Handball, Or Not A Handball: That Is The Question
September 30th, 2012 by Kelly McLain
Pool reporter question: Describe the play in which the penalty kick was awarded. Why the handball call?
Referee Michael Kennedy:
“Your first question was answered by your second question. The penalty kick was called due to No. 12 [David] Horst handling the ball. Because No. 12 Horst handled the ball inside the penalty area.”
Pool reporter question: What part of Horst’s arm handled the ball?
Referee Michael Kennedy:
“The underside of his upper arm.”
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DC United head coach Ben Olsen:
“I think it’s a handball. We’ll have to all look at it, but I’m pretty sure when they look at it they’ll agree with the call. I know the emotions of the game and it wasn’t real obvious—I didn’t even see the handball—so I’m sure the fans didn’t see it either. I give credit to the linesman. If it was, it’s a good call and it’s a tough call to make in this atmosphere.”
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Portland Timbers interim head coach Gavin Wilkinson:
“At most, maybe a sleeve.”
I’ve heard a lot made of how Horst jumped there, asking why his arm was where it was. To those folks, I say this: try jumping that high keeping your arms at your sides. Looks to me like he’s trying to get maximum height on the jump, and angling his torso in so he catches it in the chest or at least the side of his ribs or maybe his hip if he gets high enough.
Also the, DCU head coach is completely full of shit.
I’m a trained soccer referee. I’ve played the game at just about every level since I was 5 and grew up in a soccer family.
That is NOT a penalty. Period!!!! Your soccer IQ has to be pretty low to call that. The linesman blew a couple of other obvious calls that night as well, but its up to Kennedy to make the final decisions. Just a horrible call and made even more horrible because he’s trying to defend it as a good decision. Good refs admit when they’re wrong and promise to do better next time. You don’t double down on a bad call that any soccer fan/player who had their eyes open that night saw.
Just a horrible call!!!