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ARMENIA FILE PROTEST OVER KEEPER'S RED CARD
Reuters
Oct 13 2011
YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenia have filed an official protest to UEFA
over what they believe were wrong decisions by the referee in their
Euro 2012 qualifying defeat by Ireland in Dublin, the Armenian FA
(FFA) said on Thursday.
Armenia needed to win their final Group B qualifier to finish second
and make the playoffs but they lost 2-1 on Tuesday after their
goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky was sent off by Spanish referee Eduardo
Gonzalez after 26 minutes.
Berezovsky was dismissed for handball outside his area but TV replays
clearly showed he chested the ball clear.
FFA chief Ruben Airapetyan told reporters the Armenians want European
soccer's governing body to cancel Berezovsky's red card rather than
punish the referee.
TV replays also showed the referee allowed play to continue after it
appeared Ireland striker Simon Cox did handle the ball moments before
Berezovsky was wrongly adjudged to have done so.
He later sent off Ireland's Kevin Doyle after the striker received
two yellow cards.
Airapetyan dismissed any conspiracy theory after some Armenian fans
suggested UEFA was trying to give Ireland an advantage to balance
out France striker Thierry Henry's infamous handball that cost them
the chance of reaching the 2010 World Cup finals.
Henry handled the ball in the build-up to France's winning goal
against Ireland in the playoffs but the offence went unpunished.
"Trust me, I would never think or believe that it would be possible
for UEFA to give such instructions to the referee," Airapetyan said.
http://af.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idAFJOE79C0A720111013
Reuters
Oct 13 2011
YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenia have filed an official protest to UEFA
over what they believe were wrong decisions by the referee in their
Euro 2012 qualifying defeat by Ireland in Dublin, the Armenian FA
(FFA) said on Thursday.
Armenia needed to win their final Group B qualifier to finish second
and make the playoffs but they lost 2-1 on Tuesday after their
goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky was sent off by Spanish referee Eduardo
Gonzalez after 26 minutes.
Berezovsky was dismissed for handball outside his area but TV replays
clearly showed he chested the ball clear.
FFA chief Ruben Airapetyan told reporters the Armenians want European
soccer's governing body to cancel Berezovsky's red card rather than
punish the referee.
TV replays also showed the referee allowed play to continue after it
appeared Ireland striker Simon Cox did handle the ball moments before
Berezovsky was wrongly adjudged to have done so.
He later sent off Ireland's Kevin Doyle after the striker received
two yellow cards.
Airapetyan dismissed any conspiracy theory after some Armenian fans
suggested UEFA was trying to give Ireland an advantage to balance
out France striker Thierry Henry's infamous handball that cost them
the chance of reaching the 2010 World Cup finals.
Henry handled the ball in the build-up to France's winning goal
against Ireland in the playoffs but the offence went unpunished.
"Trust me, I would never think or believe that it would be possible
for UEFA to give such instructions to the referee," Airapetyan said.
http://af.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idAFJOE79C0A720111013