CHENNAI: Argentina's fraught relationship with the men's junior World Cup continued on Sunday as their coach launched a staggering attack at the officials after seeing his young wards go down 1-2 in a tense, scrappy first semifinal at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium on Sunday.
"We were f***** by the referee," Juan Gilardi said in a terse media interaction in the mixed zone post the match. He further alleged that officials were 'deliberately' giving cards and calling fouls for his team without rhyme or reason.
The incident in question came deep into the fourth quarter with the sides deadlocked at 1-1. That's when Spain's Bruno Avila drilled a long ball from the inside right channel well outside the striking circle. Avila was looking for a deflection and found one through Albert Serrahima before it went over the line.
However, Argentina were convinced that the goal shouldn't stand on two occasions as the ball was a) dangerous and, failing that, b) the deflection was the courtesy of an Argentine foot. If it was a foot, it would have been a penalty corner to Spain.
After countless replays — the crowd at the stadium fell silent as the video umpire took an age to arrive at a decision — the official ruled there would be no advice possible so the on-field decision stood. On air, the commentators were slightly taken aback by the decision as they suggested the ball was dangerous and the deflection may well have been as a result of a foot and not a Spanish stick. For over five minutes after the on-field decision was upheld, even the FIH website wasn't sure who to credit the goal to before Serrahima was credited with it.
With two seconds remaining, Argentina thought they had a penalty corner of their own to level but it was overturned on yet another controversial video referral.
Post match, Gilardi said: "Right now, I have to say that the umpires, they f**k us the whole tournament with the cards," he said. "They think that we are the only team that is playing aggressively and we get a card for everything. That goal was not a goal and it was really clear that it was not a goal. And on the other side, they say that it was a danger for the attacking team. The whole tournament umpiring is really bad against Argentina but we have to deal with that also and try to be focused for the next match to play for the medal (in the third-fourth match)."
When asked to elaborate on Spain's winner, he added: "Everyone saw it on the screen, it was nothing. You can never give a goal like that. But I really think that it was on purpose, the whole tournament against Argentina."
When the Spanish coach, Oriol Torras, was asked for his reaction to that goal, he looked to the heavens, made the holy cross with his hands and wore a smile. "(It would have) shit if we had conceded like that."
On Wednesday, Spain will be featuring in their first ever men's junior final.
Results: Spain 2-1 Argentina
