One pivotal refereeing decision that favoured Sunderland has been reviewed by a former Sheffield Wednesday player.
In Sunderland’s win vs Sheffield Wednesday, the Black Cats went ahead through Eliezer Mayenda after a moment of controversy, which saw the Spaniard handle the ball in the build-up to the goal.
The Black Cats man, after Sheffield Wednesday levelled the game shortly into the second stanza, bagged his brace with a brilliant header that he angled perfectly past Owls goalkeeper James Beadle.
It was a magnificent performance by the Sunderland striker for Regis Le Bris’ side, but his first goal was littered with controversy, one which has been suggested that it shouldn’t have stood, according to one former Sheffield Wednesday man.
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Former Sheffield Wednesday man slams referee decision as Eliezer Mayenda scores ‘fortunate’ goal
Sunderland went ahead in the tie courtesy of Mayenda, who latched onto an optimistic and looping ball courtesy of Leo Hjelde. The Spaniard did brilliantly to spin Sheffield Wednesday man Max Lowe, but his touch down appeared to ricochet off of his arm, before he touched it down, and with a heavy deflection, saw the ball bundle into a vacant net.
Despite Sunderland looking the more promising in the build-up to the goal, Mayenda’s goal was fortunate, from the favourable deflection, to the ricochet off of the 19-year-old’s hand, with the latter stirring up plenty of controversy.
One man that has had his say on Mayenda’s goal was Clinton Morrison on Sky Sports, who previously played 54 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday.
After being asked about the decision to allow Mayenda’s goal, Morrison said: “You can see it there, hits Mayenda on the arm and once he gets into it, yeah, he gets a bit fortunate here, but it’s it’s a handball.
“I don’t understand how no one in the vicinity [didn’t] appeal that. Mayenda is fortunate because it trickles over the line, but it’s a stonewall hand ball.
“Any way you look at it, it should be disallowed because we know what the rules are.”
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Eliezer Mayenda controversy has taken away from brilliant factor in goal
The fact that the ball hit Mayenda’s hand in the build-up to his goal will almost certainly take centre stage when discussing the Spaniard’s finish on his return to the starting side, but from a Sunderland perspective, there is plenty to hail about the goal.
One thing we have seen very little of from Sunderland, certainly in recent weeks, is that ability to get the ball forward and gamble with the forward man against a fairly shaky Sheffield Wednesday defence.
Hjelde’s ball forward towards the Sunderland striker was certainly ambitious, but it paid off for the Black Cats on this occasion. With Wilson Isidor up front against Leeds United and Hull City, the Frenchman wasn’t getting this sort of coverage up top, notably notching a total of 14 touches when facing the latter. 60 minutes into the visit to Sheffield Wednesday, Mayneda had already topped this.
It is clear that Le Bris instructed his side to gamble more, and whilst luck was on their side, it showed Sunderland to not quite be as one-dimensional as they have looked in recent weeks.