Professional Referee Organization (PRO) Manager of Video Review Greg Barkey says officials made the correct decisions on two instances that went to review in FC Cincinnati’s 1-0 loss to D.C. United last weekend.
In PRO’s “Inside Video Review” for Week 2 matches, Barkey gave an inside look at all eight instances that went to VAR calls.
That included going through what officials in New York were seeing on their screens when D.C. United’s Moses Nyeman initially was issued a yellow card on a tackle that sent FCC midfielder Luciano Acosta to the ground in the 80th minute and on a handball by Geoff Cameron that led to a 98thminute penalty kick and the game-winner for D.C. United.
After referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere took a look at the yellow card foul by Nyeman, the call was changed to a straight red card.
“The referee had not seen the point of contact clearly,” Barkey said of the initial call. “Nyeman had entered the challenge with a straight leg and studs exposed, making clear contact to the shin of Acosta with no play on the ball. Although he does not enter tackle with a lot of speed, the leaving of the leg straight and into the point of contact into the shin results in endangering the safety of the opponent and the referee correctly showed a red card for serious foul play after seeing the images.”
Barkey explained that on the handball in added time, the video review referees were first looking to make sure D.C.’s Steve Birnbaum was not offside on the cross he headed into Cameron’s extended arm as Cameron was jumping into the air to try to make a play on the ball.
Although coach Pat Noonan felt Cameron’s arm extension was not unnatural for that situation, Barkey said the call was correct.
“Cameron’s arm was extended away from his body, making himself bigger,” Barkey said. “This was a clear handball offense, and the referee was correct to award the penalty.”
Barkey’s four-minute review of the two plays impacting FCC begins at the 4:12-mark of PRO’s “Inside Video Review.”
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