England’s World Cup win over Colombia was “theft,” says Diego Maradona

Argentina legend Diego Maradona condemns England‘s World Cup victory over Colombia as he issues a brutal assessment of referee Mark Geiger.

Maradona, the Hand of God antagonist in Argentina’s infamous victory over the Three Lions during the 1986 World Cup, believes England’s Round of 16 win at the Otkrytiye Arena was the result of bad refereeing.

Gareth Southgate’s men prevailed in a fiercely competitive match against the South Americans, but Maradona has since hit out at first official Mark Geiger for awarding England a penalty after Harry Kane was wrestled to the ground by Carlos Sanchez.

Maradona told Argentine television after the match: “I saw a monumental theft. I apologise to all the Colombian people, but they must know the players are not to blame.

“It is the man who decides who the referee is who is to blame. A man like that (Geiger) should not be put in charge of a game of that magnitude.

“With all due respect, Pierluigi Collina, as the man who designates the referees, he is very bad. He must apologise to the Colombian people.

“I told [Fifa president] Gianni Infantino that if I worked for Fifa I would change everything. It has to be transparent. That’s why I didn’t go there.

“The referee will know a lot about baseball, but he has no idea about football. The Colombian players asked for VAR and he did not give it to them.

“Twice the English threw themselves to the ground and he did not admonish them. This was theft.”

In total there were eight yellow cards brandished during the match, with six going in the direction of Jose Pekerman’s side, as tensions were threatening to spill over throughout the match.

There were 8 yellow cards during England vs. Colombia; no other game at the 2018 World Cup has seen more.

No side has been shown more (6) than Colombia in a single game. pic.twitter.com/nWqRruoWJw

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 3, 2018

England will feel justice has been served with the final result after Wilmar Barrios appeared to headbutt Jordan Henderson in the first-half, but the midfielder was only shown a yellow card, much to the confusion of former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg.

The match was decided through a penalty shootout after Yerry Mina’s late goal cancelled out Harry Kane’s earlier effort from the spot, which the Three Lions ultimately won, but Maradona insists England’s opening goal was not a foul of Kane.

He added: “The penalty was not a foul. In fact, it was Kane’s fault.

“The referee is looking somewhere else and when he turns his head, Kane is on the floor.

“Kane used his arm to hook Sanchez and then threw himself down.

“I repeat, why didn’t the referee ask for the VAR? Colombia died standing. That’s why I applaud them.”

England face Sweden on Saturday at the Samara Arena for a place in the semi-final against either Croatia or hosts Russia.

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