“Good referees are good. Bad referees are bad. This referee is a bad one.”



That was Tata Martino’s opinion of referee Mark Geiger following Atlanta United’s 3-1 win over New York City FC on Sunday. The 2018 Major League Soccer coach of the year was particularly displeased with Geiger’s decision to settle for yellow cards when reprimanding NYCFC players for several reckless challenges on Atlanta United star midfielder Miguel Almiron.



To a certain extent, Martino’s review of the performance by America’s top referee, at least in terms of FIFA World Cup appointments, served as an indictment of the standard of refereeing in MLS. After awkward laughter from some members of the Spanish-speaking media, Atlanta United’s coach detailed his frustration during his customary post-game press conference.



“He did not show courage,” said Martino. “I’ve said it before. He’s a bad referee and...