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Refereeing blunder ends Guimaraes Champions League dream

FC Basel 2-1 Guimaraes (agg. 2-1)

Vitoria de Guimaraes missed a golden chance to make it to the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in their history as they were beaten 2-1 by Basel in Switzerland last night.

The home team progressed thanks to a goal in each half from Stocker and Derdiyok, sandwiched by a Fajardo penalty. But the Portuguese team can justifiably point to a crucial refereeing error. Roberto’s headed ‘goal’ three minutes from time, which almost certainly would have won Guimaraes the tie, was incorrectly ruled offside by the linesman.

It was a cruel way to end Manuel Cajuda’s date with history, but in truth the initial signs this season are that Guimaraes will struggle to match their remarkable exploits of last year.

The club lost the influential Geromel, Alan, Mrdakovic and Ghilas in the summer, and the absence of the last three especially led to a significantly reduced attacking threat.

FC Basel, scoring freely and dominating their domestic championship, applied heavy pressure from the off. On 11 minutes it came as no surprise when the hosts took the lead as Stocker was left unmarked ten yards out and easily beat Nilson to the delight of the noisy crowd.

Quick reply

The lead did not last long however, as Guimaraes won a penalty almost immediately that was calmly slotted into the corner of the net by Fajardo. The Vimarense were now leading in the tie and enjoyed their best period of the match.

Retaining possession for long periods the Portuguese team took the sting out of Basel’s attack until the interval, albeit failing to mount any sort of threat at the other end of the pitch.

The second half started much the same as the first, with Basel pouring forward as they searched for the goal that would put them back into the lead. On 54 minutes Derdiyok collected a throughball, strode into the box and beat Nilson with a powerful cross-shot.

Guimaraes had no choice but to attack, and Cajuda threw on three attack-minded players but the visitors failed to make any headway against the tight Basel defence.

Goal ruled out

It came as something of a surprise therefore, when a wonderful cross by overlapping left-back Amaral was expertly headed into the net by Roberto to spark wild celebrations among the small band of Guimaraes followers. Celebrations that would be cruelly cut short as the linesman ruled that the striker had strayed offside, although TV replays clearly showed otherwise.

Guimaraes will take part in the Uefa Cup, along with Benfica, Setubal, Maritimo and possibly Braga who play their decisive qualifying match tonight.

Manuel Cajuda, Vitoria Guimaraes coach:
“I am proud of what my team did here, without question. We were humble, but in the first game there were two penalties that were not called and tonight they called back a goal which was completely legal. These were two examples of officiating that were completely unfortunate. It is not worth talking badly of our referees, who are better than many of those who officiate European games.

“We were eliminated due to refereeing errors, but the dream continues. We must return. Life does not end here, but a new challenge begins. We were eliminated by shameful officiating!”

Flavio Meireles, midfielder:
“I am not frustrated, but disgusted! We did everything to obtain a good result, but the game will be associated with a bad offside call on Roberto. We can go up against any opponents in any stadium. We are disgusted.

“But we will go to the Uefa Cup with even more spirit. We will show that we are not in the Champions League only due to someone else’s fault.”

FC Basel:
Franco Costanzo, Reto Zanni, David Abraham, François Marque, Behrang Safari, Benjamin Huggel, Ivan Ercig (Beg Ferati, 89), Marcos Gelabert (Scott Chipperfield, 64), Carlitos, Valentin Stocker, Eren Derdiyok
Yellow Cards: Huggel, Safari

Vitoria de Guimaraes:
Nilson, Andrezinho, Gregory, Moreno, Luciano Amaral, Flavio Meireles, Joao Alves (Jean Coral, 62), Marquinho (Luis Filipe, 56), Fajardo (Roberto, 69), Desmarets, Douglas
Yellow Cards: Flavio Meireles, Joao Alves, Douglas, Moreno

Goals:
[1-0] Valentin Stocker, 11
[1-1] Fajardo, 14 (pen)
[2-1] Eren Derdiyok, 54