A&H

CMR vs BRA Matchday 12 - Elfath (USA)

george.g

george.g

Active Member
Level 5 Referee
Match #48
Cameroon vs Brazil
Friday, 2nd December 2022
22:00 Local Time (19:00GMT)
Lusali

Referee: Ismail Elfath (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Kyle Atkins (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Corey Parker (USA)
Fourth Official: Ma Ning (CHI)
Reserve Assistant Referee: Shi Xiang (CHI)
Video Assistant Referee: Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez (ESP)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Juan Martinez Munuera (ESP)
Offside Video Assistant Referee: Pau Cebrian Devis (ESP)
Support Video Assistant Referee: Ricardo de Burgos (ESP)
Standby Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Roberto Diaz Perez Del Palomar (ESP)
 
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Cameroon score in added on time, the goalscorer removes his shirt, gets the regulation yellow card (his 2nd)/red leaving his side to play the remainder of added on time with 10 men and he walks off laughing.

Not sure the referee's style of handshakes and pats on the back of players would be received well in the Premier League. :confused:
 
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Probably not! But it's a mark in Aboubakar's favour that he didn't argue. Gotta respect that and probably was a reflection on the referee's attitude through the game.
 
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The referee was a pro footballer in his teenage years in Morocco. It's why one of his strengths is understanding the game and making connections with players.
 
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Cameroon reminded me a bit of the 1990 team that sucker punched Argentina, just seemed happy to be there mixed with the occasional naive agricultural "challenge", whilst Brazil lack a Ronaldo/Romario type focal point.
 
Certainly referees with a smile on his face, but given the abuse Mike Dean got for his perceived style, British social media and the press would be ripping him a new one every week, especially if there was even a hint of a controversial decision. Can see the headlines already "Referee laughs as he shows 3 red cards in Merseyside derby"...
 
The thing I liked about today was that Elfath really showed a "harda$$" side to him early. He's generally lauded for his player management skills, but sometimes he comes across as too buddy-buddy in his games. I thought he did a little too much of that in the Portugal-Ghana match. This game, he had a firm streak about him and set a tone early. As the game went on, you saw more of the Elfath that those of us in the US know well. His handling of the send-off was first-class all the way.

I didn't think he had a great game in his last outing, but I did today. Given he has good history with FIFA (he did the U20 final a couple of years ago), it's not out of the realm of possibility that he gets a R16 or even a QF game depending on who advances. His issue will be that he can't do Morocco because it's his birth country, he can't do the US for obvious reasons, and I'm guessing he wouldn't be back on another Portugal game. So his window of matches is pretty tight.
 
Mooseybaby said:
Certainly referees with a smile on his face, but given the abuse Mike Dean got for his perceived style, British social media and the press would be ripping him a new one every week, especially if there was even a hint of a controversial decision. Can see the headlines already "Referee laughs as he shows 3 red cards in Merseyside derby"...
Click to expand...

I think it's a bit about context here. When he took off his shirt, the player knew he was getting a caution and sent off. Elfath isn't doing that it a different context--and the player wouldn't be shaking his hand and walking off laughing, either.
 
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