In another world leap, Argentinian Facundo Tello led his third match in Qatar 2022 and had seamless umpiring

Facundo Tello led his third match in this World Cup in Qatar 2022 (for the second time against Portugal) and once again showed an excellent performance in a cross which, although defining, did not cause major controversy. And in the two plays supported by the Portuguese, he resolved correctly.

The curious fact is that two Argentinean referees, among other things very good, have marked the way for two Moroccan hits, the first African team to reach the semifinals of a World Cup.

Fernando Rapallini from La Plata was in the clash with Spain and now Tello, in one-on-one with Portugal.

As far as the disputes are concerned, both actions took place on the closures of each period and both were for alleged sanctions. In the first, entry into the area with the ball dominated by Bruno Fernandes, well cut by a Moroccan defender. There was no penalty, even though the Portuguese went over the Argentinian refereeeven when he had already blown the halftime whistle.

The 40-year-old from Bahia was assisted by his Argentine colleagues Ezequiel Brailovsky and Gabriel Chade, he managed that brief discussion well. The protest was much less intense, even from the Europeans, when around the 41st minute of the second half they asked for a hand inside the area, after a header from an African defender, Nothing, it wasn’t even a penalty.

Already in extra time (8 minutes added), Tello sent off Walid Cheddira for double yellow. Maybe it seemed like an excessive punishment for the Moroccan, who misses the semifinal.

The match was played at the Al Thumama stadium in Doha and the referee team was also made up of the Salvadoran Iván Barton as fourth referee and the Spaniard Ricardo de Burgos as assistant to the Argentine Mauro Vigliano, in charge of the VAR, assisted by his compatriot Diego Bonfa, in charge of the automatic offside with the support of the American Armando Villarreal.

Tello had already participated in the group stage match between Switzerland and Cameroon and in the same event he had refereed South Korea against Portugal. In both performances he earned a rating of 6.5 from FIFA, which allowed him to continue in the race. With this crossing of quarterfinals that he led, he equaled the record of compatriot Rapallini, with three games “played”, as the referees say.

Consequentially, Tello and Rapallini equaled Juan Carlos “Pichi” Loustau, who refereed three Italia 90 matches. The history of Argentine refereeing at the World Cup has Néstor Pitana as the highest reference when it comes to appearances: he directed 9 matches, in two World Cups.

In Brazil 2014 he was in 4, reached the quarterfinals and Argentina’s continuity (played the final) in that tournament took away his chance to advance. Already in Russia 2018 the missionary added 5 more, with a figure that equals Horacio Elizondo: directing the opening and final match.

Elizondo, as a result, is next in stats, with 5 games officiated in Germany 2006. Also among the leaders is Cordoba’s Héctor Baldassi, with 4 games in South Africa 2010.

Doha, Qatar. Special delivery.