The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) announced today that 28-year-old American referee Armando Villarreal will officiate Thursday's Eastern Conference Knockout Round between Sporting Kansas City and the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena (7 p.m. CT on ESPN2).
Villarreal was also in the middle of Sunday's regular season finale between the two teams at Sporting Park. The match featured 25 fouls -- five in the first half and 20 in the second half -- with no cards for either club and two moments of controversy:
- In the 15th minute, Red Bulls midfielder Lloyd Sam was knocked off the ball by Lawrence Olum. Sam then tackled Jacob Peterson from behind (watch). Neither challenge drew a whistle from Villarreal and New York scored the game-winning goal less than 20 seconds later.
- In the 90th minute, Red Bulls defender Roy Miller was brought down inside the penalty area by Mikey Lopez (watch). Villarreal waved for Sporting KC to play on, denying the penalty kick appeals of Bradley Wright-Phillips (who would have been given a PK to set Major League Socer's single-season scoring record).
Villarreal made his MLS debut in 2011 as a fourth official and was in the middle of an MLS match for the first time a year later at Red Bull Arena. He was a finalist for MLS Referee of the Year in 2012 and earned his first postseason assignment in 2013 as the official in charge of the Western Conference Championship first leg between the Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake.
In 2014, Villarreal has officiated 18 games to date -- third most in MLS -- with 365 fouls called (20 per game), 34 cautions issued (1.9 per game) and five red cards shown (0.3 per game). This season brings his career totals to 16 ejections and 11 penalty kicks awarded in nearly 50 MLS matches since 2012.
One of his five red cards shown in 2014 went to Oriol Rosell during Sporting Kansas City's scoreless draw against Real Salt Lake in April. The visitors were whistled for only six fouls during the MLS Cup rematch, the fewest of any Sporting KC opponent this season. That match was the first of three during the 2014 regular season to involve Sporting KC and Villarreal, who also officiated the club's 1-0 victory at Portland in June.
Two of his most discussed decisions in 2014 involved the Houston Dynamo. In April, Villarreal showed a second caution to Kofi Sarkodie for time wasting while taking a throw-in. Earlier this month, he ejected A.J. Cochran -- after inadvertently showing the red card to David Horst -- for denial of a goal scoring opportunity against Toronto.
Villarreal was appointed as the match official for the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final last month in Philadelphia. Earlier this month, he was one of six PRO representatives in attendance at the CONCACAF Referee Symposium in Costa Rica.
On Thursday, Villarreal will be joined by assistant referees Peter Manikowski and Brian Dunn along with fourth official Silviu Petrescu. Manikowski, an eight-year MLS veteran, is a nominee for MLS Assistant Referee of the Year in 2014.
