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Controversial penalty wreaks havoc
DHAKA, FEB 08 -
Nepal again stumbled against India in women's football going down 3-1 in final match marred by a controversial penalty decision at the Bangabandhu Stadium on Monday.
The Nepali women's team had to settle for silver as result, but the achievement was not bad either for a team that had made their first major appearance in international football.
On the eve of the 11th SAG, the women's team almost repeated the act of the men's team due to a dubious penalty call by the referee that allowed the Indians to level the game 1-1 on 52nd minute. Nepal had gone in front through Jamuna Gurung on 25th minute.
India had shown their lust for the title in the round robin matches itself thrashing Nepal 5-0, but the final matches are a lot different than the group stages. One can never tell the outcome. And Nepal was out to prove the fact right going in front in the first half through Jamuna Gurung against the run of play connecting a pass from Laxmi Paudel.
In a rare incident in football, the assistant and the main referee showed two different calls creating a state of confusion among the players. The confusion occurred nine minutes after the restart when the Malaysian referee called for a penalty after Nepal's defender Deepa Chettri challenged Tawawi Devi of the other team inside the Nepal's penalty area. But before the referee's call assistant referee (lineswoman) had raised the flag for off-side.
The Malaysian referee stood by her words awarding the penalty, which was converted by Oyenam Wemwem. But the assistant referee disallowed the goal saying the flag was raised for offside. The Nepali players also joined in the discussion claiming the flag had been raised before the penalty decision. Now it was turn of the Indian players to protest against the assistant referee's decision. The helpless referee succumbed to the Indian pressure awarding a re-penalty and Wemwem again score from the spot.
Nepali players and officials threatened to boycott the game thereafter stopping the play for about 30 minutes. But none of the pleas could not make the referee take back the decision as the play resumed after Nepal manager Sanjeev Mishra requested the players to get back in the field.
Nepal conceded two goals thereafter through Tawawi Devi on 72nd minute and Amolya Jayaram on 82nd minute.
Unwanted activities took centre stage after the match when the referee added only five minutes of injury time in compensation for time wasted. Mishra ran to the referee to protest the decision and all the players accompanied him. The officials of the match needed help from other football officials fearing reprisals from the Nepali players. Mishra later said Nepal could have made a difference had there been sufficient amount of extra time.
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