Canada 3, USA 3, Referee 1
The second half of the second semi-final in Olympic women’s soccer was an end-to-end affair, with the Canadians taking and surrendering the lead three times.
The Americans have an array of weapons up front, and deployed them relentlessly. Playmaker Megan Rapinoe repeatedly fed arguably the world’s best female striker, Abby Wambach.
Meanwhile the Canadians, with the stalwart and underrated Diana Matheson patrolling the midfield and arguably an even better female striker in Christine Sinclair, battled ahead for the lead three times, then succumbed to a never-say-die American powerhouse in the very last moments of play.
That’s the story they’re telling in the American media today, carefully sidestepping the fact that the American team was the Goliath to the Canadians’ David. There also carefully omitting that the final scoreline was Canada 3, USA 3, Referee 1.
With Canada ahead by a goal and ten minutes of the game remaining, the ref made two game-changing calls. First, she whistled for an indirect free kick when the Canadian keeper delayed the game; second, she called for a penalty when a Canadian handled the ball in the box. The Americans converted the kick and went on to win the game in extra time after a half hour of extra time.
The referee, Christina Pedersen, is highly experienced. She appears disinterested – she’s from Norway. She has reffed world cup games as well as other Olympic games. Her credentials are top-notch. Both of those calls, however, were anything but. The first was doubtful at best, and the other almost unprecedented in high-level soccer.
Let’s start with the less controversial call, the penalty. There’s no question that the ball struck Canadian defender Marie-Eve Nault’s hand; it was drilled at the Canadian wall from short-range, and caromed off another defender before hitting Nault. It’s a classic case of “ball-to-hand”, a fine difference that makes a distinction between a player redirecting the ball with her hand, deliberately or accidentally, and the ball striking a player in the arm before the player can react. The distinction is most often made when the player’s hand is in front of her body, which Nault’s indisputably was. The ref knew the penalty call would alter the outcome of the match, but called it anyway.
This call is made even more questionable by the fact that a handball by American midfielder Megan Rapinoe in the United States penalty area had gone uncalled approximately 15 minutes earlier. Unlike Nault, Rapinoe’s arm was not tucked in and was extended away from her body. Arguably the missed call on Rapinoe was a more egregious foul than the call that went against Nault.
Still, while it’s rare, but refs can make bad calls like that sometimes. The ball is round, as they say. The other call, the delay of game ruling, was unspeakable.
The way refs deal with keepers who delay the game is this; the keeper has six seconds from the point where she picks up the ball to where she releases it (usually by kicking it upfield). If the keeper lingers with the ball, the ref typically cautions her at least once, usually multiple times. If the keeper persists, the ref stops play, pulls a yellow card on the keeper, and then allows play to continue.
Did Erin MacLeod, a veteran international player, hold the ball for more than six seconds? Yes. Repeatedly? Yes. But so did Hope Solo at the other end of the field. Neither keeper was noticeably cautioned at any point during the game.
And while MacLeod was in the act of kicking the ball–that is, getting play underway again–the referee decided to throw the rulebook out completely and make a call that no one outside of high school intramural league play has seen, ever. She awarded the Americans an indirect free kick at the point where MacLeod kicked the ball. A minute later, the ball was in the back of the Canadian net.
It’s hard to overstate how ridiculous Pedersen’s call was. Never mind that she ignored many instances of grappling, climbing, and spiking at both ends of the field. Never mind that the American star, Abby Wambach, manhandled her markers repeatedly in the box (and was frustrated each time, only scoring on the dubious penalty kick).
No, the referee took it on herself to deliberately alter the outcome of the match, to the benefit of a highly favoured American team that was on the verge of losing to these upstart Canadians, who had already eliminated the Great Britain side from the tournament.
Why would Pedersen do that? To ensure a few more seats were filled in Wembley, knowing that a USA-Japan gold medal match would draw many times what a Canada-Japan final would?
It’s dangerous to play the conspiracy card. We are all biased. We all want our team to win. And we all want to believe that the best team does win, that medals are awarded to those who earned them. That, after all, is what the Olympics are supposed to be about, however naive that sounds. But what are the alternatives? That we label her as an incompetent ref? She isn’t. That she was overtaken by temporary insanity? Unlikely. It’s a lot easier to believe that the ref was bought off than that her calls were made honestly and in good faith.
Yes, the ball is round, and everything else is pure theory. But whatever the outcome in the final, the Americans’ medal will always have an asterisk beside it.
* Canada 3, USA 3, Referee 1.
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Stuart Main
August 7, 2012 at 4:01 pm
It was clear by a few minutes into the game that Canada was going to get a rough ride from the referee. And it became increasingly clear that she had either been paid off or unbelievably had a strong personal preference regarding the outcome of the game.
It has happened before in international soccer, referees have been caught at it and sanctioned. Since it is so hard to catch, one must presume that it goes on more often than we hear about.
As the article implies, no other explanation withstands the smell test. The referee was paid off, she couldn’t possibly be that bad and make it to the Olympics as an official.
Marg
August 7, 2012 at 10:43 pm
The IOC and particularly FIFA are a bunch of dishonest fools. It is quite apparent this female is crooked!!! What the heck was wamback wispering in her ear .FIFA should be investigating that ref.!!! They better not try and have her referee the game between Canada and France. Some heads will role if they do
Janelle
August 7, 2012 at 10:47 pm
I wanted to let you know about a slight rules correction. Since the referee decided to call the time wasting on the keeper, she had to give an indirect free kick. The only way she could give a yellow and let play continue is if the ball is not currently in play, as in a goal kick. Since the ball was already in play in the goalie’s hands, if the referee called anything, she had to award an indirect kick. I hope that clears up a small part of the confusion.
Matthew Bin
August 8, 2012 at 12:37 am
You’re right, Janelle — which is why the six-second rule is never, ever called in competition. The only confusion is why this ref took it on herself to call the game differently from every other soccer international in living memory.
Garrett
August 8, 2012 at 4:00 am
Obviously, you would omit the bit about Tancredi stomping on Carli Lloyd’s head in the 54th minute. So if we want to talk about referees having agendas, why didn’t they red card the Tank so early in the game almost guaranteeing defeat for the Canadians? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3ggsT2HWkc&list=UUMBL-8ZZn5ALtl6-P6vblqg&index=1&feature=plcp
Ben Kerr
August 8, 2012 at 7:19 am
Fouls were missed both ways… no one disputes that. But I think you missed the point.
This isn’t about the regular calls that are made and missed both ways. There were 2 yellow cards total in that game. It was extremely physical. There could have been far more than that. So yes, some fouls were clearly missed on both sides. That happens in football, happens every day.
This is about a ref that made a call with under 10 minutes left, that no one, no commentator, no player, no analyst, no rules official, can ever recall being made in any other major competition. EVER.
Show me one game in EPL, La Liga, Serie A, the Euros, the World Cup, or a past Olympics were this rule was called…. just once. You can’t decide to just start enforcing a rule that has never been enforced with 10 minutes left in an Olympic semi-final. Thats Bullshit, pure and simple.
Matthew Bin
August 8, 2012 at 7:20 am
A missed call–especially on incidental contact, which the Tancredi clip clearly shows–is a lot different from three blown calls. It’s funny how the American media is trying so hard to change the channel, though, to avoid talking about their unearned win. I guess they feel pretty uncomfortable about it, and are relying on people with little understanding of the game to propagate the myth that the Americans were overpowered by the Canadians.
I also wonder how well the Americans will do in the gold medal* game with closer scrutiny of their own tactics. What do you think would happen if the six-foot, 170-lb Wambach were called every time she climbed a defender?
Ben Kerr
August 8, 2012 at 12:43 pm
To be fair, some of the American media are able to acknowledge the travesty.
Suprisingly enough, its coming from NBC Sports, America’s Olympic Broadcaster.
http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/07/us-canada-referee-pedersen-goalie-clear-about-mondays-decision-wrong/
http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/06/ahem-awful-call-in-u-s-canada-olympic-classic-erin-mcleod-time-wasting-goalkeeper/
David stokoe
August 9, 2012 at 12:38 am
I live in Canada,having been from the uk.I have followed football for over 40 years as a player and coach!The us women’s team are a disgrace,not even the men’s team team show the lack of humility.They were second best all night,they fouled constantly and dragged the Canadians down to there level?win with dignity,win with a bit of style.But just like there basketball team thet thrive on being arrogant.
Joe
August 11, 2012 at 6:52 am
“” The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well”"
eleonora
June 10, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Hello! I’m from Agentina.
This game was absolutely amazing, both teams played great!
But honestly, I can not believe what Christina Pedersen did. Ridiculous with those calls! She highly Favoured the US team.
Hola! Soy de Agentina.
Este juego fue absolutamente increíble, ambos equipos jugaron muy espectacular!
Pero, sinceramente, no puedo creer lo que hizo la árbitro Christina Pedersen. Ridícula con lo que cobro!
Favoreció al equipo Estadounidense claramente.