Posted Monday, May 30, 2011 08:58 AM
Like MLS officiating doesn’t take enough heat already.
The maligned referees in the United States top soccer flight issued several rulings in D.C. United’s 3-2 win over the Portland Timbers that left fans scratching their heads. And the way they handled Kenny Cooper’s PK in the 64th minute, you would have thought they had money on the over.
Cooper was pulled down in the box with his team trailing 1-0 and earned a chance from the spot. What ensued wasn’t as breathtaking as Dale Earnhardt Jr. running out of gas at the Coke 600 or J.R. Hildebrand hitting the wall on the final turn of the Indy 500, but it just as rare and equally wild.
United goalie Bill Hamid stopped the PK chance, but was called for
leaving his goal line early – like a free-throw lane violation in
basketball – and Cooper was given another chance. Again, Hamid stopped
the kick, but this time he again clearly was called for the same
violation and lost his mind, earning a yellow card.
And
this time, Cooper was taken off the spot by coach John Spencer and
instead inserted captain Jack Jewsbury to take – and make – the PK. Oh,
and if you haven’t seen the crowd in Portland, they are LEGIT.
What do you think of the calls? Was this one of the zaniest things to happen this weekend?
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