Sport24.az
The "Kapaz" - "Sumgayit" (2:1) match, held in the 30th round of the Misli Premier League, was remembered not for football, but for referee decisions.
The main referee of the match, Ali Aliyev, was in the spotlight throughout the match, and especially the two penalty episodes awarded to the "Sumgayit" goal caused serious discussions.
Although different opinions were expressed regarding the second penalty episode, the first decision should not have caused any controversy. The ball first hits the defender's body, only then touches the hand. According to the rules of football, it is not considered correct to award a penalty in such episodes. Nevertheless, the head referee pointed to the "spot" and made a decision that directly affected the fate of the game. It is also possible to see that the referee made a mistake in the second penalty. When you look at the replay of the episode, it seems that the "leather ball" hit the head of the "Sumgayit" defender, not his hand.
This is not the first game in the current season that the "chemists" have faced referee injustice. There have been several such episodes throughout the season, and as a result, the team's claim to European cups is under real threat. But the position of the "chemists" in the tournament table cannot in any way justify unfair decisions against them. One person's intentional or unintentional mistake nullifies the efforts of a large community, which is the height of injustice. Sometimes they say, "The referee is also human, he can make mistakes." Yes, he is human, but who are those who prepare for the game for days, sweat in training and finally leave the field disappointed due to the mistake of the "human referee"? Maybe they are not human, they have no emotions?
Interestingly, only five rounds ago – in the 25th round, the head referee of the "Kapaz" - "Qarabağ" (1:0) match was again Ali Aliyev. In that meeting, this time the obvious penalty episode not awarded in favor of "Qarabağ" was discussed for a long time. Although Rahim Hasanov said that the decision was correct, several referees are of the opinion that the episode was a penalty.
The decisions of the same referee, which affect the fate of different teams in two games in a short period of time, cause controversy and serious questions, no longer seem like a coincidence.
We do not intend to target the referees. On the contrary, we appeal to them: measure the scales of justice correctly. Neither "Kapaz", nor "Sumgayit", nor any other team — no one should be an object of concession. The fate of football should be decided on the field, not with whistles.
