Incorrect choice halts Fortuna's progress. - Düsseldorf frustrated with referee Jablonski
The events in Kiel (1:1) left the Düsseldorf players in shock. In the 4th minute, Vincent Vermeij (29) headed the ball towards the unguarded goalpost, and Patrick Erras (29) jumped in between to block using his arm – an evident penalty and a red card. However, referee Sven Jablonski (34) had a different interpretation of the play and gave a corner instead. This decision and its reasoning left Fortuna perplexed.
Düsseldorf players are outraged over referee Jablonski's decision!
During halftime, Andre Hoffmann (31) was the first to confront Jablonski about his decision. The Fortuna captain was given the reason that the hand was already in place before the contact. Hoffmann's response: "The explanation I heard sounds incoherent. I was told for 14 years as a defense lawyer that my hands should be somewhere specific. And one thing is clear: if I intentionally block a clear goal with my hand, it's a penalty and a red card. It's the consistency in such situations that makes it a game-changing incident."
Even if Fortuna hadn't scored the penalty, they would've had the upper hand for most of the match. The sporting director, Christian Weber (40), expressed his irritation: "It's extremely frustrating for us!" Daniel Thioune (49): "We may be able to explain once more why it wasn't a penalty or a red card."
Thus far, there hasn't been any official explanation or statement from referee Jablonski. But regardless of the developments, it's almost certain that Fortuna will participate in two decisive matches for the second time in 12 years – most likely against Berlin once more. Union is currently ranked 16th in the Bundesliga after their last-minute loss to Cologne (2:3), so they must win against Freiburg on the last matchday and hope that Mainz and Bochum don't add any more goals.
As was the case in 2012, if Fortuna can repeat their performance, the controversy surrounding referee Jablonski will be forgotten...
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Source: symclub.org
