin-pong's cross in the second minute. But the Caroliners, who have set their sights on reaching the final in order to represent Hong Kong in the AFC Champions League next year, also had goalkeeper Zhang Chunhui to thank.

Two excellent saves from the keeper in the second half, including a one-on-one situation against Neftchi striker Alisher Halikov in the 70th minute, kept their hopes alive. Zhang also punched away a free kick from Iqboljon Akramov before any Neftchi players could reach it from close range seven minutes later.

"I want to buy the goalkeeper a dinner," said South China coach Kim Pan-gon. "He made two important saves that has helped us through."

South China received bad news the night before the match when forward Tales Schutz was banned for three matches by the Asian Football Confederation which meant he was not available for the encounter.

Coach Kim said: "We played as a team and it proved tonight that other players could come in and do a good job in the absence of others. I don't think [the loss of Schutz] will affect us too much."

South China convenor Steven Lo Kit-sing thanked the 20,000 fans who braved the bad weather to support them, although the rain stopped just before the start of the match.

"I told the players before the start they could not afford losing the hearts of the fans," he said.

"And the players did not let me down and did not let the fans down. I know many of them are not South China fans but just came here to support Hong Kong football. And their presence means Hong Kong football still has a future."

Similar Similar Means Different Part 3

Manchester City's Vincent Kompany was sent off by Referee Chris Foy for lunging at an opponent with both legs in a scissors formation (please see Part 1 and Part 2).

Serbia forward Mateja Kezman will be ending his football career (i.e. hanging up his boots) in Hong Kong after he plays his two final matches in the city on 23 and 26 January 2012. See excerpts of news story below.

Question: What do the above two statements have in common?
Answer: Mateja Kezman was sent off at the 2006 World Cup in Germany for doing exactly what Vincent Kompany did in Manchester in 2012. Furthermore, Kezman has chosen to end his football career in Hong Kong which coincidentally brings in the 'Hong Kong connection'.


The following incident occurred during the 2006 World Cup group match between Argentina and Serbia on 16 June 2006. The match finished 6—0, and the goal of the tournament also came from this match (i.e. Argentina's 24 or 25 pass move that came several years before the appearance of the current Messi-Xavi-Iniesta-inspired Barcelona side who now 'routinely' produce such wonderful goals every time they play! Messi was a 74' substitute in that 2006 Word Cup match).

Round 2. Argentina vs Serbia 2006 World Cup (FIFA Highlights)



At 1:20 of the highlights videoclip which corresponds to the 65' of the match, Mateja Kezman (white 8) lunges at Javier Mascherano (blue 8). Here are the freeze frames:

Camera view 1

Camera view 2

Referee Roberto Rosetti sends off Kezman for SFP

There was nothing wrong with Italian Referee Roberto Rosetti's performance; he ended up refereeing a total of 4 matches at the WC in Germany.

Kezman sarcastically claps the Referee's decision while also trying to appear to clap for the fans

CONCLUSION
Kezman's two-footed lunge at his opponent is the same as Vincent Kompany's two-footed lunge at his opponent. Both were correctly sanctioned with a DFK to the other team and a red card to the offending player.

Follow Up:
FIFA's Disciplinary Committee gave Kezman a two-match ban for SFP (note: since then Serbia has never called up Kezman to play for his country again).
The FA's Disciplinary Commission upheld Kompany's three-match ban for SFP (note: as a result of a previous red card earlier in the season, Kompany received an extra one-match ban).

I hope this post, along with Part 1 and Part 2 completes this analysis of Chris Foy The Courageous.


I repeat. Chris Foy should be applauded for taking a firm stand against the expectation of leniency in the Premiership. Given the EPL's reputation, popularity and global following where entertainment is apparently prioritized over player safety, Chris Foy has clearly demonstrated Pierluigi Collina's Principle: “The best referee is one who has the courage to make decisions even when it would be easier not to.”


Aside: The interesting thing is that Mateja Kezman spent four months in Hong Kong in early 2011 and really got to like the place and its people. Toward the end of 2011, Kezman didn't appear to be having the best of times in terms of football (i.e. he played 11 games for Belarusian side BATE Borisov; 6 in the league and 5 in the Champions League, without scoring). Therefore, he announced he will end his career in Hong Kong this month, playing in an exhibition international four-team tournament called the Lunar New Year Cup.

It is nice to hear that Kezman has a fondness for Hong Kong and he is probably a nice guy. However from a Referee's perspective, on the pitch Kezman generally does not respect match officials and has a tendency to get himself in trouble during matches (e.g. Nicky Butt Sees Red in Hong Kong).

HKRef wishes everyone a prosperous Chinese New Year of the Dragon!
Thank you for visiting this site.


Excerpts from the South China Morning Post (SCMP)

HK matches will be Kezman's last

Serbian striker to appear for South China in Asian Challenge Cup before hanging up his boots for good
SOCCER
Chan Kin-wa
Jan 19, 2012

Former Serbia international Mateja Kezman will finish his glittering career in Hong Kong after playing for South China in the Asian Challenge Cup next week.

The 32-year-old striker, whose former clubs include PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, will return to Hong Kong tomorrow after agreeing to play for the Caroliners in the four-team tournament to celebrate Lunar New Year.

"Kezman likes Hong Kong very much and has had a lot support from fans during his time here," South China convenor Steven Lo Kit-sing said.

"If he wants a place to call it a day in his soccer career, there is no better place than Hong Kong. This is an honour for Hong Kong soccer. We will arrange some activities for him on the second day of the tournament, which will be Mateja's last match as he bids farewell to a career of almost two decades. We will reserve the number 38 jersey he used in Hong Kong."

Kezman joined Zemun in Belgrade as a 15-year-old before moving to Partizan, the country's leading club, four years later. He then joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven from 2000 to 2003, scoring 35 goals in 2003 to help them win the league title. After playing for a long list of European clubs, he moved to South China in December 2010, along with former Manchester United star Nicky Butt.

The Serbian scored seven goals during his four-month stint with the Caroliners.

The influence of [Kezman and Butt], however, was not enough to help South China progress beyond the group stage of the AFC Cup. The Caroliners also lost the all-important local league title to Kitchee, a result which kept them out of this season's AFC Cup.

Not Optimum Officiating in the AFC Cup

The following incident occurred during a first-leg quarterfinal AFC Cup match between Al Karamah of Syria and Muangthong United from Thailand on Tuesday 14 September 2010. The match finished 1—0.

Watch the incident beginning from 0:30

Al Karamah 1-0 MTU_News




This incident occurred in the 14th minute when Al Karamah’s midfielder Mahmoud Al Mawas shot from distance and the ball cannoned off the crossbar. The rebound fell to Mohamad Al Hamwi who headed the loose ball into the net. The following four freeze frames show this.

[The ball is struck from a distance of over 30 yards. The ball's flight can be seen all the way to the crossbar.]

From the time the ball is struck from over 30 yards to the time it hits the crossbar, it is clear that Al Karamah players (blue) are all onside. However, the goal was incorrectly ruled out for offside. This means the AR was probably not fully focused or was poorly positioned.

Whether this disallowed goal proves significant or not may depend on the result of the second-leg quarterfinal AFC Cup match. Nevertheless, this is not optimum officiating.

The Match Officials were:

Match Commissioner
Abdulrazaq Mohamed Abbas Kamal (Bahrain)

Referee Assessor
Ali Tareq Ahmed Ali (Iraq)

Referee
Tan Hai (China)

Assistant Referees
Huo Weiming (China)
Su Jige (China)

Fourth Official
Muokhtar Saleh Ali Al-Yarimi (Yemen)

Match reports can be found here and here.

Not Optimum Officiating in the AFC Cup Part 2

The following incident occurred during a second-leg quarterfinal AFC Cup match between Muangthong United of Thailand and Al Karamah from Syria on Tuesday 21 September 2010. The match finished 2—0.

Football can be a controversial game, particularly if important decisions by match officials have an impact on the outcome. Last week, following the first-leg encounter between these two Asian football teams, HKRef mentioned the possibility that Al Karamah’s disallowed goal which was incorrectly ruled offside would prove significant. Well, it has.


Here are the highlights of the second-leg quarterfinal match:

AFC Cup Quarterfinals: Muang Thong United FC 2-0 Al Karamah 21/09/2010





The first goal for Muangthong United was a nicely-worked goal. There is no controversy here, and from the referee’s perspective it is always nice to be a nearby witness to a well-crafted football move that results in a goal.

However, the second goal is controversial for two main points.
First, it appears that the Muangthong United attacker (red) is guilty of simulation. Watch closely, as he intentionally drags his right foot as if “trawling” for a foul. However, this is the match referee's decision to give the penalty; the referee calls it as he sees it.
Second, the penalty kick should have been disallowed (and retaken) because it did not meet the requirements of Law 14.

Can you spot the breach in Law 14 from the following three pictures?

[The decisive spot kick; but should it have been allowed?]

The placement of the ball is clearly NOT on the penalty mark. Again, this is not optimum officiating.

The Match Officials were:

Match Commissioner
Lai Boon Teck (Sin)

Referee Assessor
Edward Lennie (Aus)

Referee
Choi Myung Yong (Kor)

Assistant Referee 1
Eun Jong Bok (Kor)

Assistant Referee 2
Choi Minbyoung (Kor)

Fourth Official
Kim Sang Woo (Kor)

Match reports can be found here and here.

Rational Ref: Humble coin toss a match-fixer's dream

Humble coin toss will confound fight against football graft

Seemingly simple flip of a disc will confound those battling graft in football, since there are no rules on how refs must conduct it

• 

Humble coin toss a match-fixer's dream. Photo: Reuters

How much is a coin toss worth? Can foolishly faking a frivolous flip and flick of a thin metallic disc prove financially tempting? You bet. Five years ago, the going rate was 100,000 yuan (US$16,000).

This was the amount Chinese referee Huang Junjie accepted from fellow referee Zhou Weixin to rig the coin toss between Manchester United and FC Shenzhen in 2007. Huang fixed the flip to ensure Shenzhen kicked off the match in Macau.

Huang and Zhou admitted this in court when they became the first referees to face trial in December 2011, following a two-year crackdown on soccer corruption in China. Soon after, Lu Jun, a former World Cup referee, stood trial. Lu was previously considered China's most respected referee, nicknamed the "golden whistle" for his impartiality.

Lu was found guilty of accepting 350,000 yuan for fixing a match in 2003 and subsequently received a five-and-a-half year jail sentence. In an instant, China's golden match official joined the ranks of corrupt referees on the mainland, who are dubbed "black whistles". These infamous black whistles also received life bans.

In recent weeks, major organisations have declared match-fixing to be widespread. A report by Europol revealed about 700 matches worldwide, including Champions League ties and World Cup qualifiers, were suspected of having been fixed.

And last week, Interpol met with Fifa officials at a conference in Kuala Lumpur jointly hosted by the Asian Football Confederation to set tougher laws in the battle against criminal syndicates suspected of match-fixing.

The AFC announced it had established a task force that would collaborate with all stakeholders and educate member associations on ways to tackle match-fixing in Asia.

Rational Ref is keen to see what kind of role, and support, match officials will be given in this initiative to combat suspect practices. Take, for example, the rigging of the seemingly straightforward coin toss.

The tradition of the coin toss is based on Western culture. Observe most Western referees and they will place the coin on top of their thumb and forefinger to flick the coin up in the air. The coin will twist and twirl in a blur and then be caught in the same hand that flipped it. Without looking at the coin and in one smooth movement, the coin is slapped onto the back of the other hand and then revealed.

This is the standard protocol of the coin toss, providing you are British, Australian, Canadian or American. Last Tuesday night, Australian referee Chris Beath performed the standard coin toss as expected during the AFC Cup match between Kitchee and Churchill Brothers from India.

But watch referees from continental Europe, Asia or South America, and the coin toss action varies considerably. Some cannot flip the coin using their thumbs, some catch the coin with both hands, some catch and reveal using only one hand, some let the coin land on an open palm, and others will let the coin fall to the ground after throwing the coin up without imparting any spin. Some referees are just clumsy and fumble the coin toss.

Furthermore, the rulebook assumes all referees know how to flip a coin. It states: "a coin is tossed and the team that wins the toss decides which goal it will attack and the other team takes the kick-off".

Since there is no accepted coin toss protocol, criminal syndicates have benefited. For instance, what's to prevent referees from catching the coin in an open palm, seeing the result and then deciding whether or not to slap it over on the other hand, depending on the desired outcome? There have been occasions where Chinese referees catch the coin in the open palm, with the wrist slap being optional.

Details are unknown about the infamous coin toss at the Manchester United versus FC Shenzhen match. If the referee did not rig the actual toss, he could have easily used another suspect method.
Hypothetically, the referee, having gone through the motions of the coin toss, could quickly look at the result and declare Manchester United would choose ends, thus leaving FC Shenzhen to kick off, which was the prearranged outcome.

Any visiting player to China, such as 33-year-old Ryan Giggs five seasons ago, could easily dismiss this as a cultural peculiarity and in any case would just want to get the match started without fuss. In hindsight, we know it was an easy 100,000 yuan for a black whistle to make.

Hence, this simple example of a corrupt coin toss is just the tip of the iceberg for AFC's new task force.

Rational Ref reckons referees on the right side of the law can assist the task force in its fight against match-fixing. After all, referees are whistleblowers.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Humble coin toss a match-fixer's dream

PUBLISHED : Friday, 01 March, 2013

Optimum Officiating: AFC Cup 2009 QF 2nd Leg part 2

2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 2 of 6



REMARKS

At 00:50, South China player (red #21) falls to the ground. The Neftchi player (yellow #6) did not foul his opponent, and in fact withdrew his right leg to avoid any follow-through. The Referee deals with the theatrics and delaying tactics with a friendly gesture: he offers his hand to the red shirt.

At 2:35, Referee awards a free kick to Neftchi. However, not sure why this is an indirect free kick, since there was contact between the players as they challenged for the ball.

At 4:38, Referee signals for substitution (South China).

At 6:38, Referee signals for South China corner. Neftchi captain (yellow #23) is concerned about time-wasting, but the referee reassures him that time will be added on.

At 7:19, Referee has signaled a South China corner and is being proactive. The referee sends a broadcast message for South China not to delay restart.

At 8:10, Referee spots a South China player fall to the ground. It is another delay tactic by South China. Again, the referee reassures the Neftchi captain (yellow #23) that he is aware of the time.

Optimum Officiating: AFC Cup 2009 QF 2nd Leg part 6

2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 6 of 6



REMARKS

The final minutes of this match are crucial and the referee works hard and does a fantastic job to keep up with play.

At 1:50, the ball goes out for a South China goal kick. South China captain (red #11) ties his bootlaces. South China keeper laughs and shares the joke. Referee signals for them to “get on with it”.

At 3:33, Referee blows whistle and signals the end of the match.

The referee team officiated the match intelligently and effectively.

Optimum Officiating: AFC Cup 2009 QF 2nd Leg part 4

2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 4 of 6



REMARKS

At 2:30, South China player (red #22) fouls Neftchi player (yellow #26). Good referee teamwork.

At 4:37, Referee plays advantage and allows South China (red) to carry on attacking. This is Optimal Officiating because a) playing advantage allows the game to flow and remain exciting, and b) prevents South China from using the incident as a means to delay restart.

At 4:55, South China player (red #26) is exhausted because of the advantage just applied by the Referee. The Referee clearly tells the player not to waste time. Then, South China captain (red #11) attempts to influence the Referee and complicate the situation (perhaps to cause more delay?) by saying that there should be a caution for the foul incident at 4:37. This is typical of the kind of pressure and bias players put on Referees. The Referee clearly tells the captain "No". The tackle by the Neftchi player was not reckless and it did not disrupt South China’s attacking move.

At 5:50, another South China player (red #2) goes down with cramp. Neftchi player (yellow #26) and Neftchi captain (yellow #23) reminds the Referee about South China’s delaying tactics. The Referee reassures them that he is keeping a close eye on this and that there will added time. Neftchi captain gives referee the “thumbs up”.

At 6:20, Referee signals for substitution (Neftchi)
At 6:40, Referee has to again manage the delaying tactics of South China. This time, South China are slow to restart play with a throw-in. Neftchi players (like captain yellow #23) are beginning to get irritated. The Referee remains calm.

At 7:30, South China player (red #26) is fouled. Referee’s body language quickly tells him to “get up and get on with it”. Red #26 knows this, and shares a cheeky smile/joke with the referee.

At 8:08, South China player wins ball fairly from Neftchi player. Neftchi player wants a foul. Referee correctly ignores him.

South China AA v Kuwait SC: AFC Cup 2009 SF 2nd Leg

Was it a Penalty Kick?

[Kuwait SC defender (white) slides in to South China attacker (red) and does not get the ball]

At 2:10, Kuwait SC defender (white #38) makes a slide tackle but is nowhere near the ball. He makes contact with the South China attacker (red #26) and red #26 falls to the ground. Look at the reaction of white #38.
(Note: even if white #38 had got the ball, he would have had to first go through his opponent.)

HKRef will leave it up to the viewers to decide whether a penalty kick should have been awarded. Please click your answer on the POLL. Should a penalty kick have been awarded to South China?


Related Posts
Kuwait Deny South China Berth in AFC Cup Final
South China on Verge of History

Optimum Officiating: AFC Cup 2009 QF 2nd Leg part 3

2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 3 of 6



REMARKS

At 0:01, Neftchi player (yellow #26) fouls South China player (red #30).

At 1:30, Neftchi player (yellow #26) is fouled by a South China player. The funny thing is that another South China player (red #30) believes he was fouled (by being pushed in the back). In fact, it was his own team-mate who pushed him!

At 2:15, Referee waves away a penalty appeal. No foul was committed.
At 2:27, Referee makes eye contact with the South China player to re-confirm that there was no foul, and the red shirt accepts this message.

At 3:33, Referee signals for substitutions (South China and Neftchi).

At 5:53, Neftchi (yellow) counter-attacked and had a great chance to score, but were denied by the South China keeper.

At 7:57, Referee signals a goal kick. He is proactive and warns the South China keeper not to delay.

At 8:30, South China player (red #2) fouls Neftchi player (yellow #20). The Referee is quick and decisive but gets the restart position slightly wrong.

At 9:09, Neftchi player (yellow #26) deliberately handles the ball. The Referee is quick to react and correctly cautions him. Yellow #26 also appeared to be offside. As the Referee stops to write in his notebook, his positioning is effective and it clearly tells the South China keeper to be ready for restart.

Optimum Officiating: AFC Cup 2009 QF 2nd Leg part 5

2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 5 of 6



REMARKS

At 0:02, Neftchi player (yellow #19) fouls South China player (red #22). Referee remains calm and proactive.

At 1:23, South China captain (red #11) fouls Neftchi player (#22). Referee quickly covers ground to be present to manage the situation. South China captain is delaying restart, Netfchi player tries to place ball closer to goal, and Referee is keeping everything under control. The AR is helping by signaling to the 2-man wall not to encroach.

At 2:23, Neftchi player (yellow #29) fouls South China player (red #26). Good support by the AR, who signals to and then tells the referee that it was a tactical foul deserving a caution.

At 3:51, Referee signals to the 4th official to give 5 minutes of additional time. Additional time is allowed for 5 things: substitutions; assessment of injury to players; removal of injured players from the field of play for treatment; wasting time: and any other cause.

Referees guidelines recommend that 30 seconds by allowed for every goal or substitution, and 1 or 2 minutes be added for injuries and/or time-wasting, if they have occurred. Considering there were 4 substitutions and lots of time-wasting, giving 5 minutes of additional time seems correct and fair.

At 5:40, the 4th official announces there will be 5 minutes of additional time.

At 6:30, South China win a throw-in, and the Referee takes proactive steps to limit any delay in the restart.

Optimum Officiating: AFC Cup 2009 QF 2nd Leg part 1

2009 09 30 South China v Neftchi AFC Cup 2009 1 of 6



REMARKS

At 1:45, South China player (red #21) makes a tactical foul. By the reaction of the South China players (there are 4 red shirts crowding the ball), it is obvious that the intention is to delay restart. The Referee has the option to caution player #21, but instead opts to send a warning to the player. The Referee’s body language clearly says: “Any more, and it’s a caution”.
It actually takes 1 minute from the foul until the free kick restart.

At 3:45, foul.

At 7:14, Referee does a little shimmy (sidestep) to avoid getting in the way of play.
At 7:18, Referee spots an infringement.

At 8:50, Referee signals for a corner to South China. Referee takes proactive steps to guide the South China captain (red #11) to the corner and not to delay restart. Red #11 acknowledges this by patting the Referee’s butt!

At 9:26, Referee again signals for a corner to South China and again takes proactive steps.
At 9:50, Referee gives a clear broadcast message for players to refrain from holding and to behave.

Rational Ref: Genuine refereeing howlers are unforgivable

Genuine refereeing howlers are unforgivable, but it's important to know the difference

Errors in applying the laws of the game should be punished

• 

Referees are judged harshly, especially when they make a wrong call, but it's important to recognise when the referee is genuinely at fault. Photo: AFP

 

Not all refereeing mistakes are equal; some are more equal than others. So can soccer lovers distinguish between honest mistakes and the inexcusable?

Many howlers such as incorrect handballs, offsides and penalties occur naturally as a consequence of human error, but unfortunately they obtain huge media exposure when in the English Premier League. If we cut through all the noise, vitriol and bias, many of these decisions are forgivable and only a handful are indefensible.

The unacceptable was Jan Vertonghen being adjudged offside when the Tottenham Hotspur defender should have been celebrating his second goal against Sunderland during the final seconds of the match.  

Replays clearly showed Jan Vertonghen to be inside his own half as he ran clear to score a disallowed goal

Offsides are straightforward black-and-white judgment calls and assistant referees get them more right than wrong. These are genuinely honest mistakes, although referee assessors will still give ARs poor marks for judging them wrong.

However, the decision against Vertonghen was not a judgment call. Technically, it was an error in law, and referees know this is the worst kind of mistake they can commit.

 

Technical errors that involve incorrect application of the laws is tantamount to being declared incompetent and unfit for purpose. Vertonghen was in his own half when the ball was played to him by his teammate. He cannot be in an offside position, no matter what else has occurred.

Assistant referee Stuart Burt should have been rooted at the halfway line because his main task is to keep in line with the second-last defender or the ball.

Since the Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon had gone up for his team's corner, there was no second-last defender in Sunderland's half during Spurs' counterattack and obviously the ball was way behind the halfway line when it was passed to Vertonghen. At the halfway line, Burt would have realised he was facing a no-offside situation. We can only assume he panicked and flagged.

The most infamous error in law was the "three-card trick" by former EPL referee Graham Poll when he gave Croatia's Josip Simunic a hat-trick of cautions in the same match during the 2006 World Cup.
English referee Graham Poll made possibly the worst howler in World Cup history when he booked Croatia's Josip Simunic three times before sending him off at the 2006 World Cup. Photo: AP
Asia's top referee, Ravsham Irmatov, made an unbelievable blunder at the 2013 Confederations Cup when Italy played Brazil. During a corner kick, Italy forward Mario Balotelli was hauled down by a defender and Irmatov blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.

However, moments later the ball reached Italy's Giorgio Chiellini, who promptly scored. Unfathomably, Irmatov changed his mind and awarded the goal, which is a major error in law.
Although indefensible, confident referees are chastened by such harrowing experiences and return stronger.

Irmatov quickly bounced back at last year's World Cup to set the record for refereeing the most number of World Cup matches and this year became AFC Referee of the Year for the fifth time.

In contrast, errors of judgment are simply honest mistakes. Anthony Taylor's incorrect yellow card to Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas for diving is forgivable.


Although not an excuse, the speed of the game can make it difficult to judge incidents in real time because referees are not infallible. Referees do not sleep well at night knowing that they have made errors.

Errors aside, the real problem is that players, coaches and supporters have become stubbornly accustomed to complaining about every referee decision going against them, regardless of whether it is correct or not.

In last weekend's Hong Kong Premier League match between Tai Po and YFCMD, referee Cheng Oi-cho made a courageous and correct call when he awarded a penalty to YFCMD in the final minute of added time, when the score was 0-0. Tai Po players were incensed, but video replays (watch here at 49:30) undisputedly revealed their captain, Lui Chi-hing, had manhandled YFCMD's Mamadou Hady Barry to the ground.

 

At the final whistle, Tai Po players rounded on the referee. Li Ka-chun bodychecked the referee, Jing Teng clapped sarcastically, Sze Kin-wai hurled abuse and to cap it off the Tai Po coach rushed over and confronted the referee, too.

The fact that the referee made the correct decision is beside the point. Players and coaches, no matter what the circumstances, cannot abuse match officials.

Competition organisers must publicly support referees, and the HKFA must punish Tai Po in the strongest possible terms for their unacceptable behaviour.

Agree or disagree? Contact Rational Ref at rationalref@gmail.com

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Howlers are unforgivable, but know the difference

PUBLISHED : Thursday, 29 January, 2015

Lebanese Referee Jailed in Singapore … Sings

The Lebanese Referee jailed in Singapore has revealed how match-fixers "advise" match officials how to rig games.

"The best way to rig a match [is] to award penalties"

Referees already know this ... and if you look at the example here of Niger Referee Ibrahim Chaibou on 1 June 2011, it is quite obvious that he is fixing the match. So what has FIFA or Interpol done about charging Chaibou?

Singaporean businessman and match fixer Eric Ding Si Yang. Pic from AFP

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Reference

Referee given match-fixing tips on YouTube, court told (SCMP; paywall)

Jailed official tells court he received links from businessman on how to make 'wrong decisions'
Tuesday, 16 July, 2013, 3:59am

Agence France-Presse in Singapore

A Lebanese referee jailed for accepting sex to rig matches testified yesterday that a Singaporean businessman used YouTube to show him how to fix a game.

Ali Sabbagh, speaking on the first day of the trial of Eric Ding Si Yang, said the businessman sent him "20 to 30" YouTube links by e-mail to "teach me how to make wrong decisions".

"The videos had too many decisions where the decision made by the referee is not the right decision," he said.

Ding is accused of providing Sabbagh, 34, and two other Lebanese officials with women who gave them free sexual services before a match in Singapore in April..

Sabbagh and the other two officials were withdrawn from duty and placed under investigation before the match. He was found guilty in June and sentenced to six months in jail, while his assistants - Ali Eid and Abdallah Taleb - were also convicted and have since been released and deported.

Sabbagh said that in a series of e-mail exchanges late last year, Ding told him that the best way to rig a match was to award penalties. Sabbagh quoted Ding as saying that "nobody will stop you, nobody will do anything ... When the corner comes, just blow and say pushing and pulling ... If there is anything in the penalty area, you can blow your whistle".

He said Ding gave him assurances that he would not be asked to rig matches that would affect his career within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Sabbagh, who is scheduled to be released from jail on August 3, told the court he was the one who first proposed that Ding "arrange for girls" when the three match officials were in Singapore for the AFC Cup tie between Singapore's Tampines Rovers and India's East Bengal in April.

Sabbagh said Ding asked them to choose between Colombian or Asian girls and "we all told him we want Asian girls".

He added that Ding had likely offered the free sexual favours with the expectation that they would help rig unspecified AFC Champions League matches to be held in South Korea, Qatar and Iran. "He [Ding] is very interested in these matches, there is too much spectators, there is too much goals," Sabbagh said in stuttering English.

Ding seemed relaxed but appeared to show disapproval at parts of Sabbagh's testimony.

He faces a maximum of five years in jail and fines of up to S$100,000 (US$80,000) for each of three counts of corruption. He separately faces two charges of stealing evidence and obstructing police after declining to disclose the password to his laptop computer. He denies the charges.

South China Claim 2010 Senior Shield

Congratulations to South China for winning the Canbo Senior Shield during the final between Kitchee and South China on Saturday 30 January 2010 at Siu Sai Wan Stadium. Attendance was 2,760 and the final score was 2-4.

GOALS
Kitchee : Liang, Zicheng 24', Baruc Nsue Burrcet 53'
South China : Schutz, Tales 68', Ferreira Da Silva, Leonardo 69', Chan, Siu Ki 79', Ferreira Da Silva, Leonardo 90'

YELLOW CARDS
Kitchee : Liang, Zicheng 56'
South China : Chan, Siu Ki 57', Sidrailson, da Mata Ribeiro 70'


Interestingly, there were no red cards although there were two incidents that may have warranted them.

In the 32nd minute during a free kick, Kitchee defender Ubay Luzardo Santana (#5) was holding South China forward Leonardo Ferreira Da Silva (#33). Leonardo retaliated by elbowing Santana in the chin. After consulting with the AR, the Referee gave a public warning to both players. [HKRef believes Leonardo was fortunate to escape being awarded a red card for violent conduct.]

In the 74th minute (with the match delicately poised at 2-2), a long ball from the Kitchee half led to a breakaway opportunity. Kitchee captain Lo Kwan Yee (#12) raced towards the South China goal in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. The South China goalkeeper Zhang Chun-hui (#23) came out of the penalty area and fouled Lo. The Referee gave a goal kick. [HKRef believes Zhang was fortunate to escape being awarded a red card for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity to an opponent.]


Here’s how the South China Morning Post reported the match:
South China fight back to lift Shield

Chan Kin-wa
Jan 31, 2010

Unstoppable Chan Siu-ki helped South China stage a thrilling rally from two goals down to beat Kitchee 4-2 and lift the Canbo Senior Shield at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground yesterday.

Playing in front of 2,700 spectators, the Caroliners were on the brink of defeat in the first cup final of the season. But two goals within a minute by Tales Schutz and Leonardo da Silva midway through the second half revitalised their hopes, before Chan's wonderful half-volley from 14 metres put them into a 3-2 lead. Da Silva's second goal, in stoppage time, settled matters.

"It was a hard-earned victory, and I was thinking we might have to settle for second best when we were two goals down," said Chan. "But, thanks to the hard work of my teammates, we levelled the score and then got two more goals to lift the title. It was just amazing, like achieving the impossible."

While helping his club to the first title of the season, Chan also collected two individual honours as the striker swept both the top-scorer award, with four goals, as well as the award for the tournament's most valuable player.

"I can only say I am enjoying the best phase of my career and want to help the club in this year's AFC Cup and the Hong Kong team for the East Asian Championship," he said.

Chan said he knew both Japan and South Korea would send much stronger teams to the East Asian Championship than they did to the East Asian Games, in which Hong Kong beat both sides to clinch the gold medal. However, he said he had confidence in his teammates and believed they could win again.

"No one would have expected our results at the East Asian Games, and the same thing may happen at the East Asian Championship. Who knows?" he said.

South China players will form the bulk of the Hong Kong team as they challenge the three top powers of the region - South Korea, Japan and China - in the nine-day tournament, which kicks off in Tokyo next week.

Disappointed Kitchee captain Lo Kwan-yee said he hoped his teammates would recover soon from the defeat. "The result was difficult to take, as we were leading by two goals in the second half of a cup final. But our defence was caught off-guard with the two-goal cushion and allowed them to come back, which really should not happen," said Lo, who also questioned the refereeing. "I was brought down by South China goalkeeper Zhang Chunhui in the second half and it was definitely a red card for Zhang, but the referee gave no punishment for an obvious foul."

South China convenor Steven Lo Kit-sing refused to comment on the referee's performance. "We all know the general standard of referees in Hong Kong. They all have to improve and this is the job of the Football Association," said Lo. "We had a good match today, coming back from two goals down to beat Kitchee. The victory has given us more confidence."

Here are the highlights, courtesy of SCAAwebtv (the 'non-penalty decision' incident is seen at 4:00):