In what was a fiery encounter that concluded in a 2-2 stalemate on Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen's late equalizer against VfB Stuttgart was engulfed in controversy. However, subsequent evaluations by the DFB have confirmed the goal as lawful, upholding referee Felix Zwayer's contentious call.
The Decisive Moment: Fair Play or Foul?
Leverkusen's dramatic equalizer by Robert Andrich came under intense scrutiny as questions were raised over Victor Boniface's involvement in an aerial challenge. Stuttgart's vehement arguments for a foul were dismissed by DFB's referee chief Lutz Michael Fröhlich. "The use of the arms by Boniface in the aerial duel was minimal and did not warrant a foul," declared Fröhlich, emphasizing the fairness of the physical encounter.
A Close Call But No Foul, Says Fröhlich
Former professional player Mario Basler voiced a starkly different opinion, considering the incident as a clear foul. "Zwayer had the perfect view - he should have seen it. For me, this is a foul because he pushes a player in the air," Basler asserted. However, Fröhlich referenced a similar non-call involving Stuttgart's Denzi Undav to substantiate the consistent application of the rules.
The Handball Rule: Clarity from Fröhlich
Further adding to the controversy was a suspected handball in the buildup to Andrich's goal. Again, Fröhlich defended the non-call. "Hincapie kept his arm close to his body, and there was neither an unnatural enlargement of the body nor intent," he explained. An obscure rule came to Leverkusen's aid here, where an unintentional handball leading to a goal is not penalized unless the goal is scored by the player guilty of the handball.
Coach Sebastian Hoeneß of Stuttgart had demanded a video review, which was not granted, with Fröhlich stating that there was no need to revisit the incident due to its compliance with the rules.
"I understand Stuttgart's frustration over the late equalizing goal. But the goal's creation followed the rules, hence it's not just to scorn the referee," Fröhlich concluded, amid the ongoing debate regarding the judgment.
In the end, it seems that the legality of Leverkusen's equalizing goal stands, albeit surrounded by a whirlwind of debate and consternation from the Stuttgart camp. Evidently, the game of soccer continues to be as much about the decisions off the pitch as those made on it.
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