This past weekend of NWSL play, poor refereeing drove the narrative.
Chicago Red Stars head coach Rory Dames was candid in his lengthy response after they beat the Houston Dash 2-1 on two own goals.
But it’s not just players and coaches spewing hot air. Take the following no-call on Red Stars midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo after she was taken down inside the box.
Close up view of the no-call on Vanessa DiBernardo being fouled last night. About as a stone-cold penalty as I can imagine. pic.twitter.com/sTv141Kffl
— John D. Halloran (@JohnDHalloran) July 12, 2021
“The same hand ball that happened in the box happened three times outside the box and got called every time,” Dames said after the game. “Vanessa was clearly fouled. I don’t know if she was in the box or not in the box — I’ll have to go back and look at that it was close.”
Chicago isn’t the only team dealing with missed foul calls. The following no-call on Shea Groom also led to some protest.
Shea Groom was complaining after this one and based on the way her head snapped down, it does seem she was probably pulled down from behind. https://t.co/iXmgJxTeAR
— John D. Halloran (@JohnDHalloran) July 11, 2021
The frustration over NWSL refereeing isn’t new. Dames’ comments point to a long-standing frustration over a concerning pattern of inconsistency.
The NWSL returns Saturday with a matchup between the North Carolina Courage and the Houston Dash at 7 p.m. ET.