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Mythbuster is a series that critically fact-checks preconceived footballing notions and myths. This edition examines whether the Flying Eagles were hard done by in the World Youth Championship decider 18 years back.
While increased social media usage since the mid-2010s means refereeing decisions are more scrutinised than ever, some dreadful officiating in the preceding years comes to mind.
Mike Riley’s questionable officiating in Arsenal’s 2-0 loss at Manchester United in 2005 still raises eyebrows to this day.
Graham Poll made one of the game’s greatest blunders in the 2006 World Cup by booking Croatia defender Josip Simunic three times against Australia before dismissing the centre-back, and Tom Henning Ovrebo got an entire fanbase incandescent with rage in Chelsea’s 2009 Champions League semi-final aggregate defeat by Barcelona for overlooking seemingly undeniable penalty decisions.
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Indeed, it is a pretty lengthy list going back in time, but that is not the intention of this piece. Instead, a look back at Terje Hauge’s big decisions in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship final.
Nearly 20 years have passed since Nigeria’s U-20 side were beaten by a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina outfit in the Netherlands. It was the Flying Eagles’ second appearance at the deciding fixture of the U-20 World Cup, and the feeling at the time was that the Norwegian official got the two big decisions wrong in Utrecht.
The emotion of losing another final 16 years after Portugal beat the Flying Eagles in Saudi Arabia precipitated annoyance in the aftermath, but were supporters right to be aggrieved? We look at both incidents that transpired either side of a Chinedu Obasi equaliser.
First Penalty
In the 39th minute of proceedings, Messi received possession in the left half-space just inside his half on a counter-attack that had the Nigerian side scrambling to prevent the competition’s best player from having an easy path to Ambrose Vanzekin’s goal.
Sani Kaita attempts to slow down the then-teenager, but Messi deceives the midfielder with a feint before surging past him and staying on his feet when Kaita tries to foul the Argentine and take one for the team.
Dele Adeleye is on the cover, and the defender does the sensible thing by matching the attacker’s run before forcing him slightly wide. The menacing youngster was already in the box, but there was no immediate danger.
What followed was extremely surprising: Adeleye’s attempt at the tackle was extraordinarily forceful and ill-judged, forcing Hauge to give the penalty.
Second Penalty
The Flying Eagles equalised eight minutes into the second half through Obasi’s well-directed diving header, but they soon found themselves staring at the concession of a second goal after yet another penalty was given in the 74th minute.
This time Monday James was the guilty party. Sergio Aguero made a run on the blindside of Taye Taiwo, and Pablo Zabaleta played the pass around the left-back into the forward.
James was in a seemingly good position on the cover but made the bizarre decision to stick out a lazy leg when the substitute knocked the ball into space, perhaps intending to send a cross into the six-yard box.
A penalty was given, and even Samson Siasia’s expression suggested the Flying Eagles' boss knew it was the right decision.
Conclusion
The sentiment at the time meant there was irritation at the decisions against the Flying Eaglets, but watching those incidents again nearly two decades after shows the right calls were made.
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It was jarring that Adeleye aggressively tackled Messi when there was no immediate danger, having forced the competition’s eventual best player and top scorer away from goal, and James’s stuck-out lazy leg to bring down Aguero when Taiwo was on the cover to double-team the forward was equally ill-advised.
Even with the advent of video replays since the 2010s, both decisions are unlikely to be reviewed because of their undisputable nature.
While the nation’s fandom criticised Hauge’s in 2005, there is likely to be a different interpretation of those decisions today as the hurt has healed.
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