Some soccer leagues play by more precise rules. The discussions have become more pointed since Sunday, though, as the Argentine referee, Nestor Pitana, appeared to have initially called for four minutes of added time and then increased it to five after a slow United States substitution. In 2010, for example, when Landon Donovan scored against Algeria in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, it would have been difficult to find an American who was against the current system. Losing coaches often lobby - or berate - the officials in an attempt to get more time, a skill mastered by Alex Ferguson, the former Manchester United coach.įans’ reactions to suggested changes to soccer’s timing system differ depending on when they are asked. The fourth official then holds up an electronic board to reveal (roughly) how much time is left. Now there is at least a cursory system in place whereby the referee indicates to the fourth official - who stands between the teams’ benches during the game and oversees substitutions, among other duties - the minimum number of minutes to be added on. The official just blew his whistle when he decided time was up. Jeff Agoos, who played on the national team from 1988 to 2003, recalled referees’ simply ignoring questions from players about how much time was remaining. Thirty seconds too long,” and he was not speaking metaphorically.įor years, referees did not even have to reveal how much time they were adding on at the end of a half. Asked afterward about how long the game had lasted, United States goalkeeper Tim Howard said: “Too long. The most recent example came in the World Cup game here Sunday night, when the United States scored to take the lead in the 81st minute of a 90-minute match only to see the advantage slip away when Portugal scored - wait for it - 14 minutes later.įor American players and fans, the late goal was devastating. In a world where quantities as varied as footsteps and mouse clicks can be measured with scientific precision, soccer is a land where time remains a mirage. Games do not end when a clock expires, but only when the referee decides they are over. Such situations would be unthinkable in other sports, but vagaries of time are the norm in soccer. star had to guess when to throw up his desperation half-court shot.

coach never knew when to call for the last-second pass, or an N.B.A.

Trouble game rules warp