UFL: PSG benefit from controversial refereeing as they dominate nine man Air Force

A highly controversial breaking of the deadlock had a huge impact on the game, as PSG benefited from a non-call for offside at the Emperador Stadium, Thursday night, resulting in a blowout 5-0 win against the short-handed Air Force. With Martin Doctora and Paul Concepcion sent off in the furious aftermath for shouting at the referees, the Air Force spent most of the game with only nine men. Vasseba Toure had played a through ball for Emmanuel Mbata, clearly offside, and Mbata ran over the ball so as not to touch it, with Younesse Yaogo latching onto it instead. The Air Force defense and goalkeeper stopped, allowing Yaogo to tap in, as the referee ignored the linesman’s flag, with even Yaogo waiting several seconds to look back and wait for the referee to blow his whistle. However, the referee allowed the goal, as he deemed Mbata was not interfering with play. Down to nine men, the Air Force were bombarded by PSG, the next breakthrough coming in the 44th minute as Glenn Bulaquina gifted PSG a second goal with a weak backpass. Emmanuel Mbata stole in to round Dolloso and score. After the break, defensive errors were again a problem for the Air Force as Vince Braga mis-controlled Mbata’s shot which had rebounded off the post, allowing Toure to tap in for PSG’s third in the 58th minute.   The fourth then came in the 87th minute as Mbata broke through again to calmly slide in his seventh of the season, followed by Charles Ujam’s shot firing through the keeper to wrap the 5-0 win up in injury time. First half After a physical start to the game, neither team could fashion a clear-cut chance, with Francis Gustilo picking up a yellow card in the 18th minute. A minute later and Vasseba Toure went into the book for PSG in an even start to the game from both sides. Paul Concepcion was the next in the book as he came in late on Jaham Taher, a high foot looking intentional, though that tackle was revenge for Taher’s hard and late challenge moments earlier. Then in the first real chance of the game, there was massive controversy with Toure playing a through ball, Mbata running over it, knowing he was offside, and then Younesse Yaogo latching onto it.   The Air Force defense, and even goalkeeper, stopped as they saw the offside flag raised, but with the referee not blowing his whistle, he allowed Yaogo to slot in his second goal of the season to put PSG ahead in the 32nd minute. A long talk from the officials later, and the goal was allowed to stand, the Air Force protesting furiously and Martin Doctora was booked for profanity at the referee. As the team continued to surround the referee and with the shouting and profanity continuing, the referee gave a second yellow card to both Paul Conception and Martin Doctora to leave the Air Force with nine men. The Air Force certainly felt wronged, surrounding and screaming at the referee. The protests became so fierce that it took almost ten minutes for the officials to regain control of the match with a rulebook even brought to them in protest. The result was their morale taking a huge hit from the officials’ decision, and it may have affected Glenn Bulaquina, who played a terrible backpass for Dolloso. Emmanuel Mbata stole in to round Dolloso and slot in his sixth goal of the season in the 44th minute. After five minutes of injury time the referee called time on one of the most controversial halves in UFL history. Second half After the break, the teams were a bit more relaxed and PSG was looking to steadily take advantage of their two-player edge on their opponents. But things became controversial again when Glenn Bulaquina dove in two-footed in a challenge, and should have been sent off in the 56th minute, but only received a yellow. Two minutes later, Toure made it three as he tapped in a rebound from Mbata’s shot, which had struck the post. Vince Braga had tried to control the rebound rather than clear it and Toure tapped into the empty net to give PSG an unassailable lead in the 58th minute. With both teams making several substitutions, PSG had a goal disallowed for handball in the 72nd minute, before having another disallowed in the 75th minute for another handball, after some good work by Mbata on the right. Winnie Subere came on next for Randy Bela-Ong for the Air Force in the 81st minute, but with nine men it barely mattered who was on the pitch as PSG should have scored a fourth, when Reza Amirkhizan blasted the ball onto the post from distance, Charles Ujam picking up the rebound and scuffing his shot over with the net gaping. Yet it didn’t matter as PSG saw the game out comfortably, adding a fourth when Emmanuel Mbata was played in and smartly put the ball to the side of the on-rushing Dolloso for his brace. Then the fifth came in the 93rd minute as Charles Ujam’s shot spooned off the substitute goalkeeper’s chest, bounced off the post, and settled in the net to settle the game at 5-0. What’s next for the teams After the victory, PSG will be thankful for the points as their next trip will be to face Global on April 16. On 11 points, they climb ahead of Nomads on goal difference following this heavy win. The Air Force, meanwhile, will meet the Nomads on April 18 as they continue their search for their first point with the first half of the season concluded. Usually the source of their own problems, the Air Force have much more of a justified claim here with the referee’s decision sure to be debated for some time. - CLP/AMD, GMA News