It was a fantastic game until the referee got involved.
Norwegian referee Christiana Pedersen stepped in and made a call that few could comprehend and even fewer knew existed.
On paper, a referee can call an indirect free kick when a goaltender is charged with excessively delaying the game on a restart.
On paper.
Usually
- and only after repeated warnings - a ref can deliver a yellow card
and the goaltender is then free to deliver her kick after the restart.
Usually.
When
Canadian keeper Erin McLeod was deemed to have exceeded her six-second
limit, 'on paper' and 'usually' became a twisted blend of the rules and
reality.
The ensuing free kick would see Canadian defender Lauren
Sesselmann deflect the ball off her hand, Pedersen shockingly call
another foul for their trouble and American Abby Wambach knotted the
game at three from the ensuing penalty kick.
Even the US coach was dumbfounded:
U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage would add fuel to the confusion fires when she too admitted she had never seen a call - or a
series of calls - of the sort.