Cheeky Nani goal spurs controversy
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Nani's goal in Manchester United's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday was, depending on your standpoint, either cheeky improvisation, a basic goalkeeping error or the result of incompetent refereeing.
United was seemingly on course for a routine 1-0 win in Saturday's English Premier League match courtesy of Nemanja Vidic's 31st-minute header.
Six minutes from time Nani burst into the box and went to ground appealing in vain for a penalty and handling the ball in the process.
Referee Mark Clattenburg waved play on but Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes assumed that a free kick had been given for the handling offense and placed the ball near the six-yard box. The Portuguese, aware that the whistle had not sounded, nipped in and scored into the empty net for his fifth goal of the season.
Gomes and his teammates complained furiously but, after consulting with his linesman, the referee awarded the goal.
United manager Alex Ferguson was convinced the Brazilian was at fault for the schoolboy error of not playing to the whistle.
"It was bizarre. No-one knew at the time what was wrong," the United manager said. "One minute the goalkeeper had the ball in his hands and next it's in his net. Nani looked back and looked at the referee and the referee said play on, so what can he do but put the ball in the net?
"You can look at the referee and look at the linesmen and blame them, but the goalkeeper should know better. He's an experienced goalkeeper. I thought he made a mess of it."
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp took a different view. "It was handball. He (Nani) put his hand on the ball and dragged it. He should have been booked for a deliberate handball.
"The referee has not seen it. The linesman has seen it that is why he has flagged. He's gone over there and told him what he did and he should have disallowed the goal. Gomes put the ball down for a free kick. It's obvious. Why would he stand there and leave the ball there after he saw him handball it?"
Spurs fans were quick to bombard the radio phone-in shows complaining about the decision and pointing out that Clattenburg has a previous history with their club.
He was the referee who missed the fact that Pedro Mendes's ambitious long-range effort for Spurs at Old Trafford five years ago went a meter over the line before being fumbled away by United goalkeeper Roy Carroll.
In yesterday's early game, Aston Villa and Birmingham City failed to find a cutting edge as a dull Midlands derby ended in a 0-0 draw at Villa Park.
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