There is no question about it: referee Jorge Gonzalez did not have a good day at PPL Park Saturday outside Philadephia. And because of it, Philadelphia Union manager John Hackworth is about to have a bad Monday. The “bad” will arrive in the form of a fine.
Actually, Hackworth says he’s OK with a fine. He knows that it’s coming. But the Union boss felt strongly that he needed to say something about Gonzalez’s performance in the Union’s 2-2 draw with Seattle on Saturday in Chester, Penn.
Hackworth was upset about number of things, like Sheanon Williams’ red card. But his biggest complaint – one that is 100 percent justified – is with Gonzalez missing a clear handball on Sounders left back Leo Gonzalez in stoppage time.
It happened just in front of Seattle goal on a shot by Union striker Conor Casey. Leo Gonzalez clearly has his hand up and knocks down Casey’s shot with it. That would have given the Union a great chance to turn one point into three. Here’s what Hackworth said:I’ll raise my hand and I’ll take the fine but it has to be said. We cannot be in this league, have this level of play and have officiating be this bad. As bad as that.
“Having watched some replays from the last 10 minutes, it absolutely blew my mind. Full credit to Seattle, they are a very good team but that should not have ended in a draw. There’s a clear penalty at the end of the game and how it’s not called is beyond me. There were so many parts to that game that were mismanaged by the officials. I don’t even know what to say.
“It’s not just one play, forget that we should have a penalty kick on the clearest handball you can see on video. It was bizarre and it can’t happen in this league. I’m going to make a bold statement and that should not be allowed. That guy has come here before and done the exact same thing.”
Our pals over at Brotherly Game grabbed a still photo of the image off the screen on Gonzalez’s handball, along with some choice words about it. Or, here’s the play in question in moving pictures:
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