Unofficial Referee Observer’s Report © Árbitro Internacional & The Third Team

(FRA) FRANCE 2:1 GHANA (GHA)

Semifinals, 10 July 2013, 17:00 CET – Bursa (TUR)

Match Officials Name ORI Mark1 Mark2 Difficulty3

Referee Nawaf Shukralla BHR 7.9 8.4 Challenging
Assistant Referee 1 Yaser Tulefat BHR 8.3 --- Normal
Assistant Referee 2 Ebrahim Saleh BHR 8.3 --- Normal
Fourth Official Walter López GUA 8.3 --- Normal
Blog Referee Observer Chefren ITA
1
Final mark according to evaluation scale.
2
Mark if the final mark had not been influenced by a crucial mistake (only in case of a crucial mistake, to be held empty if no crucial mistake occurred).
3
Difficulty has to be integrated into the final mark. Levels of difficulty are: “normal”, “challenging” and “very challenging”.
4
Blog-Referee Observer =Inofficial referee observer appointed by the blog administrator.

Evaluation scale
(for referee, ARs and Description of the Marks
fourth official)
9.0 – 10.0 Excellent.
8.5 – 8.9 Very good. Important decision(s) correctly taken.
8.3 – 8.4 Good. Expected level.
8.2 Satisfactory with small areas for improvement.
8.0 – 8.1 Satisfactory with important areas for improvement.
7.9 One clear and important mistake, otherwise 8.3 or above.
7.8 One clear and important mistake, otherwise 8.0 – 8.2.
Below expectation, poor control, significant point(s) for
7.5 – 7.7
improvement.
Disappointing. Below expectation with one and clear important
7.0 – 7.4 mistake or a performance with two or more clear and important
mistakes.
6.0 – 6.9 Unacceptable.

Small description of the match (extra-ordinary incidents etc.):

The first semifinal of FIFA U-20 WC 2013, played in Bursa between France and Ghana. The
stadium presented an attendance of 6,314. The referee appointed for this match was Nawaf
Shukralla from Bahrain, at his third appointment after two matches in the group stage. In its
progress the matche presented several important situations which had to be evaluated by the
referee and for this reason it was challenging. At the end a crucial decision taken was wrong, but it
didn’t affect the outcome.
 Unofficial Referee Observer’s Report © Árbitro Internacional & The Third Team

Referee
Crucial Decisions (refer to penalty kicks, sending-off situations etc.)

Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the referee’s decision

Complaints from Ghana for a possible violent conduct with the ball away, by
Digne (FRA) on Anaba (GHA). The replay shows that there is a soft contact with
26’ the arm near the chest of the opponent, absolutely not enough for a RC. Ghana
player falls too easily. The referee was anyway looking elsewhere, missing the
whole situation.
After having scored a goal, Thauvin (FRA) celebrates taking away the corner kick
flag for a while. It’s to referee discretion to decide if a celebration is punishable by
43’ a YC due to the wasting of time. The player was already booked, in case of YC
he had to be sent off. The referee decided to allow this behavior without giving a
card. Acceptable decision according to the LotG.
Penalty appeal by Ghana: contact in area between Foulquier (FRA) and
Acheampong (GHA). The replay is not 100% clear but it seems that the contact is
52’
really soft and Ghana player falls to easily. In the doubt, we can share the
decision of the referee, because it isn’t a blatant situation or a clear foul.
Umititi (FRA) receives his second YC and he is sent off after a foul on Assifuah
(GHA). The infraction is reported to referee by AR1 Tulefat. The decision is
wrong because it wasn’t absolutely a YC. Instead, almost a dive by Ghana player,
80’ which sees the hand of the opponent near his face and pretends a contact.
Mistake to be shared with the assistant, but at the end we can’t know who
decided for the card, so the referee will take the responsibility for that in our final
marks.

Basic Observations (refer to the general application of the LotG, highlight the
referee’s tactical approach, personality, match control, management of the teams
and players, teamwork etc.).
Please deploy short but precise and detailed sentences!

Positive Points
1. Control of the game by a good management and communication with players.
2. Correct use of the advantage, waiting prior to whistle and give a card.
3. Detection of dives.
4. Evaluation of crucial situations in penalty areas.
5. Management of added time.

Points for Improvement

More attention when there are conflicts between players with the ball away, taking
1.
anyway into account that it’s difficult to have everything under control.
Positioning wasn’t bad but it can be improved: sometimes the referee seemed to
2.
be too far away from the play, even though he had a good fitness.
Evaluation of situations reported by assistants. The second card given to Umititi
3. (FRA) was wrong. In those cases, it would be better to whistle the foul without
giving cards, if not sure. Anyway, it is unsure who took the YC decision.
 Unofficial Referee Observer’s Report © Árbitro Internacional & The Third Team

The referee’s character

Physical Aspects + Expected -

Fitness / Stamina X
Always close to play without interfering with it X
Flexible diagonal movement X
Positioning at set pieces X
Efficient positioning, having a good angle of
X
vision to play
Close to the penalty area, if needed X

very very
Tactical Approach lenient medium strict
lenient strict
Description X

Yes So-so No
Consistency in the tactical approach / style X
The tactical approach suited to the require-
ments of the match / the match benefitted X
from the tactical approach of the referee
Ability to adapt the tactical approach if
X
needed

Further observations (peculiarities of the referee revealing his character)

The tactical approach of the referee was more lenient than strict, he decided to
give cards for mandatory situations, trying always to let the game flow, but at
the end the big mistake of the match was made just because a wrong card was
issued. So, there wasn’t consistency with the previous choices. Without the
second wrong card to French player, it might have been a very good
performance by Shukralla in a challenging match. We should underline that he
was able to handle it without big problems. For the future, more attention is
needed especially in the situations in which he is far from the action. This time
he relied on his assistants, but unluckily this led to a mistake.
Overall, his FIFA U20 2013 WC was anyway good and therefore he can have a
hope for a WC call.
 Unofficial Referee Observer’s Report © Árbitro Internacional & The Third Team

Assistant Referee 1

Please assess the first assistant referee’s performance.

Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the AR’s behaviour

8‘ Digne (FRA) is correctly evaluated onside.
56’ Assifuah (GHA) is correctly flagged offside.

Assistant Referee 2
Please assess the second assistant referee’s performance.

Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the AR’s behaviour

18’ Assifuah (GHA) is correctly flagged offside. Very good call.

Fourth Official

Please assess the fourth official’s performance.

Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the fourth official’s behaviour
The fourth official was not involved in remarkable situations and he executed well
Full time
his duties. Nothing extra-ordinary to report.