(note: this is not one of the innumerable complaints about soccer’s timing system. I understand why it’s used and why it works for the sport)
Have there ever been situations where a soccer half has run so smoothly, no delays, no excessive celebrations, no funny business, that the referee has felt that no extra time was needed and the 45 minute half was enough - or is it just accepted that there’s going to be some delays in any given half of soccer that there’s at least a token minute always added?
It’s common for first halves to have no added time, largely because there usually aren’t any substitutions in the first half. There are almost always substitutions in the second half, and therefore there is almost always added time (as well as time added for other stoppages).
I’ve seen a couple of games that were so one-sided the ref just blew at 90 mins as an act of mercy, even though strictly speaking there should have been added time.
Can’t specify a particular game, but I’ve seen cases where the score is, say, 6-1 at 90 mins, there’s no chance the result will change, and the losing team just obviously wants it over and to get the hell off the pitch. I suppose refs would not be inclined to do this if goal difference might be an issue to the losing side.
I’ve noticed in a couple of matches at Euro 2012 that the ref blew for full time before the supposed “minimum” time shown on the board. I can’t remember which match it was, but one ended almost 20 seconds before time. The game was still up for grabs, too, IIRC.
I wonder if they are supposed to play to the exact minute, or the signalled time is merely rounded to the nearest minute and the ref has a more precise amount of time in mind? Take substitutions - I believe the guideline is 30 seconds per substitution. If there had been three substitutions and no other significant stoppages, that would be 1:30, but the man with the board always signals an exact number of minutes.