North Shore soccer referees discuss "disallowed" US World Cup goal

Since one of the biggest plays for the 2010 US World Cup squad was made by a referee, why not get a fellow referee’s take on it?Several North Shore high school soccer referees shared their views on the shot by Maurice Edu that was disallowed by referee Koman Coulibaly in Friday’s 2-2 tie with Slovenia in Johannesburg, South Africa. The prevailing sentiment among the referees surveyed was a feeling of surprise that a foul was called on Edu’s shot.”FIFA referees are supposed to be the best in the world,” said Steve Ingemi, a 12-year referee with the Eastern Mass. Soccer Officials Association and a former Marblehead High boys coach. “They know what a foul is and what it isn’t. That it was called the way it was is mind-boggling.”Both Ingemi and fellow EMass referee Jose Isidro, a former Bishop Fenwick girls coach, were left with questions after watching the replay.”The actual clip has the referee looking dead-on on the play,” said Isidro, a referee since 1993 who won two North titles at Fenwick. “I couldn’t see anything from that point of view – (Carlos) Bocanegra or (Clint) Dempsey or (Jozy) Altidore. I didn’t see anything. (Edu) ran by the guy and popped it in.””We still don’t know what the referee called for a foul,” Ingemi said. “If it’s offsides, fine – the replay clearly showed there was no offsides. It was well-struck, well-played from the free kick.”He added that it was apparent in the replay that “one Slovenian player has an American in a headlock, which is a hold and a penalty shot. Another Slovenian has another American in an armlock. The referee could not have missed this.”Of course, at all levels of soccer, controversial calls can and do occur.”It happens quite often,” Ingemi said. “I’ve called back wonderful, beautiful goals from 20, 22 yards out because of offsides or one player holding another’s back. The coaches don’t see that. You’ll have one coach screaming his brains out and another celebrating a goal. No matter what, someone’s going to be upset. It’s not an easy call to make.””We’ve all been there,” Isidro said. However, referring to the World Cup, he said, “At that stage, at that level, you’ve got to be 100 percent.”The disallowed goal came in the 85th minute of the Americans’ match against Slovenia and frustrated their hopes for a win. They will seek a better result when they play Algeria on Wednesday.”The Americans, I think, are doing the right thing,” Ingemi said. “They’re moving past it. Win (Wednesday) and they’re in (the next round). Lose, and they’re out.”As for Coulibaly, the referee whose call sparked a Cup controversy?”I don’t know what he saw,” Isidro said, adding that it took “guts” to make such a call. “I’d be curious to see or hear what he’d do if he can go back in time and fix that call.”