Morecambe goalkeeper turns into FA Cup hero as Chelsea followers rage at penalty controversy
Morecambe goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne made a brilliant penalty save to deny Chelsea taking the lead in the FA Cup but fans have been left slamming the referee
Morecambe goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne saved a Chelsea penalty but fans have slammed the referee’s decision.
The 28-year-old denied Christopher Nkunku from the spot to keep the FA Cup third-round tie level, but had VAR been in operation, his brilliant moment would have been wiped from history.
That’s because Burgoyne was off his line as Nkunku struck his spot-kick. FA laws state that the defending goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching, in line with, or behind the goal line, which the Morecambe stopper did not.
VAR isn’t in operation in the competition until the fifth round despite Stamford Bridge having the capacity to have the technology in place due to its place in the Premier League.
Neither the referee or the linesman saw that Burgoyne had stepped off his line and the penalty was not ordered to be retaken to the anger of Chelsea fans. “Morecambe goalkeeper was 5 miles off his line,” one fan raged on X.
A second wrote: “I mean he’s absolutely miles off his line, but Nkunku.” A third argued: “He’s well off his line the Morecambe goalkeeper for the Nkunku penalty. It should of been retaken the penalty”. While a fourth said: “The keeper is off the line. Rare times you miss VAR to correct some clearly wrong calls.”
More to follow…
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