Portugal coach, Fernando Santos says, “referee apologized” after disallowed Ronaldo goal

Portugal coach, Fernando Santos says, “referee apologized” after disallowed Ronaldo goal

Cristiano Ronaldo angry after denied a clear goal

Portugal drew 2-2 against Serbia in their World Cup 2022 qualifier match. However, with the scores level at 2-2 Cristiano Ronaldo thought he had scored the winner but the linesman and the referee denied the goal to the Portuguese talisman.

Replays showed that the whole of ball had easily crossed the goal line but both the referee and the linesman denied Portugal the winner and the 3 points. Fernando Santos has revealed that referee Danny Makkelie came and apologised to the team following the decision not to allow a goal for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo stormed off the pitch after being denied the goal

The World Cup qualifier matches doesn’t have VAR and Goal Line technology which would have confirmed the goal for the Portugal side and the 3 points with it. Fernando Santos called upon the introduction of VAR and the Goal Line technology to be introduced in matches of such magnitude where a single human error can change the fate of the whole match.

“The referee apologised and I have great respect for him, but it is not permissible that, in a competition like this, there is no VAR or goal-line technology,” Santos is quoted as saying by A Bola. “The ball was half a metre inside the goal, there was no obstacle between the goalkeeper and the goal line. It was very clear. 

“He (Makkelie) apologised to me but this is not going to solve the problem. The referees make mistakes, they are human, but this is what VAR exists for.”

The ball had clearly gone past the goal-line but the goal was not allowed to stand

Portugal midfielder Danilo Pereira was equally dumbfounded at the decision to not award the goal.

“We tried to get a third goal and we managed to do it but the referee didn’t allow it although in my opinion it was clearly a goal,” he said.

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