ZURICH: The 10-plus minutes of stoppage time that were a regular feature of games at the World Cup in Qatar are back on soccer’s agenda.
FIFA’s rule-making panel known as IFAB put additional time on the agenda published Wednesday for its annual meeting next month. Changes agreed on March 4 can take effect next season.
Talks are scheduled on “possible measures to create fairer conditions for both teams in terms of the amount of time available in a match, with a particular focus on a stricter calculation of additional time.”
Games of 100 minutes became routine at the last World Cup as referees followed FIFA advice to add on more accurate amounts for stoppages due to goal celebrations, injuries, video reviews and substitutions.
The directive was part of a long-standing FIFA aim to create more active playing time on the field and give fans and viewers better value.
It led to record-setting long games at the World Cup with a slew of stoppage-time additions of more than 10 minutes early in the tournament.
Though a head injury helped to cause 14-plus minutes of stoppage time in the first half of England-Iran, there were more than 13 minutes added to the second half of Saudi Arabia’s stunning 2-1 win over eventual champion Argentina.
The United States’ 1-1 draw with Wales on the second day of the tournament kicked off at 10 p.m. in Doha and finished the next day once almost 11 minutes were added to the second half.
Organizers such as individual domestic leagues have not followed FIFA’s example, though some said they were unwilling to change policy midseason and would revisit the subject in the offseason.
FIFA trials at the Club World Cup in Morocco of live broadcasts during video reviews of communications between match officials will also be discussed at the IFAB meeting in London.
Other subjects include allowing an extra substitute for teams when a player sustains a suspected concussion, though not the emergency temporary replacements requested by the global players’ union FIFPRO and some head injury experts.
The IFAB panel includes representative of FIFA and the four British soccer federations. The voting structure weighted toward FIFA means soccer’s world body can veto any proposal.
FIFA rules panel to debate more stoppage time in games
https://arab.news/y9gbm
FIFA rules panel to debate more stoppage time in games
- Changes agreed on March 4 can take effect next season
- Organizers such as individual domestic leagues have not followed FIFA's example
Yamal penalty rescues Barca from defeat at Newcastle
- The Liga champions still have work to do when the sides meet again on March 18, but will leave Tyneside relieved after a sub-par performance from Hansi Flick’s side
NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom: Lamine Yamal’s penalty with the last kick of the game rescued Barcelona from defeat at Newcastle in a 1-1 Champions League last 16, first leg draw on Tuesday.
The Magpies were headed for a night to savour at St. James’ Park when Harvey Barnes opened the scoring on 86 minutes.
Yamal had been a peripheral figure but showed the composure of one of the world’s best players from the spot after Dani Olmo was tripped by Malick Thiaw deep into stoppage time.
The Liga champions still have work to do when the sides meet again on March 18, but will leave Tyneside relieved after a sub-par performance from Hansi Flick’s side.
Newcastle’s bid to make the quarter-finals for the first time was dealt a blow before kick-off when Anthony Gordon was forced to start on the bench due to illness.
Only Kylian Mbappe has scored more than Gordon’s 10 Champions League goals this season and the England international’s threat was badly missed as Newcastle a[pplied early pressure.
Eddie Howe had billed this game as the biggest in the club’s history and the desire to make amends for a FA Cup exit to Manchester City and a dissapointing Premier League season showed.
Howe made a bold choice with Gordon’s replacement as William Osula came in at the expense of club record signing Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa up front.
Osula’s pace troubled Barca’s high defensive line early on, but Newcastle’s best attempt to break the deadlock before half-time came from a corner.
Joan Garcia spilled his attempt to save Sandro Tonali’s header and needed to be rescued by a goal-line clearance from Pau Cubarsi.
The home side continued to press for a breakthrough in the second period.
Anthony Elanga should have picked out Barnes for a simple finish when his low cross was cut out by Garcia.
It took nearly 70 minutes for the visitors to create a clear sight of goal when Robert Lewandowski prodded wide from Raphinha’s cross.
That was Lewandowski’s final act as he was replaced by Marcus Rashford, who scored twice when the sides met at St. James’ Park in the League Phase.
Howe also turned to his bench in search of a winner with Gordon among those introduced.
The offside flag came to Barca’s aid when Joelinton thought he had opened the scoring after Barnes struck the post.
The visitors’ desire just to see the game out at 0-0 was evidenced when Ronald Araujo tried to hold up play by rolling back on the field after going down injured.
Italian referee Marco Guida refused to let the Uruguayan defender immediately back onto the field and Newcastle took full advantage as Barnes was unmarked at the back post, where Araujo should have been, to convert Jacob Murphy’s cross.
Much of Newcastle’s fine work was undone by one mistake as Thiaw flicked out a leg to bring down the jinking Olmo inside the box.
Yamal coolly sent Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way to leave Newcastle needing heroics in the Camp Nou next week to reach the last eight.
