Tuesday,
June 17,
Azzurri
Were Cheated in 2002 World Cup - Ecuadorian Referee Finally Admits
Just
because you are paranoid, doesn't mean someone ISN’T plotting
against you.
At
the 2002 World Cup, the Italians claimed there had been a conspiracy against
them. Italy had four
perfectly fair goals disallowed in their two previous matches against Croatia and Mexico. In the match with South
Korea (the host country) Giovanni Trapattoni’s
men had a perfectly good goal disallowed, had Francesco Totti sent-off for diving when replays showed
that he had only lost his footing, while South Korea were awarded a
dubious penalty. In their early exit in a second
round defeat.
Byron
Moreno, the infamous Ecuadorian referee, who officiated
the Italy vs. South Korea
match, has finally admitted the Azzurri were wronged
during that notorious match. Moreno
however was unwilling to admit that it was a conspiracy, or they had
suggestions or instructions from higher ups, but that they were obvious
mistakes by his linemen (which he has the authority to overrule).
Moreno as ignorant as ever,
seemed to STILL want to put the responsibility on the Italians for playing
"too defensively"
Moreno was not disciplined
during the World Cup, but later in 2002, he received a 20 match ban, after he
played an extra 13 minutes of stoppage time during a match between Deportiva Universita de Quito and
Barcelona Sporting Club. During this time the Ecuadorian team, Deportiva scored twice to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3
victory.
After returning from his suspension, Moreno
was suspended again after controversially sending off three players in one
match. He retired from officiating shortly after in 2003.
Italy Were Wronged In 2002 -
Infamous Referee Moreno
Byron Moreno,
the infamous Ecuadorian referee, who officiated during Italy’s 2-1 second
round defeat to South Korea in the 2002 World Cup, has finally admitted that
the Azzurri were wronged during that notorious match.
Italy were eliminated after
former Perugia
star Ahn Jung-Hwans extra time golden goal sent
the joint-host nation into ecstasy.
However this all happened after one of the most infamous
matches in World Cup history. Giovanni Trapattonis
men had a perfectly good goal disallowed, had Francesco Totti
sent-off for diving when replays showed that he had only lost his footing,
while South Korea were awarded a dubious penalty.
After the match Italy
declared that there had been a conspiracy against them, claims that were given
strength by the fact they had had four perfectly fair goals disallowed in their
two previous matches against Croatia
and Mexico.
South Koreas
quarter-final against Spain
was also ridden with controversy, as the Spaniards also had two legitimate
goals chalked off, before the Koreans progressed to the semi-finals on
penalties.
Links have been made between 2002 and Italys
Euro 2008 experience after Roberto Donadonis men
had three massive decisions go against them during the two games against Holland and Romania.
Moreno was
asked about Ruud Van Nistelrooys
offside goal in the first match, and the former official insists that
it was the correct decision to allow the goal to stand.
"The rules say that the referee decides, sniped Moreno to the Gazzetta
dello Sport.
And the referee decided for the immediacy of the action, and the goal
after the departure of Panucci off the pitch.
Moreno then unleashed a bombshell by
surprisingly apologising for the disallowed golden
goal of Damiano Tomassi
during that infamous defeat to Korea
in 2002.
"I waited for the decision of my linesman, he said, comparing Tomassis offside to that of Van Nistelrooy.
Remember South Korea-Italy? I was criticized for the Damiano
Tomassi golden goal that was ruled out.
I admit: it was a mistake. But the responsibility was with the
linesman.
However Moreno
then went on to criticise the Italy of Roberto Donadoni for being too defensive, and says this is the
reason they are struggling in Euro 2008.
"If they think it is a mistake, it is right to protest, he stated.
But it seems to me that this is not the Italy of Lippi.
They are too defensive, they remind me of the
team of Trapattoni. They also suffer the absence of Totti.
Moreno retired
from refereeing in 2003, following two long suspensions in his home country.
In 2002 he received a 20 match ban, after he played an extra 13 minutes of
stoppage time during a match between Deportiva Universita de Quito and Barcelona Sporting Club. During
this time Deportiva scored twice to turn a 3-2 deficit
into a 4-3 victory.
After retuning from his suspension, Moreno
was suspended again after controversially sending off three players in one
match. He retired from officiating shortly after.
Anthony Sormani
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