Atlanta United’s Gonzalo Pineda criticizes referees, their organization after loss

CHESTER, Pa. — Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda unloaded weeks of pent-up frustration with the Professional Referee Organization and referee Alex Chilowicz, who was in the middle of the Five Stripes’ 3-2 loss at Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Pineda said Chilowicz missed two handballs in Philadelphia’s 18-yard box that would have resulted in penalty kicks and his team winning 4-3. Chilowicz did call one, which resulted in Atlanta United’s first goal.

“I want to talk to the referees here and ask them how we have to earn the respect of them,” he said. “To get the calls today, should have had three PKs called. It was called only once.”

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Most questions asked of Pineda after the match resulted in him talking about the missed penalty kick calls.

The first miss happened in the first half with the scored tied 0-0. Brooks Lennon hit a cross from the touchline that clearly hit Philadelphia’s Nathan Harriel in the right arm. Harriel appeared to be moving his arm either toward the ball or in a motion to put it behind his back as the ball hit it. No review was undertaken.

Asked by a reporter after the match why the play wasn’t reviewed, Chilowicz said that he felt Harriel’s arm was down and in a natural position.

The second missed handball, according to Pineda, happened just before Chilowicz did call one against Carranza in the 51st minute. That play was reviewed.

Pineda said if those weren’t called then there’s no way that against Miami three games ago should there have been a handball called against Luis Abram. On the play, the ball hit Abram’s arm as it was wrapped around his body in an attempt to keep himself compact. Abram was called for the same thing in the next match against D.C. United, but the call was overturned after a review.

“Why’d we get those calls from VAR and they don’t?” Pineda asked. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know the response for that.”

Pineda went on to say that before Atlanta United played Philadelphia, Union manager Jim Curtin talked about how he’s not sure what a handball is anymore.

Pineda mentioned it because he said earlier this season New England’s Bruce Arena talked about handballs before Atlanta United played there. In the match, Pineda said Chilowicz didn’t call a handball on a cross by Lennon that was deflected by the arm of a Revs player. Atlanta United lost that match 2-1 on July 12.

Pineda said perhaps he needs to talk about handballs before every match.

“If I need to talk to the referees about that. I need to do it,” Pineda said. “Because the channels that they put for us don’t work anymore. I’m going to talk publicly about that. And if I need to say this every weekend before our games, I’m going to do it because we have to earn the respect today.”

Pineda also referenced a tackle of Brad Guzan’s knee by Red Bulls player Cory Burke that he said should have resulted in a red card. It wasn’t given by Chilowicz in a match won by Atlanta United on April 1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The next week, Guzan was tackled by an NYCFC player and sustained a torn MCL. No foul was called by referee Drew Fischer.

“It feels like most of the times we get controversial calls from him (Chilowicz) against us,” Pineda said. “It might be a coincidence, on my record, is that we lose more often with him than not.”

As of Oct. 2, Chilowicz has worked more MLS games (24) this season than any other referee in PRO.

Asked if he had any suggestions on how PRO can improve the standard of officiating, Pineda said that sometimes the fourth officials will tell him that they agree with him that the call was missed. He said that happened on Wednesday.

Pineda’s players didn’t want to criticize Chilowicz. Edwin Mosquera said that referees are human and that mistakes happen. Tristan Muyumba said it was clear that there were three penalties.

“It’s like this, sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad,” he said.

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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule

Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1

March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1

March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0

March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1

March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1

April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0

April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1

April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2

April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1

April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1

May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1