Referee Review
What should you focus on in this scene?
See the key points from a referee’s perspective
Show explanation
Referee Review
What should you focus on in this scene?
See the key points from a referee’s perspective
Show explanationHow the footage and Laws apply
What to look at in this scene is the referee's running. The first point is the speed with which the referee reacted. A Sapporo player getting in behind their opponent also meant that a chance was about to develop. It can be seen that at the very moment this happened, the referee stepped up a gear, reacted and began to run. The second point is the line the referee took. As the break down the left brought the ball into the middle, Omiya players were still recovering towards their own half, so there were a great many people who could block the referee's view of the challenge. Even while running, however, the referee looked for a position from which the challenge would be easier to see and changed the line of their run. In fast counter-attacking situations like this, it becomes difficult to find the best position. It can be seen that the referee moved position while thinking constantly about where to be, and this makes the scene a valuable example for match officials.
Relevant Laws
Law 5 - The Referee (Positioning)
Official references
Check the wording of the Laws
The links above lead to official IFAB and JFA resources. The application of the Laws to this incident is the author’s analysis and is not an official view of IFAB, JFA or the competition organiser.
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