A penalty awarded in the 90th + 12th minute by João Pinheiro, after consultation with the VAR that lasted more than 10 minutes, allowed Sporting to equalize and take the game to extra time, in which they won in extra time. Santa Clara, who were leading after 90 minutes, were eliminated in a decision that generated criticism from their president and the major Portuguese clubs.
Portuguese football is always involved in controversies, and this is a big one. A penalty allowed Sporting to draw in the Azores and take the game to extra time, when they scored the goal that eliminated Santa Clara from the Portuguese Cup.
Sporting’s qualification for the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup is setting the tone for Portuguese football. An arbitration decision is at the center of the controversy that led to Santa Clara’s elimination.
Because of that move, João Pinheiro is being the most talked about referee this Christmas. Before this decision, he had refereed three goals. The first, after 12 minutes, was from João Simões, who put Sporting ahead in the Azores.
Santa Clara equalized just before half an hour, when Lucas Soares escaped Matheus Reis and took advantage of the space to beat João Virgínia from distance.
In the second half, five minutes after the 90, Gabriel Silva made it 2-1 for the Azoreans, with the ball being unintentionally deflected by Eduardo Quaresma.
With Sporting’s elimination in sight, Paulo Vítor was sent off with a direct red in a play with Iván Fresneda.
After 90 minutes, the controversy gained more expression. João Pinheiro and VAR took 12 minutes to decide a penalty against Morten Hjulmand. Ironies arose first, then protests.
From 11 meters, Luís Suárez took advantage of João Pinheiro’s decision to make it 2-2 and push the tie into extra time, in which numerical superiority ended up making the difference for Sporting.
Fotis Ioanidis scored the winning goal, in a game that was marked by the context that led Santa Clara to lose the advantage in stoppage time.
On social media, the president of Santa Clara asked for the expulsion to be annulled, claiming that Paulo Vítor had no role in Fresneda’s downfall.
He also requested access to the 12 minutes of audio of the conversation between the referee and the VAR, and wants to see the offside lines during the controversial penalty.
According to the president of the islanders, he received information that the technology did not work correctly, and that taking a decision in these conditions gives the right to cancel the game, something that Benfica followed closely.
“Another scandalous episode”
The Christmas dinner for employees at the ‘red’ club started 12 minutes late.
“Scandalous” was the word that stood out in the statement that Benfica issued during the game in the Azores.
Eagles and dragons in tune
In line, FC Porto also reacted, highlighting the profound worsening of the loss of confidence in arbitration and classifying the first year of the current leadership of the Federation as disappointing. The club demands immediate action from Pedro Proença.
