Why Ref. Demetrescu decision to give Flamingos a penalty against the US for Emri’s foul on Bello is correct
The rule is the rule
The decision by Referee Iuliana Demetrescu to award Nigeria Women’s U-17 team, Flamingos, a penalty against the U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team was the right decision.
Flamingos defeated the U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team 4-3 on a penalty in a pulsating quarter-final in Navi Mumbai on Friday at the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup.
During the normal regulation, Nigeria played a 1-1 draw with the Americans before heading to the penalty shootout where Nigeria excelled to book a place in the semis.
Penalty? Or not a penalty? That is the question.
USA 🇺🇸 0 – 1 🇳🇬 NGA pic.twitter.com/QC1hS2eZG7
— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) October 21, 2022
Nigeria’s goal was through a penalty, one which to a few was soft or not exactly in the penalty area.
Ella Emri’s foul on Amina Bello
As seen from the video above, the U.S defender, Ella Emri fouled Amina Bello just on the penalty boundary, which according to the rule is a clear penalty.
According to the rule, “The boundary line is part of the area that it marks; any foul committed on the penalty area line is considered to have been made inside that area.”
Nigeria will now play in the semifinal against the winners of the clash between Tanzania and Columbia.