Argentina-Saudi Arabia, the ‘oddities’ continue in Qatar: three times referee Vincic had to intervene
That number 14 on the screen yesterday afternoon during the match between England and Iran certainly could not go unnoticed. Indeed, it’s not often you see an extra-time of such proportions on the scoreboard. Fourteen minutes of added time due to the long injury stoppage time for the Iranian goalkeeper. But, apart from the break, it is still a monstrous figure, to which we are not accustomed. Evidently the Qatar 2022 referees have been given very specific directives. Everything has to be made up, down to the last thousandth of a second.
But the match between Senegal and Holland was no less. Between the first and second half the total number of recovery minutes was ten. The ‘saga’ continued in the third match, USA-Wales. After Welshman Bale’s 1-1 goal, scored in the final minutes, the match continued for another nine minutes beyond 90′. It was somewhat back to normal in Argentina-Saudi Arabia, the match being played at the moment. In the first half the referee awarded a ‘human’ recovery, despite the stops for consultations with the Var.
Argentina-Saudi Arabia, in the first half three goals cancelled out for offside
But the challenge between Messi and his teammates and the Saudis is likely to go down in history for something else: the goals cancelled for offside. Three times the flag was raised in the first half, on one occasion after the Var warning. Messi and twice Lautaro: the screams of the Albiceleste fans were choked in their throats, with Lionel Scaloni’s men surprised by the unprejudiced tactics of coach Hervé Renard, who chose to face Argentina with a very high defence. The record for goals disallowed for offside, however, dates back to the 1982 World Cup. In Kuwait-England as many as 20 were whistled.
ArgentinaArabiaSaudi Surprised by Saudi Arabia’s high defence? In World Cup history, the all-time offside record belongs to another Middle Eastern team: in Kuwait-England (1982), the English finished offside 20 times!
– Giuseppe Pastore (@gippu1) November 22, 2022