Despite shove on Guirassy: Why Dankert allowed Kane’s goal | OneFootball

After the emotional classic between FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund (2-1), Harry Kane’s 1-0 goal continues to spark debate. While BVB coach Niko Kovac loudly railed against what he called a wrong decision, referee Bastian Dankert was convinced: The goal was legitimate.

The English superstar Harry Kane put Munich ahead in the 22nd minute after a corner from Joshua Kimmich – though not without physical contact. Kane gave opponent Serhou Guirassy a slight nudge from behind before heading the ball into the net.

For BVB coach Niko Kovac, the matter was clear: “Based on his nitpicky line, he should have taken it back. He whistled everything to pieces, so petty. His entire game wasn’t good,” the Dortmund coach railed against referee Bastian Dankert after the final whistle.

However, he saw the situation completely differently – and made it clear why he did not disallow the goal.

Dankert: “No push, no shove – standard in the Bundesliga”

Photo: IMAGO/Maximilian Koch | IMAGO/Sven Simon,

In a post-match interview with Sky, Dankert defended his decision in detail: “It’s not a push, not a shove into Guirassy’s back. Accordingly, I was very confident in my decision to award this goal. I also communicated that to my video assistant, who confirmed it again.”

The 44-year-old emphasized that the duel between Kane and Guirassy was entirely within what is permitted in professional football: “The duel is standard in the Bundesliga, and that’s why I gave the goal.”

He also made it clear that a whistle in this situation would have triggered new debates: “If we flip the situation around, then we’d also have a penalty for that. I don’t think anyone in German football wants that either.”

Dankert accepts Kovac’s criticism

Despite the harsh words from the Dortmund coach, Dankert took the criticism in stride: “I’ve known Niko for quite a while now. He can, of course, express his opinion on it. That’s completely normal. I made my decision in that moment; I can’t take it back. And accordingly, I accept what he says.”

For the experienced referee, the scene was unambiguous: no foul, no need for VAR intervention. While Kovac called the decision a “wrong decision,” Dankert is sticking to his line – noting that physical duels like this are “part of the game.”

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