Argentina legend, Diego Maradona has claimed Colombia were robbed in the World Cup quarter-final after England won via a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday night.
Harry Kane scored a second half penalty to put England 1-0 up only for Yerry Mina to score a stoppage-time equaliser to force extra time.
The game went to penalties where England goal-minder Jordan Pickford proved to be the hero.
He saved Carlos Bacca’s penalty before Eric Dier secured England’s place in the quarter-final where they will face Sweden on Saturday (3pm).
But the match itself was shrouded in controversy with Colombia clearly trying to rile up their opposition.
Colombia’s Wilmar Barrios escaped a red card when he head butted Jordan Henderson and there were several other incidences where Colombia players got in the referees face and tried to disrupt play.
However, Argentina legend Maradona saw things differently.
“I saw a monumental theft,” he told reporters. I apologise to all the Colombian people, but they must know the players are not to blame.
“It is the man who decides who the referee is who is to blame. A man like that (Geiger) should not be put in charge of a game of that magnitude.
“With all due respect, Pierluigi Collina, as the man who designates the referees, he is very bad. He must apologise to the Colombian people.
“I told (FIFA president) Gianni Infantino that if I worked for FIFA, I would change everything. It has to be transparent. That’s why I didn’t go there.
“The referee will know a lot about baseball, but he has no idea about football. The Colombian players asked for VAR and he did not give it to them.
“Twice, the English threw themselves to the ground and he did not admonish them. This was theft.
“The penalty was not a foul. In fact, it was Kane’s fault.
“The referee was looking somewhere else and when he turned his head, Kane was on the floor.
“Kane used his arm to hook Sanchez and then threw himself down.
“I repeat, why didn’t the referee ask for the VAR? Colombia died standing. That’s why I applaud them.”
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