Norway won the European Championship premiere.
Then Northern Ireland rages against the election of judges.
– It is inappropriate, he says.
Sweden enters this year’s European Football Championship tomorrow, in a scorching favorite meeting against the Netherlands. Another favorite to go really far during this summer’s football party is Norway, which premiered against Northern Ireland on Thursday.
Raging against Uefa
The neighboring country from the west also got exactly the start it dreamed of, when they made the procedure short against Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland certainly scored their first European Championship goal ever, but that only meant a reduction to 1-3, and Norway was finally able to win by a clear 4-1.
But if the mines were happy at the Norwegian camp, it was the opposite in the Northern Irish. After the loss, they were really upset about the choice of judge. Uefa had chosen a Finnish referee, and a Swedish fourth referee, which upset.
– Uefa is very careful and precise when it comes to what colors you have on the match shirts and how we should dress. And then they put a Nordic referee to this match, says national team captain Kenny Shiels to TV2, and continues:
– It had nothing to do with the result. They deserved to beat us. But it makes one think.
“It is inappropriate”
The Swedish fourth judge was Tess Olofsson, and in Norway no major value was placed on it.
– What should I say about it? I think the judges were good. We spoke each other’s language, but it is not the referees who decide this match, says Norway’s Swedish national team captain Martin Sjögren.
But Kenny Shiels does not agree – but also toned down his original comments.
– I think it is inappropriate. I’m not blaming her for losing, and I do not think we should talk too much about it. But we are all people, who feel the same things. It was not a big deal, just a comment in passing.
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