Fernando Espinoza: Union-Lanús referee under scrutiny for controversy | OneFootball

The upcoming clash between Unión and Lanús will feature a familiar face delivering justice. Fernando Espinoza has been appointed to referee this duel for the sixth time, a history that shows almost absolute parity but is indelibly marked by a recent decision that still sparks debate in the football world.

An Even History

To date, Espinoza has officiated five matches between the "Tatengue" and the "Granate," resulting in one victory for Unión, one for Lanús, and three consecutive draws in the most recent encounters:

The Memory of the "Neuer Penalty" at La Fortaleza

Beyond the statistics, the last precedent under Espinoza's refereeing (LPF 2024) left one of the most talked-about controversies of the year. At 19 minutes into the first half, a play in Unión's area immediately evoked the 2014 World Cup final between Argentina and Germany.

In an action reminiscent of Manuel Neuer's clash with Gonzalo Higuaín, Unión's goalkeeper, Thiago Cardozo, came far out of his goal to capture the ball. Although he managed to control the ball with his hands, he did so by raising his right knee and colliding with midfielder Fabio Álvarez.

Unlike what happened at the Maracanã with referee Nicola Rizzoli, Espinoza did not interpret the play as a fortuitous game collision. The referee deemed that Cardozo committed a foul and awarded a controversial penalty in favor of Lanús, which Walter Bou subsequently converted into a goal.

With this history of parity and the fresh memory of his last performance, Espinoza's presence adds an extra layer of tension to a duel that promises to be decisive.

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