In the end they got away with the three points but Liverpool’s 2-1 win over West Ham last night to regain top spot on the ladder certainly had its fair share of controversy – none moreso than the decision by referee Anthony Taylor to award the Hammers an equalizing goal right on halftime despite Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet being manhandled by Andy Carroll in the lead-up. As it turned out, Taylor later awarded a dubious penalty to the Reds, which Steven Gerrard duly converted, in what may well have been a square-up.
While the two incidents essentially cancelled each other out, it did get us thinking about what a travesty it would be if a refereeing decision was to determine the outcome of this thrilling EPL climax with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City locked in a three-way battle for the title.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five of football’s worst refereeing decisions of all time:
5) The Hand of God
It is probably the most famous “goal” in World Cup history. Shortly after half-time in their World Cup quarter-final against England in 1986, Argentina great Maradona gave his side the lead after beating goalkeeper Peter Shilton to the ball by punching it into the net! Referee Ali Bin Nasser inexplicably missed the blatant handball as Argentina went on to score a 2-1 win and eventually lift the World Cup trophy. Known as the “Hand of God” goal ever since, you can watch it unfold here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ccNkksrfls
4) How many yellows make a red?
In the crucial 2006 World Cup group clash between Croatia and Australia, referee Graham Poll produced a first by showing issuing Croatian defender Josip Simunic three yellow cards! That’s right, Poll forgot to show Simunic a red after he was booked for the second time in the 89th minute and he stayed on the field – only to be booked again and finally sent off four minutes later. Fortunately it didn’t impact the result with the 2-2 draw enough for Australia to sneak into the Round of 16. See Simunic’s yellow cards here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caYdeTLSW-o
3) Luck of the French
Deep into extra time in the second leg their 2010 World Cup playoff, the tie looked set to head to penalties with Ireland leading 1-0 following France’s 1-0 win in the first leg until the visitors were awarded an absurd goal that broke Irish hearts. As a cross came in towards Thierry Henry at the back post, the French striker blatantly stopped the ball from going out with his hand then touched it again to knock it down before crossing for William Gallas to score. Watch it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siJQZs2Sbho
2) The invisible goal
They won the World Cup in 1966, but ever since England’s World Cup story is one of missed opportunities, heartbreaking exits and shocking refereeing decisions. Yep, they’ve certainly copped their fair share of bad luck over the years – none more frustrating than the goal that wasn’t against Germany at the 2010 World Cup. FIFA’S refusal to invest in goal-line technology came back to bite them when, trailing the Germans 2-1 in their Round of 16 clash, Frank Lampard launched a rocket of a shot that struck the underside of the crossbar and landed a good foot over the line before bouncing back into the arms of the goal keeper. Inexplicably, the referee didn’t award the goal as he waved play-on and England never recovered as they fell 4-1.
1) Reading’s ghost goal
It should have been a game that came and went without any fuss or fanfare as Watford hosted Reading in the Championship in 2008, but instead it went down in history after a farcical decision to award Reading a goal in the 13th minute. A corner was swung into the box and ricocheted off the thigh of Reading midfielder John Eustace and out of play about a metre to the right of goal. The players from both sides jogged back up-field anticipating a goal-kick but referees assistant Nigel Bannister wrongly believed the ball had crossed the line inside the goal and after a brief discussion referee Stuart Attwell awarded it to complete one of the strangest incidents in sporting history! Watch it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0YiuSbBdaQ
