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Qatar 2022: Referee Mateu Lahoz sent home after Messi’s rant

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Mateu Lahoz during Argentina vs Netherlands Quarter finals in Qatar

Mueez Ajao

– Mateu Lahoz will not referee any of the four remaining World Cup games after being ‘sent home from Qatar’, according to reports.

– The Spanish official was last in charge of Friday evening’s dramatic quarter-final clash between Argentina and the Netherlands.

– Lahoz handed out an astonishing 15 yellow cards, plus a red to Denzel Dumfries after Argentina’s victory in the penalty shootout.

Also Read: Messi lashes out at Van Gaal and referee after advancing to semis

– Both teams were furious with Lahoz’s performance, especially Argentina, who regularly protested against decisions.

– Lionel Messi was among the players booked and he vented his frustrations in a post-match interview.

– He even claimed Lahoz should not be allowed to officiate a match for the remainder of the competition.

– The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner said: “This match shouldn’t have ended as it did. I don’t want to talk about the referee because they sanction you, but people watched what happened.

– “We were afraid before the match because we knew how he was and I think FIFA has to review this, you can’t put a referee like him for these matches.”

– Well, the Paris Saint-Germain superstar got his wish. Spanish publication COPE claim Lahoz has already left Qatar with the semi-finals, third-place playoff and final still to be played.

– Messi wasn’t the only Argentina player to lose his cool. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said Lahoz was ‘giving everything’ to the Netherlands, who came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in normal time.

– The Aston Villa man explained: “It was a tricky game and I thought we controlled the game well. We went 2-0 up, we controlled the game and the referee was giving everything to them.

– “All of a sudden they got a good header, a good flick, which I couldn’t see and then it turned upside-down.

– “The ref was giving everything to them. He gave 10 minutes [added time] for no reason, 10 minutes.

– “He was giving free kicks outside the box for them two or three times – he just wanted them to score, that’s it.

– “So hopefully we don’t have that referee anymore because he’s useless.”

– Nahuel Molina and Messi gave Argentina a comfortable lead before Wout Weghorst scored two late on to take the game to extra time.

– No goals in 30 minutes brought the day’s second penalty shootout after Croatia shockingly knocked Brazil out in the early kick-off.

– Martinez saved Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis’ spot kicks while Lautaro Martinez converted to secure victory.

– Argentina will face Croatia in the first semi-final on Tuesday, while France and Morocco will go at it on Wednesday for a place in Sunday’s final.

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