The controversy is still hot because of the goal disallowed by Estudiantes and which would have meant equality in the first leg against Audax Italiao, last night at the Roncagua stadium for the preliminary phase of the Copa Libertadores. In the midst of the repercussions for the play that took place when the 41st minute of the first half ran, Conmebol gave its argument and endorsed the decision of the Uruguayan referee Christian Ferreyra.
The controversy over Ferreyra’s decision began with a distraction by a defender from the Chilean team Fabián Torrez, who should have gone out playing with the ball stopped inside the area but touched it twice, which is prohibited by the regulations. The goalkeeper Muñoz realized the mistake and was “paralyzed”. The referee, for his part, called the foul.
Attentive to this, Leonardo Díaz warned his teammates with gestures, took the ball and played it for Gustavo Del Prete who came on the run. The red-and-white 10 resolved with the bow practically empty.
But Ferreyra decided to annul Del Prete’s goal. At the time, the Pincha players surrounded him and asked him for explanations of the ruling. The local team also did their thing, swarming around Ferreyra, but to prevent the judge from validating what would have been a 1-1 draw.
In the midst of the tumult of players, the referee’s attitude sowed even more doubts as he began to look from one side of the field to the other as if asking for assistance from his colleagues. After the tension, he finally ordered the free kick to be repeated inside the area, which once executed, bounced off the barrier and the scoring situation dissipated.
Conmebol’s word
In dialogue with this newspaper, one of the Conmebol observers affirmed that the goal was well annulled, as indicated in the regulations.
As he explained, as it is an indirect free kick inside the area, by touching it twice with his foot, the player cannot play quickly since the judge must order the execution with the whistle.
In statements made after the game, Mauro Boselli interpreted the referee’s decision, although he remarked that the referee mishandled himself and was hesitant, hence the criticism and anger from the players. “We understand his argument but his mistake was not having seen what happened,” said the Pincha striker.
