By Ridge Mahoney, Senior Editor
Soccer America Magazine
REF WATCH: Four penalty kicks were whistled in the two games played last weekend at Home Depot Center and, not surprisingly, they dictated the results. And in two cases they could have been make-up calls.
Marlon Rojas of Real Salt Lake was called for handball after a cross by Hector Cuadros struck him on the left arm on the fringe of the penalty area. His arm was inside the penalty area yet whether the contact was intentional was unclear. Referee Terry Vaughn pointed to the spot.
Two minutes earlier, Thiago Martins had been hauled down trying to reach a centering pass from Mendoza that Rojas eventually cleared just before Cuadros could have put it in.
Penalties came in threes in the Galaxy's wild 3-2 decision over the Rapids the following night yet Jair Marrufo and his crew got a non-call correct. A Landon Donovan cross struck Ritchie Kotschau with his arms extended but replays showed the ball struck him in the back.
Nat Borchers' wild tackle wiped out Guillermo Ramirez and Donovan put away the penalty for a 2-1 Galaxy lead. Two minutes later, keeper Kevin Hartman scythed Luchi Gonzalez's legs after Jeff Cunningham had controlled a long ball. Galaxy players protested furiously that Cunningham had used his arm to bring it down; Marrufo was only about 10 yards away and Cunningham was hit from behind by Galaxy defender Ugo Ihemelu as the ball arrived and so contact with the arm, if any, could have been deemed accidental. Replays were inconclusive because — as is the case in so many MLS local telecasts — no camera angle was shown from the side of the field opposite the main press-box cameras or from behind the goal.
Marrufo whistled again in the first minute of stoppage time, ruling that rookie Guy Melamed had pulled down Tyrone Marshall as a mob of players pushed and jostled awaiting a dropping free kick. Marrufo did not react with cards to bitter Rapids protests, cautioning only Melamed for his foul.