Former Premier League referee, Mark Clattenburg, believes Brazilian official Wilton Sampaio got the two big calls during England vs France CORRECT during the World Cup quarter final.
There were two huge calls to be made by Sampaio in the first half which went against England.
Firstly, Bukayo Saka appeared to be fouled by Dayot Upamecano while the Three Lions were on the attack.
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Sampaio waved away the appeals from the Arsenal winger.
Less than half a minute later, Aurelien Tchouameni smashed the ball into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
VAR checked the potential foul on Saka but decided there wasn’t enough in it to disallow the goal.
And before half time, England felt hard done by once again.
Harry Kane went down under the challenge of Upamecano right on the edge of the penalty area.
Free kick? Penalty?
None of the above for Sampaio who failed to give anything.
Replays showed that it was definitely a foul but VAR decided that it took place outside of the penalty area and nothing could be done.
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France went on to triumph 2-1. Kane equalised from the penalty spot in the second half but Olivier Giroud won the match for the holders. England were handed the perfect opportunity to force the match into extra time in the final few minutes but Kane blazed a second penalty over the bar.
England were left to rue refereeing decisions as they crashed out of the World Cup.
But did Sampaio made the correct calls in that first half?
Well, Clattenburg has now had his say in a column for the Daily Mail.
And, rather surprisingly, he believes that both calls were in fact correct.
Clattenburg on the ‘foul’ on Bukayo Saka
“Was there a foul on Bukayo Saka in the build-up to France’s first goal?
“Dayot Upamecano’s challenge happened on 15 minutes, 58 seconds. Aurelien Tchouameni scored on 16 minutes, 22 seconds.
“That was a long time between Upamecano’s alleged foul and Tchouameni’s great goal, and VAR Nicolas Gallo would have had to decide it was all part of the same attacking phase to recommend that the goal should be disallowed.
“In any case, from the replays it looked a fair challenge by Upamecano on Saka, so the goal was right to stand.”
Clattenburg on the potential penalty on Harry Kane
“Harry Kane claimed England should have been awarded a penalty when he was challenged by Upamecano. Replays suggested he was unfairly felled in a tangle of legs.
“The question is: was the contact inside the penalty area?
“I studied the replays and came to the same conclusion as Gallo — the last contact made by Upamecano was just outside the area. France were saved by the finest of margins.”
So there we have it. Perhaps England weren’t hard done by in that first half after all…
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