A farcical moment involving the fourth referee took some sheen away from the exciting encounter between Goa and Atletico on Wednesday. The second-half started with Goa attempting to make a few substitutions, but the players were not allowed to swap. Coaches Zico and Antonio Habas were understandably angry as this held up play.
Asked about the incident, Goa manager Zico said: “The referee did not know how to work the substitution board. Putting the right numbers on the board — the substitute’s number next to the one he is replacing — is a simple task. Just as we all come prepared to do our job, the referee should come prepared too.”
Habas alleged that the confusion arose as Goa attempted to play with seven foreigners, one more than that allowed.
