O’Neill hits out at ‘staggering’ penalty call
NORTHERN IRELAND manager Michael O’Neill hit out at the ‘bewildering’ penalty decision that could wreck their World Cup hopes. Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan chose to point to the spot in the second half when Xherdan Shaqiri’s shot hit Corry Evans on the shoulder at point-blank range as he turned his back. Ricardo Rodriguez converted to give the Swiss a crucial advantage, and away goal, going into Sunday’s second leg in Basle, which Evans will miss because he was booked. ‘It’s staggering to think the ref can award a penalty in that situation,’ O’Neill said. ‘Corry has gone to block it. The ball hits him more in the back than the top of the arm. ‘It seemed incredible. No one had claimed for it. Bewildering. ‘We feel hard done by. The referee didn’t do us any favours. ‘There’s anger in the dressing room. And how can you give Corry a yellow card for that?’ Those sentiments were widely shared by pundits and across social media. Former Northern Ireland and Manchester United winger Keith Gillespie, working as pundit for BBC 5 Live, said: ‘The Swiss players didn’t even appeal for a penalty which makes it worse. If they carve you open and score a goal, that’s one thing, but to give a penalty like that is ridiculous. ‘It’ll be so disappointing if it ends with a penalty decision like that.’ Northern Ireland’s official Twitter account said: ‘A volley has hit a player on the arm and the ref points to the spot! The players can’t believe it.’
NORTHERN IRELAND’S World Cup hopes were dealt a serious blow with a controversial 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their play-off last night. Michael O’Neill’s team conceded an away goal after 58 minutes when Corry Evans was ruled to have handled Xherdan Shaqiri’s volley inside the area. A furious O’Neill called Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan’s decision ‘staggering, incredible. No one had claimed for it’.