RONALDO LUCKY HE’S NOT SITTING OUT ON SATURDAY
Referee’s call draws ire after Portugal star avoids red card despite wayward elbow
Enrique Caceres lacked courage in the biggest moment of this World Cup.
The Paraguayan referee was presented the opportunity Monday to give Cristiano Ronaldo the red card he deserved in what ended up as a 1-1 draw.
Frustrated after wasting a penalty and being bottled up by a relentless Iranian defence, Portugal’s divisive star landed a glancing elbow to Morteza Pouraliganji’s face.
At least one referee — a “video assistant referee” — deemed Ronaldo’s actions qualified as violent conduct.
A review of the off-ball interaction was ordered only because the VAR ruled Caceres’ decision to not punish Ronaldo was a “clear and obvious error,” the threshold for reviewing potential red-card incidents.
But replays clearly showed Ronaldo’s elbow connected with Pouraliganji’s cheek, sending the Iranian defender to the surface in Saransk, Russia, before Caceres took a second, third and fourth look via video review.
He had the evidence he needed to make the biggest call of his career, one that probably would have seen Portugal’s World Cup come to an end Saturday in Sochi.
But he didn’t have the courage to give the best player in the world what he deserved: a sending off in what might have been his final World Cup fixture.
Ronaldo might have followed in the footsteps of Zinedine Zidane, his former Real Madrid coach, who was sent off in his final World Cup match with France.
Ronaldo’s smile upon seeing Caceres’ decision — a yellow card — wasn’t just one of relief. It resembled that of a younger brother who’d just got one over on his older sibling.
He knew he’d escaped justice because of his name, his accomplishments and because Portugal’s opponent was a lowly Asian qualifier nobody cared to see move on at this tournament.
Iran coach Carlos Queiroz didn’t shy away from the big decision after the match. “There is an elbow, an elbow!” Queiroz said. “Elbow is a red card. In the rules, it doesn’t say if it’s (Lionel) Messi or Ronaldo it’s (different).”
It was just the start of a rant that took on a life of its own with Queiroz bizarrely likening VAR to his daughter telling him she’s only a “little bit pregnant.”
“The truth is not offensive,” he added. “It’s not insulting. The truth must be respected. We need to know who is refereeing the games.”
The truth, though, is we know who refereed Monday’s decisive Group B fixture. Caceres just failed to come up with the right conclusions.
“In my opinion, (FIFA president) Mr. (Gianni) Infantino, everyone agrees that VAR is not going well,” Queiroz said. “It’s not going well. That’s the reality. There are a lot of complaints.”
But just as Ronaldo should have been sent off for violent conduct, Iran shouldn’t have been awarded a late penalty that amounted to little more than a makeup call.
The real conflict in the aftermath wasn’t whether Portugal deserved to go through behind Spain, which wrapped up the group stage with a 2-2 draw against Morocco. It’s whether Ronaldo should be involved when Portugal meets Uruguay this weekend.
“In my country, I know what will happen, I’m creating (problems),” Iran’s Portuguese coach added. “It’s not a problem for me.”
The only problem Monday involved Caceres talking himself out of making the right decision.
In other play, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani scored a goal each as Uruguay blanked Russia 3-0, finishing undefeated in Group A play and handing the host nation its first loss.
Both teams were already assured of spots in the knockout round, but Uruguay’s victory puts it at the top of the grouping and looking toward a match Saturday against Portugal.
By advancing to the round of 16 with victories over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Russia secured its best World Cup showing in the post- Soviet era.
The oldest person to play in a World Cup match gave up a pair of goals Monday, allowing Saudi Arabia to beat Egypt 2-1 in a match between two teams that had already been eliminated.
Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, 45, took the field for his team’s final group match to set the record. Mohamed Salah scored for Egypt.
Saudi Arabia finished Group A in third place with three points, while Egypt was last after losing all three games.