[VIDEO PICK: Off the Post] The deciding goal in Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-1 win over Hoffenheim entered the goal through a hole in the side-netting.
Referee Felix Brych didn’t notice that Stefan Kiessling‘s header didn’t go between the posts, and didn’t have the benefit of the instant replays that have ignited a”Phantomtor” outrage in the Bundesliga.
The goal by Kiessling, who wrote on his Facebook page that he didn’t see that ball went in through the side, turned out to be the decider. FIFA refBrych said no player said it wasn’t a goal:
“I checked with Kiessling. But no one, not even him, said that it wasn’t a goal. The ball was in the net and for everyone on the field it was alegitimate goal.”
Hoffenheim has demanded a replay of the game with precedent on its side as a similar incident prompted one when in April 1994 Bayern Munich beat Nuremberg, 2-1, afterThomas Helmer was awarded a goal despite the ball not going in. (Bayern won the replay, 5-1.)
Don’t blame the referee on that one. Hard to see how it went in. From the first angle, I thought they were showing just general highlights. The referee crew might be blamed for not checking the nets thoroughly prior to the game, but the hole was pretty subtle, since it was out in the open, but not visible.