Armenia file protest over keeper red card
Reuters - Thursday 13 October 2011, 12:07
Armenia have filed an official
protest to UEFA over what they believe were wrong decisions by
the referee in their Euro 2012 qualifying defeat by Ireland in
Dublin, the Armenian FA (FFA) said on Thursday.
Armenia needed to win their final Group B qualifier to
finish second and make the play-offs but they lost 2-1 on Tuesday
after their goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky was sent off by Spanish
referee Eduardo Gonzalez after 26 minutes.
Berezovsky was dismissed for handball outside his area but
TV replays clearly showed he chested the ball clear.
FFA chief Ruben Airapetyan told reporters the Armenians want
European football's governing body to cancel Berezovsky's red card
rather than punish the referee.
TV replays also showed the referee allowed play to continue
after it appeared Ireland striker Simon Cox did handle the ball
moments before Berezovsky was wrongly adjudged to have done so.
He later sent off Ireland's Kevin Doyle after the striker
receieved two yellow cards.
Airapetyan dismissed any conspiracy theory after some
Armenian fans suggested UEFA was trying to give Ireland an
advantage to balance out France striker Thierry Henry's infamous
handball that cost them the chance of reaching the 2010 World
Cup finals.
Henry handled the ball in the build-up to France's winning
goal against Ireland in the playoffs but the offence went
unpunished.
"Trust me, I would never think or believe that it would be
possible for UEFA to give such instructions to the referee,"
Airapetyan said.