46 NEDBRA Badilla

 

The most sonorous match of the competition - Brazil won this blockbuster quarterfinal with the Netherlands, having led by two and been pulled level, Branco's low and arrowing freekick ten minutes from the end won the day. Netherlands were perhaps left to rue what might have happened had they employed the attacking tactics from the start that they did after Brazil's second; this, for the most part, a tight, tense and considered battle.

Rodrigo Badilla was the confederationally neutral referee chosen for this UEFA-CONMEBOL tie. He showed to be a reliable referee with his very lenient style in two not-that-high-profile group matches (NGABUL - BOLESP), this quite a step up from those games for the Costa Rican referee. Badilla showed to be the man for the big occasion too - he showed it is possible to operate a forgiving disciplinary control and still be a real leader on the pitch. 

The story then of how this Costa Rican man held his nerve (linesman Yousif Al-Ghattan too), kept his cards close to his chest and delivered in the top match of the tournament all the way to the end.

Analysis

For this match, it is better to analyse all the important events in chronological order, with a special focus on disciplinary control:

5' - having bore a potential SPA foul on Dennis Bergkamp less than a minute before, a charging foul from behind becomes the first relevant incident for Badilla to manage. I had the impression he sensed this importance: some would have (credibly) tried to stamp their authority on the game with a caution, Badilla's choice of a strong whistle and increasing his presence with a get up gesture also worked well.

8' - very good verbal warning after a careless foul that many would have seen as a tactically valuable caution. 

20' - simply incorrect call to penalise the Netherlands player when he was impeded! Similar call made at 29', Badilla's detection of these offences was subpar.

25' - very painful foul by Aldair, which should have resulted in a caution, even if no other players were particularly bothered by the challenge.

28' - potential penalty to the Netherlands for excessive shirt pulling.

34' - Badilla starts to play with fire, a rather uncontrolled if unmalicious tackle was the best tactical moment to open the cards; Costa Rican referee declined.

40' - a very heavy charging foul yields the first caution of the afternoon, totally deserved.

43' - correct freekick to the Netherlands for a tripping foul.

+48' - one of two challenges which gave away freekicks in a promising position at the end of the first half (the other 38'), but no card on both occasions is certainly the better choice in my view.

HALFTIME 

46' - is me or is that a clear SPA handling! Players were happy just to get on with a freekick only.

47' - Romário is scythed down by a reckless tackle by Wim Jonk, who should be cautioned and isn't. Jonk is warned by the referee.

53' - goal to Brazil! 0-1

61' - goal to Brazil! 0-2 (see below)

64' - goal to the Netherlands! 1-2

69' - Bebeto is cynically blocked off the ball, a strong case for a yellow card.

74' - a very clear holding offence by Dunga, who is booked. Correct.

75' - forgotten to time because of what happened seconds later - Netherlands seem to have a strong case for a handling penalty when Bergkamp's shot was blocked. Referee needed to be in an extreme wide position in order to assess the offence at all, when the through ball is played, Badilla needs to start sprinting wide (he is a bit unlucky that two Brazil players are standing exactly in his running path)!

Badilla then does make the wide run, but only to signal a corner decision. Referee stood up and was counted at that moment, because it put him in the line of the dissenting Netherlands players' fire. Curiously, with two players shouting at him he seems to reach for his (red card holding?) back pocket, before relenting and pointing for the corner.

Of course the potential headline from that is one can suppose a Netherlands player insulted him and he was instantly reaching to send him off before realising "oh wait, this is FIFA". But that would be more speculation.

From the corner...

76' - goal for the Netherlands! 2-2

79' - the decision that decided the game. Branco is fouled for the freekick he would later take, but he should have already been penalised for a striking foul moments before, but isn't. Badilla awards a Brazil an attacking freekick, after which he successfully calms agitated players down, from which...

80' - goal for Brazil! 2-3

87' - Bergkamp (seems to accidentally) commit a very painful foul on his opponent, easily mistaken as careless, freekick only given. A yellow card is then sorted out amongst the gaggle of players for Jan Wouters.

89' - potential penalty for Brazil. The foul on Romário looks of the clumsy variety, but amongst the live sequence and replays I struggle to detect a clear foul that should be punished (in a World Cup quarterfinal). 

FULLTIME - Brazil win 2-3 and are through to the semifinal!

Balance

Reading that analysis one could be forgiven for thinking that Rodrigo Badilla realised a poor performance in this game. While yes his approach was too lenient - some I'm sure would say much too lenient - his tactical approach was sophisticated and considered, and it worked! He sensed all the important moments where he had to take charge of the game and did not cede to the players; his approach was not flow-based either, it was predictable and consistent. 

Such a lenient approach is hardly my favourite, but it would be churlish not to acknowledge the difference between Badilla's strong leadership style and consistent lenient approach (also good in terms of foul detection / selection) versus other lenient styles. Badilla controlled the game; others let the game control them. Of course before a ball was kicked it was determined that a UEFA referee would handle the final, but if FIFA were that desperate for a lenient referee, the Costa Rican referee would have been the most apt choice.

Yousif Al-Ghattan took one of the most momentous decisions of the tournament - allowing the second Brazil goal and determining that the player offside was passive. Very well done! Bahraini Al-Ghattan had a number of very important / crucial decisions to evaluate besides in the second half, at least three of which were doubtful. Without replays one should back him, but I can't assess his performance as more than expected level. Mohammad Fanaei was a bit quieter and seemed to do a good job.

This game would have ramifications for the final appointment - in a 2003 interview, Badilla stated that had he played half as much additional time as he did (six minutes - correctly and courageously so long), Brazil would not have rejected him as fourth official for the final. How much or little all-powerful FIFA President João Havelange had to do with that is up for debate.

 The cynic in me says that this match was a battle between the two linesmen from Bahrain and Iran as to who would fly (or waive :)) AFC's flag in the final. Despite Al-Ghattan's excellent call to allow the 0-2 goal, it was Fanaei who was probably more accurate over the piece, having been quieter. FIFA made their call. 

Rodrigo Badilla - 8,3 Yousif Al-Ghattan - 8,3 Mohammad Fanaei - 8,4 Francisco Lamolina CRC, BHR, IRN	Netherlands 2-3 Brazil Quarterfinal
Winter (40') - Charging Wouters (89') - Dissent	Dunga (74') - SPA (Holding)