Sheffield Wednesday head coach Danny Rohl has hit out at the officials for two key decisions following their 2-1 defeat against Sunderland last night.
The Owls headed in the game hoping to recover from back-to-back defeats in order to get their play-off ambitions back on track. Although in a much better position, Sunderland travelled to Hillsborough in identical form after narrow losses against Leeds United and Hull City.
It was a fairly tense opening period, but Wednesday should have been awarded a penalty when the ball appeared to hit the arm of defender Leo Hjelde. With nothing doing, the visitors took the lead shortly after the half hour mark through Eliezer Mayenda, although replays showed he also handled the ball prior to slotting home.
Rohl’s team rallied and levelled through Callum Paterson just after the break but Mayenda secured the points for the Black Cats when he headed home in the 71st minute.
Rohl Calls For VAR
The result leaves Sheffield Wednesday in 13th, six points off the top six. However, that gap is likely to widen later today. Speaking after the game, Rohl once again made his thoughts clear surrounding the lack of VAR in the Championship:
“I think I’ve made my clear statements over the last three weeks (about VAR).
“What we should do is help the refs on the pitch, especially now I think every week we have a big, big decision against us. Two easy conceded goals and then two big decision against us, and in the end we stay here and lose 2-1.
“Before the 1-0, there is a handball, a handball in the box from the opponent, but the ref doesn’t see it. One-nil to us (if the handball is penalised), but it is a different dynamic, especially playing at 0-0.
“Everybody will see it, everybody could see it, but I can’t decide the situation. This is maybe why we need support for refs on the pitch.”
Writer’s View
Danny Rohl has every right to feel aggrieved about the two decisions which ultimately cost Sheffield Wednesday the game. The first in particular was game changing. Had they been awarded a penalty, it would have changed the complexion of the fixture and given the hosts something to hold on to. However, that is the nature of the EFL and there will be many that continue to state that these decisions iron themselves out over the course of a season. It’s worth noting that the same happened with Sunderland last week against Hull.
