Northern Ireland`s coach criticizes the referee

CAIRO – 10 November 2017: Michael O'Neill, coach of Northern Ireland, harshly criticized the referee's performance after the 0-1 defeat at the hands of Switzerland in the first leg of the clash for the World Cup in Russia and said he expects the match back in Basel the referee "give them something as he has also given" to the Swiss team.

The referee gave Switzerland a controversial penalty for a hand-ball that was not transformed by Ricardo Rodriguez to give Switzerland a vital win in Belfast in the first leg of the clash.

The Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan decreed the penalty in the 58th minute after a shot from the edge of Shaqiri that touched Corry Evans' back.

"I'm staggered by the decision, staggered by the yellow card," said Northern Ireland Manager Michael O'Neill to Sky Sports. "It's such a defining moment in the match."

"The referee has no-one in his line of sight. Corry's arm isn't in an unnatural position, it's by his side. The ball hits him on the back more than anything. I thought the referee had blown for a foul or an offside. Nobody had claimed for it."

Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic saw it differently. "He (Evans) touched the ball with his upper arm, it was a bit harsh but we deserved the win," he said
Northern Ireland, which is looking to be in its fourth World Cup, after that held in Sweden in 1958, Spain 1982 and Mexico 1986, will visit next Sunday the stadium of St. Jakob Park, in Basel, to try to turn around the tie.

"We have to forget about it. I thought the players' reaction to it was very good," said O'Neill. "We are still in the tie. Maybe a referee will give us a decision in the second leg," he stressed.

"The dressing room is angry and they know they could have done better, but they also know that we are alive, in Basel we will look for the goal that equalizes the tie, and we believe we can do it," O'Neill said.