Former Premier League referee Graham Scott has identified two errors that referee Slavko Vincic made during the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. Spain won 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal.
Missed Yellow Cards in the First Half
Scott, writing for The Athletic, argued that Argentina's Alexis Mac Allister should have been booked in the first half for a reckless tackle. The Liverpool midfielder was not cautioned until late in extra time. "The tackle on the halfway line early in the first half was late, involved both feet and could only be described as reckless," Scott said. "The fourth official had the perfect view and should have been able to describe what he saw in such terms that Vincic would have shown a card."
Scott also noted that Nicolas Tagliafico could have received a yellow card for deliberately bringing down Spain's Lamine Yamal. "He was saved by the presence nearby of Lisandro Martinez, but the challenge was so unorthodox, clumsy and deliberate that many referees would have cautioned the defender," Scott added.
Red Cards and Controversy
Argentina's Enzo Fernandez was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in the closing stages of the 90 minutes. Leandro Paredes also saw a red card after the final whistle following a heated altercation with Spain's Eric Garcia and Gavi. Vincic also booked Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, and Alexis Mac Allister.
Scott believed Vincic's leniency early on could have backfired. "Vincic might have regretted his leniency had Mac Allister later committed another yellow-card offence that had a major impact on the game," he said.
