Anderlecht may rue the fact that an incorrect offside call cost them a crucial goal to make the scoreline 3—2, and possibly a subsequent place in the UEFA Champions League. TV replays show (pic below) that the two Anderlecht attackers were not in front of the second-last defender, and therefore the goal that was scored was legitimate. This is not optimum officiating.
[As the Anderlecht player (white player in front of the referee) plays the ball across the goal area, his team-mates are onside]The 2—2 draw (the same result from the first-leg match) meant that the aggregate score was 4—4 and the match would be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
As bad as Anderlecht players were at taking penalties (the ball was skied over the crossbar, not once, not twice but thrice!), their goalkeeper was just as undisciplined because he was consistently jumping off the goal line before the ball had been kicked. Here are five freeze frames of the Anderlecht goalkeeper making a “save”. It is the seventh PK, after both teams have taken three PKs each with the penalty shoot-out score being Anderlecht 1—2 Partizan.
[The Anderlecht GK moves off the goal line before the ball has been kicked. Note: look at the stance and body language of the AR]
[Reverse angle showing that the Anderlecht GK has come off the goal line before the ball has been kicked] The Anderlecht goalkeeper was never penalized for this "save" (which gave his team a brief lifeline), despite the fact that the AR was making a great show of deep concentration and of being fully focused. The AR’s body language is slightly awkward (i.e. bending at the waist to see a distance of between 6 and 14 yards) but nevertheless gives the message that he is taking his duties very seriously. However, the AR’s inaction clearly reveal that he did not take his duties seriously! In fact, with his awkwardly-adopted stance is he really paying attention to when the ball is actually kicked? The Referee must assume responsibility for this also. This is not optimum officiating.
Despite the strange displays of officiating during the match, Partizan went on to win 3-2 on penalties.
The match officials, all from Scotland, are Craig Thomson (R), Tom Murphy (AR), William Conquer (AR), Iain Robertson Brines (4th), Calum Murray (EAR), and Alan Muir (EAR).
Note: Perhaps in relation to the stamping incident 6 days previously, Partizan’s Almami Moreira (#10) was not in the squad whereas Anderlecht’s Mbark Boussoufa (#11) started the match. If Moreira's exlusion (which is further exacerbated by Boussoufa's inclusion) was indeed related to the stamping incident, then this serves to illustrate that strong disciplinary action must be meted out consistently during such cynical, cowardly and unsporting acts. A reiteration: we must stamp out stamping.
Since we are reiterating; here are further freeze frames to highlight the fact that the Anderlecht GK (Silvio Proto) was consistently jumping off his goal line before the ball was kicked. It is the first of two "saved" penalty kicks (i.e. the third PK of the shoot-out) made by the Anderlecht keeper.
[The third penalty kick of the shoot-out, which is "saved" by the Anderlecht GK] 
[Reverse angle of the third penalty kick "saved" by the Anderlecht GK, who is clearly off his goal line]Related Posts
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