Alan Shearer insists it was the RIGHT decision to give Argentina an early penalty against Croatia
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Gary Neville has criticized the decision to award Argentina an early penalty in their World Cup semi-final against Croatia after Dominic Livakovic tripped Julian Alvarez, saying there was nothing more the goalkeeper could do about it.
Argentina took an early lead in the crucial equalizer when Lionel Messi converted the penalty kick after Croatia’s Livakovic went ahead with Álvarez cleared, only to hit the striker as he tried to get around him.
Referee Daniele Orsato did not hesitate to signal the point to give Argentina the early lead with Livakovic failing to get the ball and instead removing the man.
Gary Neville has criticized the decision to award Argentina an early penalty against Croatia
The referee pointed directly to the spot after Dominik Livakovic hit Julian Alvarez
The Man City forward tripped as he passed the ball over Livakovic’s head.
However, Neville believes that Alvarez ‘ran into him’ and there wasn’t much else he could do.
However, some have suggested that the decision was a harsh one because Álvarez had lifted the ball past the goalkeeper while trying to block it, an opinion taken by pundit Neville.
“I didn’t think it was a penalty,” he told ITV. The goalkeeper comes out, stops and Álvarez collides with him. What else can you do?
His fellow experts Roy Keane and Ian Wright agreed after seeing the incident.
Former Arsenal player Wright said: “The center forward has kicked it badly, because if he kicks it goes into the goal, the goalkeeper can’t do anything but stand his ground.” It was not a foul.
And Keane added: “Poor defense overall, but I don’t think it’s a pen.”
Lionel Messi stepped up to dispatch a brilliant penalty kick that put Argentina in front on the night
Roy Keane agreed with Neville, but Alan Shearer (right) thought it was the right decision
But in the BBC Five Live studio, Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer was in no doubt about the decision being made, saying it was a clear penalty.
Shearer said: ‘What a run from Alvarez, he’s clear. It’s wide open for him. He nails it to the goalkeeper and Livakovic trips him. For me, it was the right decision.’
Former England goalkeeper Rob Green, also serving as the station’s commentator, agreed, saying the referee had no choice.
The referee had to relent as soon as Livakovic committed. Once Álvarez receives that nick, Livakovic knows that he hasn’t won the ball. It was a clear contact, there is not much he could do.
“Brilliant penalty from Messi, almost in the style of Shearer. It went from the same side that we saw against the Netherlands, but it was much higher.
Commentator Ally McCoist says he is “convinced” it was a penalty because “everywhere else on the pitch is a free kick”.
“Of that, as a goalkeeper, as soon as you commit to the dive, you can’t get up, you can’t get high. You risk going over the bar but if you hit it, unstoppable.
Commentators Ally McCoist and Lee Dixon also believed it was a penalty, as the former pointed out that it would be a foul anywhere else on the pitch.
‘My initial reaction was that it was a penalty, and after watching the replays I am convinced that it is a penalty. I can’t understand why they don’t think it’s a penalty to be honest with you, because everywhere else on the pitch it’s a free kick for sure.
“What the goalkeeper does prevents Álvarez from hitting the goal, so I think the referee was right, really.”
Dixon added: “I can’t figure it all out, obviously everyone has a different opinion, the fact that he’s standing there and running into him, that’s not because he’s fighting for the ball.
And former referee Peter Walton, who often gives his expert opinion from a television studio, backed the referee and said Livakovic was unable to get the ball.
When asked what else the goalkeeper could do, he replied: “Well, he wins the ball, if he’s fighting for the ball and he loses it completely and catches the player, he’s impeded his progress and it has to be the foul.”
‘If it’s a field player it’s a visitor’s fault, with the goalkeeper it has to be the same. He needs to make sure he has some contact with the ball, or he will impede the player’s progress. The movement of him forward has meant that a collision occurs, it may seem harsh, but that is a foul.