Maradona: Colombia was robbed
NIZNHY NOVGOROD: Argentine great Diego Maradona said England perpetrated a “monumental robbery” in their World Cup victory over Colombia and accused referee Mark Geiger of not being up to such a game.
Maradona, notorious in England for his famous “Hand of God” goal at the 1986 tournament, said the American official should have penalised Harry Kane rather than give a penalty for a foul by Colombia’s Carlos Sanchez during Tuesday’s knockout match.
“Today I saw a monumental robbery on the pitch ... a fatal mistake for a whole country,” he said of the incident that put England 1-0 ahead in the second half.
“Here’s a gentleman who decides, a referee who, if you Google him, shouldn’t be given a match of this magnitude ... Geiger, an American, what a coincidence,” Maradona added on his nightly World Cup show for Venezuela-based Telesur broadcaster.
TV images showed Maradona wildly celebrating Colombia’s late equaliser that took the 16 match to 1-1 and extra time. But he was despondent when England won a penalty shootout, taking them into a quarter-final against Sweden.
The ever-controversial former World Cup winner also pointed the finger at Pierluigi Collina, head of Fifa’s referee committee, for allowing Geiger’s designation.
“I’m just sorry for the whole Colombian people. I cheered Colombia’s goal as if I had headed it myself.” – Reuters