Mikel tell us what referee rojo say after match

.

There was more drama in the World Cup on Tuesday in Group D.

Croatia had already qualified going into the final game of the group, but who joined them in the last-16 was unclear.

Nigeria were in pole position to progress, while Iceland and Argentina both needed victories to keep their hopes alive.

The Super Eagles, however, needed to see off Lionel Messi and Argentina to progress.

The African outfit put in a spirited performance and, with Iceland losing, looked as if they would secure their spot in the knockout rounds.

But barely four minutes from time, Marcos Rojo struck home a brilliant volley with his weak foot to make it 2-1 and break Nigerian hearts.

It was a fantastic performance from Nigeria, and they may have reason to feel hard done by.

The ball appeared to strike Marcos Rojo in the box in the second half with the score level at 1-1.

After consultation with VAR, the referee, Cuneyt Cakir, waved away Nigeria's appeals.

It was then Rojo who broke their hearts as he struck home ten minutes later.

The ball did strike Rojo's arm, but whether it was intentional or not is up to debate.

Regardless, Mikel has revealed what Cakir told him about the penalty decision, and it makes for very interesting reading.

Mikel said after the game: "It was a clear penalty for me.

“If you look at the Portugal game yesterday, this wasn't close to that. This was worse. We have seen it again in the dressing room. It was a clear handball.

“The referee looked at the VAR. He said it hit the hand. I asked why he didn't give the penalty, but he said he didn't know.”

Very interesting.

So according to Mikel, the referee acknowledged the ball hit Rojo's hand, but he could not offer an explanation as to why he did not award a penalty.

That does sound a bit odd.

Cakir may have more questions to answer to about the incident in the near future.

Mikel added he was proud of how his team played.

"We did everything we could," he conceded.

"In the second half we pushed and pushed. It just wasn't to be. It's a young team and in four years most of them will be ready for this tournament.

"I'm very proud of the boys and what we have achieved. I think we have done really well. We have to keep going."

Was Rojo's handball a penalty? Or did the referee get it right? Have your say by leaving a comment below.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Container falls on Danfo bus at iyana iba

Image
Lagos State is really battling for its life in terms of trucks and containers in the state. Last week, it was reported that a 20ft container fell on some cars at Apapa where they cause serious damages to both the cars and the owners. Just this week, another container has fallen on a Danfo Bus at Iyana Iba. Though it was reported that no casualties as the bus was empty when the incident occurred. Men of the LASTMA were already on the ground to control traffic and to ensure a smooth flow for drivers. Even though there was a presidential order to get rid of these trucks off the road, the order has been effective save for some parts in Apapa and Tincan Port where they are yet to fully comply. These are images from the scene;
Read more

PDP and APC exchange word over saraki

Image
Senate President: no juicy offers We’ll leave APC, says Baraje The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got yesterday a reply to its threat to boycott next year’s elections. You are being hunted by your past, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole told the main opposition party. The PDP fired back, saying APC was jittery over coalition between PDP and 38 others. Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara and others are believed to be on their way to the PDP, but the APC is urging them to stay. Also yesterday, Reformed APC chief Kawu Baraje said the group had decided to leave APC. Oshiomhole said the PDP was being haunted by its past treatment of electoral contests as a do-or-die affair, adding that the APC will not be intimidated by any threat of the PDP or any other party as it was committed to the sustenance of democracy and the sanctity of one man, one vote. The APC Chairman, who spoke when he received the report of the O...
Read more

South Africa 1-0 Namibia: 1st Afcon goal gives South Africa victory at crucial moment

Image
The Bafana Bafana of South Africa secured a crucial victory over the Brave Warriors of Namibia in their group D clash in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt. SuperSport  ✔ @SuperSportTV ZUNGU #BafanaBafana have broken the deadlock against Namibia at last as Bongani Zungu heads home the opener! #TotalAFCON2019 258 10:28 PM - Jun 28, 2019 78 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy Stuart Baxter’s men put themselves in a great position to make it to the knockout stages of the AFCON following a second-half strike from Bongani Zungi. The goal was South Africa’s first goal at the AFCON finals since Mandla Masongo’s goal against Ghana at the 2015 tournament. Bafana Bafana went into the game following a narrow defeat to Cote d’Iviore in their opening fixture. The game started out with a slow tempo with both sides employing a cautious approach to the game following their poor results from the first game. Sout...
Read more