Video | Espinoza’s refereeing slammed for penalty, handball in Tucumán | OneFootball

The defeat of Atlético Tucumán against Talleres was marked by the performance of Fernando Espinoza, whose decisions in key areas became the focus of criticism from the “Decano” delegation. After the controversial debut against Independiente Rivadavia, the Tucumán management once again turned its attention to the refereeing following two specific incidents at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium.

The opening penalty

The first controversy arose with the awarding of a penalty in favor of the Córdoba side. Espinoza called a foul for a shirt pull in the box resulting from a natural tussle during play, deciding to award the penalty immediately and without VAR review. The decision was questioned by Atlético’s players, who felt that the action was not significant enough to warrant a penalty.

The handball claim and Loco Díaz’s injury

In the second half, the tension increased after a move by Leandro “Loco” Díaz. As he turned inside the opponent’s box, the striker’s shot struck the arm of a Talleres defender.

The referee’s reaction: While the entire visiting team appealed for a penalty, Espinoza made an ambiguous gesture, first pointing to his arm and then to his shoulder to indicate that there was no foul.

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 among Atlético Tucumán’s board is growing, considering that the refereeing decisions have had a direct impact on the score during the opening rounds of the tournament.

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