FC Porto star Hulk claims that Benfica’s Oscar Cardozo should have been sent off – Report
FC Porto star, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Hulk-c16436, has claimed that Benfica’s Oscar Cardozo should have been sent off for his challenge in fiercely contested Primeira Liga derby at Estadio do Dragao.
The Portistas welcomed their bitter rivals, Benfica to the Stadium of Dragons yesterday, with only one aim on their mind – win.
While the home side battled bravely through the duration of the game, they were unlucky to have conceded twice and in the end had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
A feisty affair from the start, Kleber become the first name to get on the score sheet after finding the back of the net before the break.
Then a moment of controversy ensued in 43rd minute, as Oscar Cardozo only received a booking for his rough tackle on the opposition goalkeeper, although the action warranted a sending off.
What really angered the Porto players and fans alike was that the mercurial Paraguayan was able to score the equalizer for his side after the break, something which would never have happened had the referee given him the marching orders earlier.
Following Cardozo’s goal, the away side stepped up their game and clawed themselves back to share the spoils with a late strike from Nicolas Gaitan cancelling out Otamendi’s tap-in.
The final result added to the woes of the Dragao faithful, who felt cheated by the officials and had to settle for a draw yet again.
Commenting on the situation was Brazilian International Hulk, who was still upset with the referee’s decision to keep his fellow South American on the pitch despite his obvious assault.
Speaking to reporters, the former Tokyo Verdy man revealed that never in his seven years as a professional footballer had he seen such lenient decision making by the officials but reiterated that now the Dragons have to move on and focus on their upcoming
matches.
"The decision? I do not want to talk about it, but Cardozo should have been banned and it was decisive. I am 25 years old; I have been a professional for seven and I have never seen an assault like this punished by a yellow card. I simply do not understand
it.”
“Anyway, this is only the sixth game and we have all the conditions required for the title. Today we dominated but lost, we have to keep up our chin up.”
Also talking about his current fitness levels, the attacker said that he was not fully up to his usual standard and it would some time for him to be back to his best.
"I was standing some times today and I could not keep up with pace of the others,” Hulk was quoted as saying.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Porto-c39186 now take on Zenit St Petersburg in their UEFA Champions’ League group stage encounter on the 28th of September.
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