Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
Easy. Rule got changed in the last year or two so that for the denying obvious goal scoring chance (aka last man etc), you no longer award a red card and a penalty for the same offence. So if its outside the box and a free kick, still a red. If its a pen then only yellow. Reasoning is that a red card and a pen for one incident is too heavy a punishment given that the penalty is a high chance of a goal. It can still be a red if the foul would have been a red elsewhere on the pitch, so for excessive force or whatever the proper terms are.
I disagree with your interpretation of the new rule change. The way I understand it:
- Deny an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity (they even abbreviate it to: DOGSO) outside of the box = red card and freekick.
- DOGSO inside the box, but making a "genuine attempt" to play the ball = yellow card and penalty.
- DOGSO inside the box, but NOT making a "genuine attempt" to play the ball = red card and penalty.

The only way to explain the Robbie Kruse penalty being awarded a yellow last night is the ref believed the defender made a genuine attempt to play the ball.