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Rabat – The englis hreferee Michael Oliver stole the lights in the first half of FIFA World Cup Round of 16 between Morocco and Canada by handing out a staggering six yellow cards in just 45 minutes of play.
Morocco received the brunt of the referee’s strict decisions. Four Moroccan players were booked during the fiery opening half, including Redouane Halhal, Achraf Hakimi, Azzedine Ounahi, and Bilal El Khannous. Canada did not escape the official’s notebook either, picking up two yellow cards of their own, including bookings for Richie Laryea and Jonathan David.
This harsh approach was a massive contrast to Morocco’s previous match against the Netherlands. That Round of 32 game was incredibly physical and tough, yet the Brazilian referee let the game flow. Michael Oliver did the exact opposite. He dropped cards at the slightest challenge, completely breaking up the game and refusing to tolerate the physical play his South American peer allowed.
This extreme rhythm puts both teams in severe danger for the rest of the match. If Michael Oliver keeps dropping cards at this speed, he will almost certainly send someone off. Both teams face the very real threat of playing the second half with just 10 players or even fewer. A single late tackle or an accidental trip will turn a yellow into a red.
Managers will have to tell their teams to lower the rhythm, because one more mistake will force them to defend a crucial knockout game with a depleted squad.
