Dubai: India saw such injustice in their 3-0 defeat to the UAE on Saturday that coach Armando Colaco likened it to England's 1986 World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina at the hand of Diego Maradona.
After 18 minutes of the World Cup second round qualifier in Al Ain, Debabrata Roy was sent off for an innocuous bit of contact on Mohammad Al Shehi and four minutes later keeper Subrata Paul also walked for lifting his knee at the charging Esmail Al Hamadi — with the ball was already in both hands.
Walk-off threat
Hamdan Al Kamali and Al Shehi converted from the spot, but the ensuing chaos almost resulted in the Indian team staging a walk-off in protest at referee Banjar Mohammad Al Dosari's whistle-happy ways.
With India down to nine men, the UAE eventually scored their third, this time from open play, after Al Hamadi played a neat one-two off Amer Abdul Rahman's back heel to slot home on 81 minutes.
Colaco admitted after the match that he had to prevent his players from walking off by persuading them to take the moral high ground.
"To walk away is something I don't think my federation will have allowed me to do," he said.
"Giving red cards was unnecessary by the referee. Did it merit a red card? Was it the last defender in both instances? The ball was in the keeper's hands when the player came charging, he protected himself. Look at the DVD. I know he lifted his leg, punish him with a yellow card not red — the referee killed the game today."
"They [India's players] said they didn't want to continue but I thought about the sanction from Fifa and AFC. No matter what happens Argentina won the World Cup with the hand of Maradona and the whole world saw," said Colaco.
