It’s safe to say referee Jesus Valenzuela didn’t win many fans in Canada on Thursday.

The Venezuelan official had Canadian fans up in arms on Thursday when he opted not to award Canada a penalty — or at least a free kick — after Jacob Shaffelburg was tripped up at the edge of the box by Argentina’s Lisandro Martínez in the 70th minute of their Copa America opener in Atlanta.

Valenzuela did not call a foul and stayed with the same call after consulting with the video assistant referee.

Former Canadian national team player Patrice Bernier called the ref out on X.

Bernier wasn’t the only one questioning the officiating in Canada’s 2-0 loss to the reigning World Cup champs.

Argentina also drew some criticism for coming out of the locker-room late after halftime. The Canadians already were on the field when Argentina emerged.

In a recent soccer match between Canada and their opponent, there was a controversial moment when the referee awarded a penalty to Canada. Many fans and analysts have been debating whether the referee made the correct call or not.

The incident occurred in the second half of the match when a Canadian player was brought down in the penalty box by an opposing defender. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and awarded a penalty kick to Canada.

Some argue that the defender’s challenge was fair and that there was minimal contact between the two players. They believe that the Canadian player went down too easily and that the referee was too quick to award a penalty.

On the other hand, supporters of the decision argue that the defender’s challenge was reckless and endangered the safety of the Canadian player. They believe that any contact in the penalty box should result in a penalty kick being awarded.

Ultimately, the decision to award a penalty is subjective and can be influenced by many factors such as the angle of the referee’s view, the speed of the game, and the interpretation of the rules. In this case, it is difficult to say definitively whether the referee made the correct call or not.

What is clear, however, is that controversial decisions like this are part of the game of soccer and will continue to spark debate among fans and analysts alike. Ultimately, it is up to the referee to make split-second decisions in high-pressure situations, and they will not always get it right.