No-one likes them, they don’t care
Millwall marched on to the fifth round of the FA Cup this afternoon, beating Everton 3-2 in dramatic, controversial circumstances.
Everton took the lead twice, through Richarlison and Cenk Tosun, but both goals prompted instant and effective responses from Millwall, who fought until the dying seconds to get their winner.
It was the second equaliser, from Jake Cooper, that sparked controversy, though. The Millwall defender scored almost accidentally, after some pinball in the box ended with him inadvertently handling the ball into an empty net. Richarlison was incensed, as he ran over to the assistant referee, baffled as to how no official had noticed the handball.
😱 | THEY’VE DONE IT! pic.twitter.com/fQt8psfmEY
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 26, 2019
There was no Video Assistant Referee in place for this game at The Den, which the home side will be grateful for after somehow getting away with a blatantly illegal goal. The replays were shown on the big screen at the stadium, but the referee cannot allow that to affect his judgement. A bit of commons sense would have seen the goal overturned but them’s the rules, innit.
Marco Silva was urging the fourth official to look at the replay being broadcast on the big screen, while Millwall boss Neil Harris was shouting for it to be turned off. And they say the Magic of the Cup is dead.
https://twitter.com/AlecsStam/status/1089244807317331968
But there was more drama yet to come, as Millwall scored in the dying moments of added time through Murray Wallace, who kept his calm to slot the ball under Jordan Pickford from a short distance.
The FA Cup may have fewer upsets than back in the day, but it remains one of the greatest competitions on the planet for moments like this. Struggling Championship sides levelling the playing field through unapologetically attritional football, sparking late scenes. This is why we love it.
These Millwall fans enjoyed that! #FACup #MILEVE #bbcfacup pic.twitter.com/bz3gHKh3VY
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 26, 2019
