England were handed a fortunate route back into their Euro 2024 semi-final against Netherlands when they were awarded a controversial penalty on 14 minutes that Harry Kane converted.
After Netherlands took the lead through Xavi Simons early on, England found a quick response from the penalty spot but Netherlands players were furious.
Kane shaped to shoot and his effort flew over the bar but after a VAR check, referee Felix Zwayer pointed to the spot much to the dismay of many in the ground and beyond. The VAR for the clash was Bastian Dankert, who recommended that Zwayer look at the pitchside monitor after reviewing the incident.
In Telegraph Sports live coverage columnist Jamie Carragher said it was never a penalty while Lee Dixon, co-commentating on ITV, said: Im pleased, dont get me wrong but you have to challenge for the ball. I dont think its a penalty but I dont care.
Gary Neville and Ian Wright were involved in a heated exchange in the ITV studio at half time as they disagreed with the decision. Neville said: As a defender, I think its a disgrace. To give that penalty at any time, but in a semi-final. Its nowhere near a penalty and not many England players were claiming it. You take your luck.Wright replied: That is reckless. His studs are up. Theyve given it anywhere else on the pitch and its a foul. But Neville snapped back: If someone thinks thats reckless? Honestly thats not a penalty. There has to be licence to try and block the shot.
Former England captain Alan Shearer, speaking on BBC 5 Live, said: England players are looking at the referee, they think there is a collision. Denzel Dumfries does connect with Harry Kane. There was no contact to the ball from Dumfries.
Michael Owen, who controversially won a penalty at the World Cup against Argentina in 2002 that David Beckham scored, said England had got lucky with the penalty.
The appointment of Zwayer was controversial because he was embroiled in a match-fixing scandal earlier in his career.
In 2006, Zwayer admitted taking money from banned referee Robert Hoyzer, who was accused of match-fixing but not of altering the outcome of a game. Zwayer was given a six-month DFB ban, having been one of the officials who brought Hoyzers match-fixing plot to light.
The VAR was wrong to intervene. The referees judgement from a good position was correct. There was no foul and therefore no penalty kick should have been awarded.
This was not a clear and obvious error and sadly we see yet again VAR intervention and the referee not sticking with his original decision.
The referee was ideally positioned. VAR should not have intervened.
At a Nato summit in Washington, prime minister Kier Starmer watched the penalty alongside his Dutch counterpart Dick Schoof. The pair shared a handshake despite the controversy in the match between their teams.
Picked the right moment to pop out from NATO meetings and check the score…@MinPres pic.twitter.com/gqnCK8ogri
Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 10, 2024
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