25 SUICOL Mikkelsen

 

Peter Mikkelsen was in charge of one half of the finale of one of the best World Cup groups ever (let's be honest - all four teams deserved to go through really), for what in the end was a game which turned out to be not that important. It was certainly not boring though. At the end, Colombia eliminated, but consoled at least that they showed why they were so fancied to succeed before a ball kick (and tragedy struck). Switzerland went through in second, a good yield for them, being relatively unfancied. 

Mikkelsen was in charge of a really interesting match, a classic World Cup tie I would argue. There is no doubt that the Danish referee showed his top class, but unfortunately he did not really leave the best impression here at the same time, even if he mostly avoided controversy with his calls. 

Analysis

=> Contrary to Renato Marsiglia's performance in Belgium - Netherlands, Mikkelsen showed the value of holding your nerve to not issue cards, and his approach to this game was in my view optimal for the most part, but he failed to change tack when needed. Nothing really happened until 28' when Colombia thought they should have been awarded a penalty for handling

When the Dane started to have to make live tactical decisions after 28', up to and including the opening caution he did well. He bore some borderline SPA fouls, didn't unnecessarily irritate Colombia by opening the cards for a careless-reckless tackle (with them suffering many more fouls than their opponents) and having his hand on the game all the while. This was the asset he so brilliantly displayed at World Cup 1990. He was rewarded with clearest opening caution one could wish to see in order to start the sanctions. Good refereeing. 

=> Could the nature of the opening caution have set alarm bells ringing for Mikkelsen? It was so clearly unfair and out of some kind of frustration, not actually trying to score a goal; as an act it could even be considered dissent. At any rate it should have signalled the football-focused start was perhaps about to change. 

The key moment of the match was the alleged violent conduct by Carlos Valderrama. Colombia player was deliberately tripped late (negligible force) and then approached by Ciriaco Sforza, who was trying to indeed get Colombia's star player to hit out and dismissed. I don't think it worked. Valderrama gave him a small barge and then his arm comes out, more in self-defence and I do not actually think any (careless) strike was made. 

Mikkelsen had to jump in here. An optimal solution would have been a freekick and cautioning both, even clearly warning both, but he had to do something. I understand the self-preservational logic that one doesn't want to draw too much attention to that in your World Cup game, but he sacrificed the control in doing so.

Play continued. Danish referee did jump in quickly for a rather clear holding foul in a promising position for Colombia. Sforza remained down on the other side of the pitch, and rather tellingly sneaked a look up to see if anyone had noticed the scene he was making. Mikkelsen refused to acknowledge this and if newspaper reports are to be believed, Sforza remained down while Colombia took the freekick. His own fault you might say, but Mikkelsen could have managed everything better.

It got worse - though ostensibly he did give a small signal for the freekick to be taken, Colombia took this freekick while the Switzerland players weren't really ready. Fine, if a quick restart, but this was a ceremonial one. Mikkelsen had only just that second set up the Switzerland wall. He basically panicked as the Colombia player went to take the freekick and only after he was running did he gesture "play". 

Players tumbled in the penalty area (both from potential Colombia penalties (holding; impeding) and the goal was correct in being allowed to stand), the goalkeeper wasn't ready, Sforza was still down elsewhere - and Colombia had just scored the opening goal in opportunistic fashion. Such chaos could - and should - have been avoided. 

=> Mikkelsen was not in control during those last seconds of the first half after Switzerland kicked off. There was a tackle which, after Puhl's ignored card in Norway - Mexico, was Exhibit B of the type of foul FIFA wanted to outlaw. A throw-in was given, which was actually not indefensible, but the atmosphere of the match in which someone would even make such a tackle was totally avoidable with tactically proficient refereeing. Mikkelsen stepped-in well a couple of times to ensure that a fight did not break out, but that half-time whistle could not have come soon enough.

=> I started by talking about 28', a potential penalty for Colombia. On a management level it is kind of abstract, all that mattered was that the South Americans thought it should have been a penalty - but they were right. Alain Geiger semi-automatically pushed the ball away to deny Valderrama a shot inside the goal area. Though Mikkelsen's presence in defending his call was excellent or at least very good, he was wrong, a penalty should have been given (crucial mistake).

=> At 59', Hermán Gaviria kicked out at his opponent with intent or excessive force and should have been sent off. Mikkelsen saw the incident clearly, and issued Gaviria with a caution (crucial mistake). I would add that any referee who had any ambition to handle the final would take taken the same decision, somehow the violent conduct was deceptive (it clearly was off-the-ball, but the lack of obvious off-the-ball-ness maybe?). Given this, my feeling is Gaviria tried to do what he could get away with. I am pretty sure that with different decisions at the end of the first half, Gaviria's scope of amnesty would have been different.

Balance

That aside, I can only have praise for Mikkelsen's performance. His excellent style and manner on the whole certainly succeeded here in not the easiest game, and the rest of his decisions were agreeable (besides no card for a clear SPA at 73'). He certainly deserved to be in the running for something big, but just personally his chances for the final would have been greatly decreased if I were in Paolo Casarin's place.

It was a highly challenging afternoon for both linesmen, particularly Douglas James who had a very high number of situations to compute. Cognisant of some mistakes (21', 64'), overall the Trinidadian on the far side did pretty well I'd say, especially regarding some crossover scenes (35', 67', 90'). Carl-Johan Christensen had a good game too, correct onside at 58'. 

Peter Mikkelsen - 7,2 Carl-Johan Christensen - 8,4 Douglas James - 8,4 Arturo Brizio Carter DEN, DEN, TRI	Switzerland 0-2 Colombia Group Stage
Knup (40') - Lack of Respect (Handling) Bregy (86') - Tackle	Gaviria (59') - Aggressive Behaviour Valderrama (62') - Tackle Álvarez (81') - Tackle