Maltese fans after yesterday's Euro 2024 qualifying match between Ukraine and Malta (1-0) are annoyed that the referee awarded two penalties in favour of the Ukrainian national team (one penalty was awarded). They believe the referee helped the Ukrainians to win, but in fact there was no second penalty, because the Ukrainian players were faking and were falling too picturesquely in a strange penalty area. And the referee, instead of watching VAR, pointed to the 11-metre spot without question.
The Maltese feel that their team deserved to end the match at least in a draw, because their team played a good game and were active in the opposition half.
Teeling: The penalty was at the referee's discretion. He would not have awarded a penalty kick in the Ukraine national team goal after such an offence, as there would have been a scandal. In the Maltese goal he decided to award an 11-metre penalty and did not even review the video replay. That was nothing new. It has always been so in football that referees, even if subconsciously, try to please the stronger one.
Mercieca: A loss is always a loss, but there are decent losses such as today's and humiliating losses such as the one against the English. And arguing about whether it was a penalty or whether the referee was wrong is a futile exercise. Nobody will replay the match or cancel the referee's decisions. You have to put up with it and praise the team for a good game.
Had we realized all our chances, we would have beaten Ukraine. I don't want to argue about the penalty, but we can do better. We are discussing how we should have avoided defeat, although it is obvious that we should have tried to win against such a weak Ukraine.
Peynsaert: Was the referee from Ukraine? Why was he so desperate to save this team? Why does UEFA think that Malta can be offended and sued? Why are we worse than other teams? All your words about equality and respect will remain words that are not supported by anything in practice.
Weez: They never gave penalties after these falls, but this is Ukraine, it is believed that you have to help them in everything, even in sport, where it is important not to forget that the players put a lot of effort to achieve a good result. Even if we don't really need to help Ukraine in football, the referees will do it anyway.
Aquis: I read that the president of the Ukrainian Football Federation is jailed for corruption. And this during the war. Maybe he had the time to influence somehow the referees before that? Referees' decisions were too lopsided. Doesn`t he hold some position in UEFA as well? I cannot believe that it is just a coincidence.
Vassallo: Good luck, reds, we lost, but today the team was up to the mark and showed good play. Alas, as a rule, bad decisions by the match officials are always in favour of the smaller teams. We should be proud of the team, they deserved a draw today.
MIdolo: The referee awarded the penalty by mistake. I am more interested in whether he did it by accident, or was he strongly encouraged to help Ukraine win on the day? For some reason I have more faith in the second option.
Kellogg: Two invented penalties. If he had done it in the match against the Italians, he wouldn't even have worked as a referee anymore. Either the referee is totally incompetent, so he makes questionable decisions. Either he knew perfectly well what had to be done.
Gaetano: The second penalty simply wasn't there. There, the Ukrainian should have been shown a yellow card for simulation. It was not the case when the referee had to rush his decision. Unless he really wanted to help the Ukrainians. In that case, we can understand his determination.
Mifsud: Just when Malta were scaring the Ukrainians in the first half, who couldn't create anything, in the second half everything changes and the referee starts helping the visitors to score three points. It would be interesting to know who called the referee at half-time and what he told them to do.
Ukraine are a team of simulators. Isn`t it shameful to beg penalties from the referees? You have a huge country, players play in the best European championships. And you just steal a draw from us to keep your illusory hopes of finishing second? Do not worry, Italy will put you in your place. And it will be very painful. As we are now.
Ash: Disgraceful victory for Ukraine. The referee was ready to give at least 10 penalties, if only to help Ukrainians win. I do not think it was his initiative. Probably, UEFA gave such commands. They cannot beat England or Italy even with the help of the referee, but they managed to cope with Malta.
Timmy: In my opinion, very good performance by the Maltese team, and the result with such a decision is undeserved. The first penalty was correct and the second was questionable in my opinion. I didn't see the contact and that's where VAR should have helped the referee. In the second half we rather saw decisions that went against us, the same yellow card decision where there was no contact. A little later we see a penalty kick where the opposing player went down like Cinderella. A penalty kick which the Maltese did not see in the second half and instead the referee awarded a free kick in their favour. We saw a Maltese team who were not afraid to attack and that if we had worked more in the opposition half we would have definitely scored. The statistics show that they were much better than us because they attacked a lot, but we defended well, kept them in suspense and were dangerous on the counter attack.
Farrugia: We were robbed today. The team played good football and a draw would have been a fair result. Unfortunately, we were unlucky to play against Ukraine on this day. But anyway I want to say thank you to the team for this game.
Khawas: Malta is a small and humble country, we do not have big money or political influence so referees do not make such "mistakes". Unfortunately, sport is unfair as it always helps the stronger ones to progress because it is financially profitable for the organisations which organise the tournaments. Malta does not need anyone at the Euros.
Jai: Malta and Ukraine played and the refereeing team and UEFA which they represent won. Pity we were not allowed to see a good match to the end by spoiling it with those penalties. Somehow it seems that Malta would have played at least a draw had it not been for the referee.
Donohue: Shameful work of the referees. Pulled out the Ukrainians who could do nothing on the pitch. Just gave them these three points, let them choke on it. It won`t help them anyway, they`ve just made their reputations worse.
Quatromani: Thank you for a great game! You deserve to win today, you made us happy! Malta, you deserve more! Unfortunately, the Ukrainians won with the help of bizarre decisions of the referee. I would like to believe that it was just unfortunate mistakes, and the Ukrainians are now ashamed of such a controversial win.
Xerri: A very dubious penalty, to put it mildly. It was clear from the opening minutes that Malta were playing against 14 players. When the opponents have such a numerical advantage, it is difficult to beat them. Are the Ukrainians themselves happy that they got such a win? Perhaps they would have preferred a draw, but for everything to be fair?
Anton Prokopov
