Lasse Schöne does not have a good word for the performance of referee Sander van der Eijk during the match between FC Groningen and NEC (4-3). The leader handed out a red card to Souffian El Karouani after nineteen minutes, because of an alleged headbutt towards Jörgen Strand Larsen. Van der Eijk acknowledges in front of the camera of ESPN that this was not the right decision.
Strand Larsen tapped the ball against the lying El Karouani after a duel. As a result, the wing defender stood up and came to rest with his head against that of the FC Groningen striker. El Karouani then pushed his head against Strand Larsen’s, which Van der Eijk interpreted as a headbutt. Video referee Serdar Gözübüyük decided not to reverse this decision by Van der Eijk.
“I think it is almost daily fare and it is never given a red card. If you look closely, you can see Strand Larsen shooting the ball at him. That is a provocation and therefore a yellow card. And who is it that leans forward after that? That is Groningen, so again a yellow card and therefore red,” says Schöne opposite ESPN† “That’s what you get with a referee who didn’t do much today. And then the pressure is on in such a full stadium. Apparently he’s not ready for it.”
“We deserved more. We can be proud of ourselves, but you don’t buy anything for that,” emphasizes Schöne, who believes that NEC was the only team that deserved to win in the Euroborg. However, thanks to two goals from Romano Postema in the last ten minutes, Groningen won 4-3. “We played them from pillar to post, creating many opportunities. And then you throw everything away in the last ten minutes. That’s a shame.”
“Beach Larsen shoots the ball to Souffian’s head and then they face each other. I don’t think there’s much else going on. Nothing happens at all. I’ve seen worse incidents in this league that were left unchecked. It is completely arbitrary”, NEC trainer Rogier Meijer analyzes the red card for El Karouani. He then received a yellow card himself for comments on the leadership, a decision he says shows ‘little leadership’.
† Red for Souffian El Karouani, is this a right decision? † pic.twitter.com/oc5LPMFvfD
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) March 12, 2022
“What am I left with from the competition? We dictated the game outside the first and last minutes. With ten men we played well and created many chances. But we also take a sour feeling with us,” says Meijer. Van der Eijk acknowledges afterwards that he did not make the right decision with the red card for El Karouani. “I was quite resolute, because I had a view on it. The ball was kicked against him and I immediately decided to give red. I saw a thrusting movement, or a pushing pushing movement with a head.”
“On the field I thought that was enough to give a red card. I have to say that afterwards I am not happy with that decision,” continues Van der Eijk. “I have looked at the images and for me this is too heavy for a red card. Frankly, this decision is for the referee, I have to decide on the field whether it is red or yellow. I also see provoking and I punish that too. I can wait, but then to get advice on the field. I’m at five meters, I see it and I make the decision, I have to face that now. But I’m not happy about that. I would rather have given a yellow card.”
“You have to see the two incidents separately. I’ve seen and punished them both,” the guide says. Van der Eijk says he has ‘understanding’ for the feeling at NEC. “I can’t do much about that, the score is as it is. But I do worry about that, of course. Unfortunately I am going home with a very bad feeling.”