For the first time since 1966, England is in a major tournament final. The decisive moment was 104 minutes in coming – and sparked heated discussions.
The Three Lions had to wait 55 years to participate in a major final: After a 2-1 win against hard-fighting Danes, Coach Gareth Southgate’s team will face Italy in the final on Sunday – at home in London.
But the decisive moment in this semi-final was a long time coming – and provided plenty of material for discussion. Denmark’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is said to have been blinded by English fans with a laser pointer when the penalty kick was likely to be decisive for the game in the 104th minute.
Penalty in extra time: minimum contact, maximum consequences
Shortly before the end of the first half of extra time: England’s Raheem Sterling falls in the opponent’s penalty area. The Dutch referee Danny Makkelie doesn’t hesitate for a moment and points to the penalty spot – the 60,000 spectators at London’s Wembley Stadium are torn from their seats. It’s a tough decision: Although there is contact between Denmark’s Joakim Maehle and Sterling – but only minimally. “We judge on the basis of slow motion and have to find out that it was not so good to give the penalty,” said the German referee Patrick Ittrich on Magenta TV when asked whether he would have whistled. The video assistants did not intervene because, in their opinion, it was not a hundred percent wrong decision.
Kasper Schmeichel blinded for seconds by the laser pointer
But not only the creation of the penalty caused a stir in retrospect. Immediately before top striker Harry Kane starts shooting, the Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is blinded for seconds by a laser pointer. The camera images show the keeper looking down at himself, confused, for a moment. The light beam is apparently coming from somewhere in the audience. Although Schmeichel then parries, Kane has to admit defeat in the margin.
However, the spectators noticed another irregularity: Before referee Makkelie whistled for the penalty kick, there is a second ball on the field, as numerous Twitter users note:
Denmark coach: “We don’t know who committed the foul”.
Obviously shocked by the late deficit, the Danes missed the boat in the remaining 20 minutes. England is in the final, tens of thousands of stadium spectators sing the iconic song “Football’s Coming Home”.
On the Danish side, the controversial penalty decision caused resentment: “That it will be decided this way – I’ve read the international press – it was a penalty that shouldn’t have been given, that annoys me. We are very disappointed,” said Denmarks Coach Kasper Hjulmand. If it was a penalty, the 49-year-old continued, it could not have had anything to do with his defender Maehle: “We don’t know who committed the foul.”
England coach Peter Southgate did not want to evaluate the game-changing scene. “If you look at the game as a whole, we deserved it. We had more chances,” said the coach.
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
