July 10th 2024.
In a highly anticipated Euro 2024 semi-final match between England and the Netherlands, things took a heated turn when England's captain, Harry Kane, was awarded a penalty in the first half. The decision was met with strong criticism from former England and Manchester United player, Gary Neville, who labeled it as "an absolute disgrace". Xavi Simons of the Netherlands had scored the first goal of the match with a powerful strike, but England quickly retaliated and equalized thanks to the penalty kick by Kane.
Upon seeing the replay, it appeared that Kane had made contact with the bottom of Dutch defender, Denzel Dumfries' boot while taking his shot. However, the decision was made to award England the penalty after a brief VAR check. This controversial call has divided fans and pundits, with some left stunned and others in disbelief. Lee Dixon and Ally McCoist, who were commentating on the match for ITV, were among those who were taken aback by the decision.
During halftime, an animated Neville expressed his disbelief at the decision, stating that it was "never a penalty". He went on to say that as a former defender, he found it to be an "absolute disgrace" and that it was a call that should have never been made, especially in such an important game. He also mentioned a similar incident in a previous match, where he was equally outraged by the referee's decision.
Despite Neville's strong opinion, former Arsenal and England striker, Ian Wright, disagreed with him. He argued that Dumfries' challenge on Kane was "reckless" and would have been deemed a foul on any other area of the pitch. Neville, however, refused to budge and insisted that fans and pundits were "going mad" if they thought that the challenge was worthy of a penalty.
ITV's refereeing analyst in Germany, Christina Unkel, also weighed in on the controversial call. She agreed with Neville and stated that there was no suggestion of a foul on first viewing and that even the VAR did not recommend a penalty. She also pointed out that while there was contact between Dumfries and Kane, it was not a clear and obvious error and that the preferred recommendation was for it not to be a penalty.
In the end, Kane converted the penalty kick, equalizing the score for England. The match continued to be intense, with both teams fighting for a spot in the finals. Despite the controversy surrounding the penalty decision, both teams played well and put on a great show for the fans. And in the end, it was England who emerged victorious, securing their spot in the Euro 2024 finals.
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