Northern Ireland face uphill battle to qualify for 2018 World Cup
Friday 10 November 2017 10:29, UK
Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill called the decision to award Switzerland a match-deciding penalty in the first leg of their World Cup play-off "bewildering".
Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan pointed to the spot in the second half when Xherdan Shaqiri's shot hit the top of Corry Evans' arm as he turned his back to the ball.
Ricardo Rodriguez converted from the spot to give the Swiss a 1-0 lead going back to Basel on Sunday, which Evans will miss after being booked for the second-half incident.
An angry O'Neill also suggested Switzerland defender Fabian Schar should have been sent-off for a reckless challenge on Stuart Dallas.
"It's staggering really that the referee can give that penalty decision in that situation," O'Neill told Sky Sports. "He was six yards from the incident, he has no one in his line of sight.
"Corry has just gone to block it, his body is turned and the ball actually hits him more on the shoulder than the arm so it is incredible.
"I thought he had blown for a foul or for offside, so to give a penalty for that, when nobody appealed, it is bewildering really.
"In such a defining moment in the match, we feel very hard done by.
"The tackle by Schar was a borderline red card, the referee certainly didn't do us any favours tonight."
Switzerland were worthy of their win at Windsor Park and had several chances to have won the game in less controversial circumstances, while the hosts failed to register a shot on target.
O'Neill wants his side to channel their sense of injustice and turn the tie around in Basel on Sunday.
"We have to forget about it, I thought the players' reaction was very good," he added. "It's very difficult when you go behind in a game of this magnitude to an incident like that but I thought they reacted very well.
"We are still in the tie, we are only 1-0 down and maybe we will get the good fortune of having a referee who will give us a decision like that in the second leg.
"I won't have to pick them up, you can tell there is anger in the dressing room, they are very aggrieved by what happened.
"They still believe they are in the tie, that's the most important thing, it's not like we are going there with nothing to play for."
Watch Switzerland v Northern Ireland live on Sunday from 4.30pm on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event.
