(7) Italy-Russia
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Highlights
Report
I didn't themetically structure the texts that they would align like this - but the ideas touched on in the Krug report are quite useful here. Les Mottram, Scotland's top referee in the mid-1990s, was something of a throwback to the 'premodern' era in the way he handled matches: Mottram followed the old Scottish style of running the game with a lanyard around his neck, and the whistle often in his mouth (Hugh Dallas, reserve referee in this game who would go onto the Atlanta Olympics in the same summer, also used the same style early in his career). Mottram's performances in World Cup 1994 -- where he didn't exactly excel -- were out of kilter with the way other refs handled matches; with the Scot acting a bit like a 'dictator' on the field of play, in a way a lot more familiar with the World Cups in 1982 and before.
Italy's exciting 2-1 win over Russia was an easier game to referee than France's tactically-considered single goal defeat of Romania - but, all the same, Mottram handled the tie at Anfield well and deserved praise. The most 'controversial' question is whether Russia striker Igor Kolyvanov should have been sent off, having been already cautioned in the first, when he in the second deliberately handled the ball in aid of an attack (69'); no actors on the field of play seemed to really clock the (nature of the) offence. The ball did role kindly for Mottram, you might say: his technical accuracy wained a little late in the piece, and though there were a few fouls that came close, no tackle or challenge in the match was (assessed as being) reckless. What I though appreciated most in this refereeing, having watched both Mottram's matches in the US in '94, was small some touches like scenes where he made nice contact with the players and so on, to give the image more of a 'likeable PE teacher', than being a tyranical figure on the field of play.
Overall, it was certainly a good performance by Les Mottram and one that I would rate as '8,3' in the current system. Quite relevant game for both linesmen: no assistant ref had been tested so far as much as Robert Orr on the near side, but besides one situation where he was wrong to flag down Kolyvanov (he kicked the ball in Orr's direction having got more and more frustrated with the offside rulings as the first half had gone on), his accuracy was good. John Fleming had a couple of scenes where he confused his head referee (most notably here), but lacking evidence to contravene this assessment, performed fine overall.
Italy's exciting 2-1 win over Russia was an easier game to referee than France's tactically-considered single goal defeat of Romania - but, all the same, Mottram handled the tie at Anfield well and deserved praise. The most 'controversial' question is whether Russia striker Igor Kolyvanov should have been sent off, having been already cautioned in the first, when he in the second deliberately handled the ball in aid of an attack (69'); no actors on the field of play seemed to really clock the (nature of the) offence. The ball did role kindly for Mottram, you might say: his technical accuracy wained a little late in the piece, and though there were a few fouls that came close, no tackle or challenge in the match was (assessed as being) reckless. What I though appreciated most in this refereeing, having watched both Mottram's matches in the US in '94, was small some touches like scenes where he made nice contact with the players and so on, to give the image more of a 'likeable PE teacher', than being a tyranical figure on the field of play.
Overall, it was certainly a good performance by Les Mottram and one that I would rate as '8,3' in the current system. Quite relevant game for both linesmen: no assistant ref had been tested so far as much as Robert Orr on the near side, but besides one situation where he was wrong to flag down Kolyvanov (he kicked the ball in Orr's direction having got more and more frustrated with the offside rulings as the first half had gone on), his accuracy was good. John Fleming had a couple of scenes where he confused his head referee (most notably here), but lacking evidence to contravene this assessment, performed fine overall.
Matchsheet
| Leslie Mottram - 7 Robert Orr - 7 John Fleming - 7 Hugh Dallas (assessor: ridden) | Italy 2-1 Russia Tues 11June 430pm, Liverpool Group Stage |
Ita  Albertini (14') - SPA (Holding) Donadoni (83') - UB (encroaching) | Rus Onopko (9') - SPA (Challenge) Kolyvanov (31') - Dissent Kovtun (82') - SPA (Holding) |
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