Real Salt Lake feel a bit wronged for what happened in the 69th minute of their 3-1 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday night. Even though the club has an opportunity to rectify the situation to a degree — turning over the loss obviously isn't an option — it is choosing to pass.
In the past, teams in MLS could only have red cards overturned in case of mistaken identity, but that is no longer the case. There is a new rule in place this season that allows teams to appeal red cards, but at a steep risk. Sources confirmed to SBI that to participate in the appeal process, teams have to post a $25,000 bond at the beginning of the season that they risk losing if their appeals are not successful. Even further, the player suspended risks having to miss an extra game if the play is not overturned. Those stipulations are in place for teams not to loosely challenge every decision that does not go their way.
Each team is permitted to challenge as many plays as they want in a given season, but two decisions that don't get overturned results in the club losing appeal privileges for the remainder of the current season. If any of those appeals is judged to be incredibly frivolous and unnecessary, a team loses the right to challenge for the current season and the following season. With those guidelines in place, RSL has elected to let Jamison Olave's controversial red card from Saturday go without a fight.
"It's not a super clear-cut incident," a spokesperson for RSL said. "Playing into that is that we have three games this week (including the San Jose one). You could make the reasonable assumption that Jamison probably would have rested anyway, because we have another game on Saturday."
The play in question happened when referee Elias Bazakos issued Olave a red card for appearing to deny Steven Lenhart an obvious goal-scoring opportunity midway through the second half of what was a 1-1 game at the time. Replays showed that Olave entered into a fair challenge with Lenhart for the ball until the San Jose forward positioned himself in front of Olave, grabbed the Colombian defender's shorts and pulled him into his body to make it appear like an egregious foul. Bazakos, trailing the play, did not have the luxury of replay and immediately sent Olave off for the foul, which reduced RSL to nine men for the final 21 minutes of the match.
Here is video of the Olave-Lenhart incident:
Another deterrent for clubs to appeal plays is that since the league's disciplinary committee reviews all plays anyway, there's potential for certain aspects of plays to be rectified retroactively without an appeal. In RSL's case, there is little incentive for the club to challenge Bazakos' ruling in hopes of sparing Olave the red card, especially with the potential taxes that come along with it. The disciplinary committee could look at the play and choose to take action on Lenhart or lessen Olave's punishment (i.e. rescind the fine) if it chooses to, as well.
No team tried to use the appeal system yet this season. Any potential appeal would be heard by a representative of U.S. Soccer, the Canadian Soccer Association and a member of PRO, the new referee organization created to improve the quality of refereeing in North America.
As for Lenhart, who has a bit of a reputation as an instigator, Saturday night was is not the first time he has coaxed referees into making a call that has swung a result in San Jose's direction this season.
He was able to draw an off-ball foul on Marc Burch in the box in Seattle on March 31 that gave San Jose a penalty kick that led to the only goal in the Earthquakes' 1-0 victory over the Sounders. His latest act involving Olave put San Jose in position to strike late against RSL, which they did twice in stoppage time to take another three points off a chief conference competitor.
With RSL not appealing the card, Olave will miss Wednesday's match against FC Dallas, pressing Chris Schuler into action. Fabian Espindola is also suspended for the match for his red card, which came on a two-footed, studs-up challenge to Sam Cronin, meaning that Paulo Jr. is a likely candidate to start up top alongside Alvaro Saborio.
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What do you think of the new appeals process? Do you think RSL should appeal Olave's red? Do you think the league's referees have been undermined too much considering the new disciplinary committee rulings and this appeals process? What's your take on Lenhart as a player?
Share your thoughts below.
And, preceeding that by grabbing Olave’s shorts to pull Olave into him.
Lenhart should receive the suspension of Olave plus 2 games for bringing the game into disrepute with the acting and pleading for a card upon realizing he connived the ref.
DC – do the right thing.
Yet they goal they did score was when they were down a man…
Playing 11v10 or 9 often makes it harder to score against good teams because they already have good defenses but then pack it in and work even harder.
Offense is what suffers when losing men, and it did in this case; RSL didn’t create anything other than the goal.
It was a DOGSO foul. That = red.
You should dominate a game when you’re up a man for an hour (and two for a part of that). That tells me nothing about SJ.
SJ dominated that game and were knocking on the door throughout with numerous close shots on target… it was only a matter of time until RSL broke down. And SJ scored in the first minute of stoppage time so it’s not like the extra time had any effect.
Look at the last replay in the video. Olave is running a straight line and Lenhart initiates the contact and crumbles to the ground. Olave never made contact. Lenhart made all the contact by leaning into him.
those announcers are retarded or blind they said “there was absolutely no contact” by Olave which is 100% verifiably false from every video angle they used it’s obvious Olave drives his shoulder into Lenhart’s back.
As soon as i read Steven Lenhart i knew it was a dive. I dont even have to watch the video.
All I know is that even with two men up, SJ couldn’t score again until 6(!) minutes of stoppage time had already begun. Sorry, I’m not convinced SJ is that good. We’ll see how SJ does at Rio Tinto, 11v11 (or even 11v10, if the Olave red doesn’t happen, RSL at least takes a point).
Avi Creditor’s reporting of this incident has been disgraceful and a real stain on his reputation as a proper football journalist.
Frankly I’ve seen less bias in match threads on Big Soccer. I can take his obvious disdain for the Earthquakes, unfortunate and unprofessional as that may be (it’s a sneering attitude that seems to be present in all SBI Contributors), but his continued character assassination of Steven Lenhart across a number of media outlets borders on the libellous.
As others have stated above, if Lenhart’s “crime” was all so clear-cut we wouldn’t be talking about it here. Sideshow Bob would have been sent off and RSL would have the win that Creditor seems to believe they were ‘due’.
Is it too much to hope for at least a modicum of detatched professionalism, Mr. Creditor?
I never denied the fact Lenhart grabbed Olave’s shorts. It’s blatantly obvious that Olave drives his shoulder into Lenhart’s back simultaneous to the time that Lenhart grabs his shorts.
The conspiracy theory that Lenhart was plotting that whole time to somehow trick/force Olave to drive his shoulder into his back is laughable. Sure, and the government is also trying to poison our water supply and 9/11 was an inside job as well.
Olave almost caught Lenhart but he was a moment too late and panicked and tried to shove Lenhart in the back out of desperation.
Your tears are delicious.
You could say that after every game for every team. RSL fans need to respectfully grow a pair and move on to the next game.
Maybe the ref should check w/ his linesman before pulling red…
Agreed Matt, that was a crap situation for you. But think how violated olave must be after getting his junk tugged by a cabbage patch doll.
It was in now way as terrible as the non-call of a violent injury-causing tackle by Marquez on the Quakes just last weekend. Our starter is out 8 weeks and Marquez is laughing and still getting paid millions. The ref didn’t even call a foul despite it happening right in front of him.
Yes, Lenhart is allowed to stick his arm out. If you lose position it is hard to get position back for that very reason. It’s called being beat.
If Olave didn’t want to get red carded he could have avoided contact, but he didn’t.
My opinion. They certainly could have called a foul on Lenhart, but there are literally dozens of altercatoins in every game where the foul could go either way. From where the ref was positioned there is no way he could see the shorts grab. Lenhart clearly had postion on Olave and there was a bump when the two came together. The ref saw that contact saw Olave cleary behind Lenhart (no way shoulder to shoulder) and called the foul. Once the foul was called the red card was automatic.
No way the RSL wins an appeal which is why they aren’t even trying.
RSL’s spokesperson says it’s not clearcut. SJ was simply a better team than RSL on the day. That happens in sports. Sorry if that hurts your feelings dude.
RSL fans are total cry babies. Suck it loser.
The laws of the game say that denial of a goal-scoring opportunity is in fact a red card. Complain to FIFA if you don’t like it.
RSL should play better if they want to win more games. They were already down a man at that point so it’s not like the Olave incident was the sole reason they lost.
rsl’s brass doesn’t put their money where their mouth is so they must believe the call isn’t getting over turned because it was a valid red card.
everyone else stop bitching.
Just call the game both ways. That is all I ask. How Dawkins wasn’t given a red card shows beyond all doubt that the refs don’t call it both ways.
Yes, Espindola deserved the red. And Sabo dove – last year.
Let’s talk at the end of the season.
I usually don’t get baited into these things but it’s just too ridiculous not to reply to this post. David, can you give me a minute/second mark where you can see this obvious and blatant shove by Olave? In either of the videos that have been posted? Olave’s right hand is at his own side the whole time and then gets hooked by Lenhart as he realizes he actually might have to shoot the ball at which point he then proceeds to grab Olave’s shorts and quite literally propels himself to the ground. At no point does Olave move his arm away from his body, there is no extension. His right arm stays flush with his body.
Please I’m begging you, I’ll wait. Go back and watch both feeds and tell me at what second mark Olave shoves Lenhart.
This is just spectacular defense. I blame the ref for the horrible call but I can understand how in the moment, being out of position he could think it was a red. There is no trip(Until Lenhart throws his left leg way out of his natural stride), there is no shove there is just good defensive pressure from Olave off Lenhart’s left shoulder.
San Jose won the game but don’t make it seem like it wasn’t gifted to you. San Jose barely won this game in stoppage time when they had 60 minutes of one-man advantage(The Espindola red card was completely warranted) and then 20(+6) minutes of being 2 men up. You got lucky. You make yourself look bad when you tacitly praise Lenhart for doing exactly what you vehemently opposed when Saborio flopped and drew a penalty forcing a red on Burling last year.
I mean this with all due respect, but you aren’t a referee are you?
I ask, because I am a referee, and there are two HUGE issues with the play at hand. The first, and most obvious, was the clear grabbing and pulling of Olave’s shorts before any other contact is made – the LOTG clearly delineate holding as a foul. The second, which actually took me two watches of the replay to get to is that Lehart deliberately kicks Olave in the back of Olave’s right leg as he starts to fall down, in an attempt to make it look like he was tripped. In real time, I 100% can see how the referee can think that it was a foul by Olave. However, I am also 100% certain that the play SHOULD have been a yellow card for Lenhart (UB-Simulation), and also a foul (Holding) on Lenhart.
Olave never even touches lenfarts back. All the quakes fans need to realize if they admit it was a terrible call, as it was. The league isn’t going to say ha got ya and over turn it. Cant wait for these teams to play again.
Homer beyond a doubt! Wow Olave never even makes contact. Lenhart is a hack was beat and threw himself in to olave. Olave’s hands never even touch lenhart. Terrible call CMac video is clear cut evidence on what a dive it was.
Yep. He was not going for the ball, last man, and denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity. Red card based on the rules of soccer, not severity of the play.
Good call.
Definitely not clear cut enough for me to think it’s worth appealing – though this notion that it’s a red because Olave didn’t catch up to him is bunk. Olave clearly closes the gap, and then the only think keeping Olave behind Lenhart is Lenhart’s arm. Lenhart definitely deserves some disciplinary action for that bush league stunt.
Wow… that’s actually kind of a great idea.
That angle shows the same thing, clearly NOT shoulder to shoulder… Olave clearly behind Lenhart.
Post this replay if you want all these SJ clowns to eat their words:
http://youtu.be/m1E01OGIl0A
I guess all of you defending the red are SJ fans? I’m a fan of the league and not a single team. This was not even a foul by Olave. Lenhart dove, if anyone should have been carded its him.
Hey there, go watch the correct reply before you start calling out the writers credibility.
http://youtu.be/m1E01OGIl0A
Clearly shoulder to shoulder, clearly a foul by Lenhart.
I think what the article is saying is that he was going to rest Wed vs. Dallas anyway, implying that RSL is saving any appeals for later in the season when they might be more valuable.
RSL fans and Lenhart haters out there if this is so obviuosly a missed call then RSL needs to appeal, No?
This is a legit Red Card with Lenhart having position on the play and missing a scoring opportunity due to the contact from Olave. Put this the rest already. Game is over.
You’ve lost ALL credibility. There’s no other way to see it; Olave with a two handed blatant shove in the back while Lenhart had to grab whatever he could (Olave’s peeter) to avoid serious injury.
C’mon Olave was cutting off the inside lane so Airpit Hair Head cut inside and made a money grab, tripping them both up. The initial bump between them is a weak foul call at best….
The only fouling came from Lenfart…
Here’s what you have to remember about the discipline committee, and this should really shape what you think they should and shouldn’t do.
There are five people on the committee, and there has to be a 5/5 vote for the play to even be ruled on. As you can see, lots of people below have doubts about the play, I’m sure 1 out of the 5 won’t see it as clear cut either. Therefore, I highly doubt it will be overturned.
Lenhart is an obnoxious hack and definitely tugs Olave’s shorts at some point here here, but this post doesn’t accurately describe the incident. Olave never catches up to Lenhart, and he puts a forearm into Lenhart’s back. That’s the sort of thing that pretty much any ref will give a red card for doing.
Not sure what Creditor is seeing, tbh.
Yes I can see why Lenhart trying to give Olave a h@ndy was a red card on Olave.
I hate red cards. Should just eject the player and take away a sub.
Hahahaha ok.
Lots of complaining about this red… perhaps the refs were given some instruction after San Jose’s match vs Red Bulls (and Marquez situation).
From my perspective, it wasn’t shoulder to shoulder… Olave was baited (and yes grabbed) and made contact. This happens all the time… It certainly happens in almost every game I’ve played since I’ve been about 16 years old.
The best part of this… all the drama it has created. MLS needs all the rabid fans it can muster. Can’t wait for the replay at Rio Tinto.
That is a red card 100 times out of 100.
Olave did not catch Lenhart… he was behind Lenhart and most definitely not “shoulder to shoulder.” Avi Creditor just lost all credibility for saying that. Creditor come on man, you are better than that. Olave obviously shoves Lenhart in the back.
Lenhart clearly has position on Olave. Olave is just a fraction too late and shoves Lenhart in the back out of desperation. Not the most horrific challenge ever but definitely a 100% red card for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity.
If you want to see what a true “shoulder to shoulder” challenge is then go look up Olave’s challenge on Wayne Rooney in the MLS All Star game last year on Youtube.
I hate watching Steven Lenhart “play” soccer.
(Disclaimer: RSL Fan here)I don’t think it was a foul either, but I also think the referee was out of position and I’m sure from his angle, it looked like a foul. Which means, it was an automatic red. Super irritating and unfortunate, but you can’t win them all. RSL will just have to chalk this one up to bad luck and move on. Unfortunate, but true.
That definitely was not a red card. I don’t even believe it is a foul. Olave is faster and had caught back up and there was definitely pulling from both players. Ref should have just let it play on, and if anything it was a foul on Lenhart because Olave had caught up but he was using his arm to prevent him from getting ahead.
that was definitely not a red.
if the “discipline committee” doesn’t rescinded this, i will have to question the seriousness of it. Regardless of who they have suspended already.