After Talat Abunima of Norwegian fifth division club Sandved went down in the Ild penalty area, referee Nedzad Munjic pointed to the spot. Abunima argued that he
hadn't been fouled, received a yellow card, and then a red when he continued his protest. "I went past an Ild player and then tripped over my own feet. It was unbelievably clumsy of me and when the
referee pointed to the spot I felt I had to speak out," Abunima said.
Munjic disagreed: "It was a clear penalty. The player got it all wrong – I don't think the players know the rules
properly. And when I've blown the whistle, I can't change my mind."
Rune Pedersen, the head of the Norwegian Referees' Association, said the official could have changed his
mind over the penalty but that the cards were warranted. "A referee can change any decision he has taken until the play resumes," he said.
With Sandved leading 3-1, Oyvind
Svenning deliberately sent the PK wide, Ild withdrew a player to make the sides even again, and was awarded two late penalties by Munjic, converting both to finish with 3-3 tie.
Carlos Thys
