29 IRLNOR Torres

One of the four teams involved in the Group E shake up was going to be removed at the conclusion of the final group matches; all nations started on three points. Ultimately it was Norway, who payed the price for their defensive play against a ten-man Italy and employing the same tactics here in their must win last game against Ireland. The scoreless draw that played out was one of the most odd of the competition - without knowing, one really would have struggled to discern what result would have constituted an advantageous one for either nation, but at the end it was Ireland who were celebrating. Norway were eliminated.

José Torres Cadena had a big task on his hands. Referee from Colombia had made a good start to the competition in Belgium - Morocco, but faced an altogether different task here. Two very physical teams, a style of play it's fair to say he wasn't used to, and a huge pitch which meant a very demanding game physically. Torres had a plan, and while his performance wasn't perfect, he executed the plan perfectly, and he held his nerve and concentration to pass the test. If Norway's tactics knocked them out, then without doubt Torres' saw him advance through the group stages.

Colombian referee had obviously prepared well, observing the way of playing both Ireland and especially Norway in the first two matches, and set himself very well for what he was going to face. Torres' plan revolved around controlling the pace of the game - for much of the first half, he suffocated the match, whistling very pedantically. His gamble that cautioning for a weird kind of tackle (I have no idea really if that's careless or reckless) at 3' would successfully discourage players from doing something similar worked. Maybe he was slightly nervous at the start (missed a very clear corner at 5')?

Such a foul selection requires a very careful disciplinary control so as to not lose the players. Torres succeeded in this - a rather hilarious situation resulting in a dissent caution, followed by two reckless tackles punished with a booking, the second one after advantage all in the first half. He was attentive to quite a heavy tactical foul at 84', which produced the only caution of the second period (missed a clear yellow card after advantage at 61').  

I suppose Torres' calculation was that eventually the game would become frantic, and did in the latter part of the second half, and he wanted to retain enough munition and energy for those moments; following play on this huge pitch with the long-ball play was extremely tiresome, and Torres' game plan required great fitness to pull it off. He left some small doubts (no foul or advantage at 58' - neither is great), but overall this was definitely a good performance, and a recommendation for higher tasks.

Quiet game for both linesmen; Paulo Alves from Brazil and Korean Park Hae-yong performed well. 

José Torres - 8,3                                    Paulo Alves - 8,4 Park Hae-yong - 8,4 Leslie Mottram COL, BRA, KOR	Ireland 0-0 Norway Group Stage
Keane (3') - Tackle Houghton (30') - Dissent G. Kelly (84') - Tripping	Sørloth (37') - Tackle Johnsen (+47') - Tackle