It was a blatant foul. The referee turned a blind eye. There was no VAR to correct it. The British media suspected a home advantage due to Newcastle’s ties to Saudi Arabia.
South Korea’s national soccer team, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, won 1-0 against Saudi Arabia in a friendly match at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England, on Sept. 13 (KST), thanks to a goal from Cho Kyu-sung.
However, the game was marred by a questionable call in the 35th minute of the first half when South Korea took a 1-0 lead.
South Korea shut down a Saudi attack in the middle of the field, creating a momentary counterattack opportunity. Son Heung-min penetrated into an empty space. Cho Kyu-sung calmly stabbed a forward pass.
Son Heung-min took one touch to get into the penalty box. He had the angle to shoot, but Saudi central defender Hassan Al-Tambakti broke his center with a back tackle. He was unable to touch the ball and clearly tripped Son over his own feet.
The referee somehow didn’t award a penalty.
Newcastle is owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). St. James’ Park is Newcastle’s home stadium. This friendly was effectively a Saudi home game.
Newcastle wants to be the most supported club in Saudi Arabia, according to sports media outlet The Athletic. Newcastle’s new shirt sponsor is also owned by PIF. It is closely linked to the Saudi national team. Newcastle receives a significant fee for hosting A-match friendlies.카지노사이트
‘Son was blatantly denied a penalty,’ said the Daily Mail. He expressed his disbelief at the referee’s decision. He was expecting the referee to point to the penalty spot, but nothing happened. Premier League referee Andy Madley oversaw the game,” he explained.
The Daily Mail then hinted at the possibility of a home advantage, citing Saudi Arabia’s ties to Newcastle United.
‘Saudi Arabia hosted the A-match at the stadium because of its symbolic relationship with Newcastle,’ the Daily Mail said. Saudi PIF is the dominant owner of Newcastle and the club’s presence in the country is growing.