Sporting Cristal protests against Conmebol over the controversial arbitration decision in favor of the Catholic University

Mortified! It is how they feel at the Sporting Cristal club after what happened in the Copa Libertadores and it is no wonder, since, the celestes tied 1-1 to the Universidad Católica in Santiago, however, in the last minutes there was a controversial play that influenced the score.

What happened? It happens that the Uruguayan referee Leodan Gonzalez, at Sporting Cristal against Universidad Católica for the second date of Group H of the Copa Libertadores, took a non-existent hand from Percy Liza in the sky area. Thus, with a penalty, Fernando Zampedri scored the goal of victory for the locals and that decision generated unrest in the celestial directive.

And it all started in the 91st minute when at the start of a corner the referee of the match, Uruguayan Leodán González, perceived the hand of Percy Liza after a header in the area of Argentina's Nehuén Paz, who probably saved not only his team but also the head of his coach, the also criticized Cristian Paulucci.

RIMENSE DIRECTIVE GETS STRONG AND MAKES ITS COMPLAINT TO CONMEBOL

Sporting Cristal issued a complaint for the highest entity in South American football stating its “resounding disagreement” and “strong protest” because “a criminal penalty was imposed” against Sporting Cristal “after a clear use of the hand of a player from the rival team”.

For Sporting Cristal, the penalty taken in favor of Universidad Católica was an “arbitral decision”, which means a great damage to his institution, since he was charged a penalty against him that ended in goal of the Chilean team giving him the three points of the match.

In addition to expressing its position and raising its voice of protest, the rimense directive requested that “appropriate measures be taken and the necessary sanctions be given to the arbitration team that was responsible”, since they are clear that they will not be able to return the points they consider they lost, but they seek to lay a foundation for the future .

The aim of the statement, according to the Peruvian team, is that this type of situation does not happen again for “the sake of South American football”.

Finally, the team led by Roberto Mosquera requested that the VAR be used from the start of the highest South American competition in order not to “make gross mistakes of the magnitude of what happened”. The request was released through their social networks and is signed by President Joel Raffo Olcese.

When is Sporting Cristal's next match for Copa Libertadores?

Sporting Cristal will have its second visit to Copa Libertadores and will play against Talleres de Córdoba, next Tuesday, April 26 at 7:30pm (Peruvian time),

Sporting Cristal: fixture of the remaining matches of the celeste club

Wednesday, 4 May

- Sporting Cristal vs. Catholic University - National Stadium (9:00pm)

Tuesday, 17 May

- Sporting Cristal vs. Workshops - National Stadium (7:30pm)

Tuesday, 24 May

- Flamengo vs. Sporting Cristal - Maracana Stadium (7:30pm)

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