Officiating has Sounders FC ready for rough-and-tumble finale

HOUSTON — No doubt a few Sounders FC fans threw their arms in the air in shock when Ricardo Salazar was one of three finalists for Major League Soccer Referee of the Year.

Salazar didn't win the award. And his officiating of the first game of the Houston Dynamo-Sounders FC MLS Western Conference semifinal series left plenty of Seattle fans scratching their heads and wondering about Salazar's calls and non-calls.

Salazar, a decorated and accomplished official, won't be handing out cards or calling fouls today in the decisive second game. That job belongs to Jorge Gonzalez, as it's typical of the U.S. Soccer Federation to change crews in home-and-away playoff series.

Key discrepancies in the first game included a yellow card issued to Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad for what appeared to be a blatant bump to Sounders FC forward Fredy Montero, who fell to the ground and was issued a caution for embellishing the contact; a high boot to Sounders FC player Nate Jaqua's face was inadvertent, but did not draw even a stern warning to the Dynamo's Ricardo Clark and caused a gash in Jaqua's head; and a strange stoppage in play after a foul upfield with Sounders FC in the middle of a scoring chance. The Dynamo was called for 18 fouls, compared to six for Sounders FC.

Immediately after the match, Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid said the officiating confused him. Seattle sent its referee evaluation form to U.S. Soccer, and the federation's Referee Department conducted a review earlier last week.

The federation would not say if Salazar was disciplined for his performance.

The drama of the first game only heightens awareness of the referee, making officiating potentially a major factor in today's match, with a spot in the conference final on the line. Both teams will be closely watching how Gonzalez calls the match and whether he allows more of the same aggressive and physical play that the Dynamo deployed at Qwest Field on Oct. 29.

"Not worrying about the officiating," Schmid said. "We talked a little bit about it after the game Thursday and sort of left it from there. We think all of the [MLS playoff] games have been refereed in a reasonably soft manner, maybe, letting the game go a little bit, so that's our expectation again for [today]."

Seattle defender Leo Gonzalez was tackled hard by the Dynamo's Brian Ching in the first game, which resulted in only a bit of a scolding from Salazar.

"It's in the past," Gonzalez said. "The referee gave a lot of liberty. They might have deserved a few more yellow cards, but we're all human beings and we make mistakes."

It's reasonable to expect Sounders FC to come out more physical today, as it took note of what the Dynamo was allowed to do. Seattle and Houston allowed the fewest goals in MLS this season, and Sounders FC could have one of its enforcers, Tyrone Marshall, back in the starting lineup today after a knee injury before the series opener.

"You're just hoping for good, consistent refereeing," Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller said. "If it's another physical game and everybody knows it's a physical game, then great. I just don't want to go into it and not have every little thing be called. ...

"I still don't know how Montero got a yellow card for getting knocked over. That's whatever that is. I don't necessarily think Pat should have been sent off for that, but at the same time, I don't think Fredy should have gotten a yellow."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com