Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand has expressed his fury after two crucial VAR decisions went against his team as Germany knocked them out of Euro 2024.
“I have to congratulate Germany, but the match was decided by two VAR decisions. I have the photo on my phone. It was offside by a centimetre,” said Hjulmand.
And I’m so tired of the ridiculous handball rule. We cannot make our defenders run with their hands behind their backs. It’s frustrating. Football should not be like this,” added the Danish coach.
“I am not against VAR, but we have to be faster and improve it. In my opinion, the decision must be clear as the moon and not like today.”
First, Joachim Andersen’s goal was ruled out because Thomas Delaney was flagged slightly offside by semi-automatic technology and moments later, Andersen was cruelly penalised for handling the ball inside the area, with Kai Havertz converting the resulting penalty to give Germany the lead.
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand criticised refereeing decisions that went against his team
Joachim Andersen thought he had put his team ahead, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Kai Havertz then scored on a penalty after Andersen was penalized for a handball.
And Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has admitted he would be angry if such a decision went against his team.
‘It was a wild game. “I understand why Denmark is upset,” he said. ‘The penalty decision is tough, but that’s the rule. He (Andersen) didn’t touch the ball intentionally. I’d be angry too if it were the other way around, but I’d have to accept it.’
But like Hjulmand, Nagelsmann insisted he is a supporter of VAR.
‘Offside is an objective decision. I know it’s difficult for them to accept as it’s only a few centimetres. I’m a fan of VAR and it’s good to have it in football,’ Nagelsmann said.
The last-16 match in Dortmund was delayed for 25 minutes in the first half when referee Michael Oliver pulled players off after thunder and lightning struck and Hjulmand insisted it was the right decision, recalling a game in Denmark in 2009 in which he played, in which Jonathan Richter lost part of his leg after being struck by lightning.
“I was involved in a match where one of our players was struck by lightning, I saw the reaction of my players and it was the right thing to do to come out,” Hjulmand said.
The players came out with the game still goalless, but Jamal Musiala added Havertz’s penalty to ensure
Germany’s first victory in a knockout match since 2016 and the hosts will face the winner of the tie between Spain and Georgia, which will take place on Sunday night, in the first quarter-final next Friday.
Asked about his preference, Nagelsmann refused to take the bait, saying: “I’ll watch the game on Sunday afternoon and see how it goes. It won’t be easy for either of us. But I can assure you that we will be focused and ready for whoever it is.
