- Monday, April 29, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
Days after the high-profile quarter-final match between former champions Argentina and three-time runners-up Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup 2022 witnessed tense moments, particularly with scores of complaints flying out against the referee, Antonio Mateu Lahoz, it has been reported that the official from Spain has been seen off and will not feature in any of the four remaining matches at the marquee tournament’s business end, the Mirror reported.
In what was a bad-tempered clash between the two football superpowers, Lahoz issued as many as 18 yellow cards (including to Argentina captain Lionel Messi) and even a red card to Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries even after the game finished. Wout Weghorst, who brought the orange brigade back into the game brilliantly by scoring twice to make it 2-2 before the Netherlands lost 3-4 in the penalty shootouts, was also issued with a booking even before he took the pitch.
Messi, who is in the race for World Cup glory in his final appearance, also slammed the official’s performance and told TYC Sports that the game at Lusail Stadium on Saturday (10) should not have ended the way it did.
“I don’t want to talk about the referee because they sanction you. But people saw what happened. We were afraid before the match because we knew how he was and I think FIFA has to review this. You can’t put a referee like him for these matches,” he said.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez also criticised Lahoz, accusing him of favouring the Netherlands after they trailed.
“He gave 10 minutes extra time for no reason. He just wanted them to score. That referee is crazy. Arrogant. You say something to him and he talks back to you. It’s crazy,” he said.
Weghorst drew level for the Dutch in the 11th added minute, pushing the game into the extra time and eventually the tie-breakers. But Martinez played a crucial role to ensure that Argentina reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2014.
Lahoz is not the only match official to have been questioned at the mega event in Qatar. Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio was also criticised severely for his showing during the France-England quarter-final match that England lost 1-2.
Argentina will play Croatia in the first semi-final at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday while France will take on Morocco in the second semi-final clash on Wednesday (14).
