International football is incredible
Portugal blew a two-goal lead against Serbia on Sunday night, dropping two points in their second 2022 World Cup qualifier of the campaign.
Diogo Jota’s first half brace gave the away side a comfortable lead to defend, but Serbia hit back immediately after the break, with goals from Aleksander Mitrović and Filip Kostić, the latter a beautifully executed counter attack, drew the Serbs level.
Then in the dying moments, Cristiano Ronaldo thought he had secured all three points for Portugal. Nuno Mendes’ floated ball from left back found Ronaldo on the right side of the penalty area, and dropped perfectly onto his right foot after goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović misjudged the flight of the ball.
Ronaldo’s shot rolled agonisingly slowly towards the goal, and appeared to cross the line, before it was dramatically cleared by Stefan Mitrović, who then blocked the rebound off the line as well.
Ronaldo thought he had scored, until he noticed play was continuing and the assistant referee made no signal to indicate a goal had been given.
You won’t be surprised to hear that he did not take this well, absolutely convinced it had gone over the line. But with no goal line technology or VAR in use, the referee’s first decision was final.
Unjust? Probably. Hilarious? Also yes. pic.twitter.com/i6yxJ6NjIR https://t.co/wTjtWHGeid
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) March 27, 2021
After the final whistle, Ronaldo conveyed his fume by waving around in a Drogba-esque ‘it’s a f***ing disgrace’ kind of way, before ripping his captain’s armband off and throwing it to the ground.
After the game, Portugal boss Fernando Santos demanded technology to be brought in to World Cup qualifying.
“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,” he said.
“The ball was half a metre inside the goal, there was no obstacle between the goalkeeper and the goal line. It was very clear.”
