Video | Espinoza under fire: dubious penalty and ignored handball | OneFootball

The defeat of Atlético Tucumán against Talleres was marked by the performance of Fernando Espinoza, whose decisions in key areas were the focus of criticism from the "Decano" delegation. After the controversial debut against Independiente Rivadavia, the Tucumán management is once again scrutinizing the refereeing following two specific plays at the Mario Alberto Kempes.

The Opening Penalty

The first controversy arose with the awarding of a penalty in favor of the Cordoba team. Espinoza called a hold in the area resulting from a natural game tussle, deciding to award the foul immediately without VAR review. The decision was questioned by Atlético players, who believed the action did not warrant being penalized as a maximum penalty.

The "Hand" Claim and Loco Díaz's Injury

In the second half, the tension increased after a maneuver by Leandro "Loco" Díaz. As he turned inside the opponent's area, the striker's shot hit the arm of a Talleres defender.

The referee's reaction: While the entire visiting team claimed a penalty, Espinoza made an ambiguous gesture, first pointing to his arm and then to his shoulder to indicate there was no infraction.

Physical consequence: In that same sequence, Díaz ended up leaving the field with a physical discomfort, adding an extra concern for Hugo Colace's coaching staff.

With these precedents, the discontent in the Atlético Tucumán management is growing, considering that the refereeing decisions have had a direct impact on the scoreboard during the early rounds of the tournament.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.