PHILIPPINE men’s football team winger Misagh Bahadoran insisted the crucial foul he committed late in regulation of the Azkals’ 3-2 loss to Myanmar in the Peace Cup final on Saturday was unjustified.
The Filipino booters were protecting a 2-1 lead and on the verge of a hat-trick of titles in the annual pocket tournament when Bahadoran apparently fouled a Myanmar opponent when the match was about to head to stoppage time.
That awarded the Burmese a free kick from the left side, leading to a stunning header by substitute Min Min Thu that leveled the count and sent the game into extra time, where they scored the go-ahead goal to frustrate the Filipinos.
But Bahadoran insisted it was not a foul.
“I don’t know if you watched the replay, maybe you’ll see I didn’t do anything,” the 27-year-old booter said. “It was sad.”
“In my opinion, I just blocked the guy,” Bahadoran added. “The referee was so close to me. I didn’t touch the guy, but they called foul
Still, the Filipino-Iranian winger, who traces his Filipino roots to Mabalacat, Pampanga, had a tinge of regret following the costly incident.
“Of course, I regret it after,” he said. “But as a player, I have to block the player not to cross, but suddenly, the referee calls it.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
