Sports25 September, 20262 min read
Michael O'Neill Baffled By Orel Grinfeeld Decisions In Northern Ireland 1-0 Win In Georgia
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Northern Ireland beat Georgia 1-0 in Tbilisi to claim a Nations League win. Shea Charles netted a 99th-minute winner for Northern Ireland.
5 outlets told this the same way.
O'Neill baffled in Tbilisi
Michael O'Neill said he was "baffled" by some of the refereeing decisions in Northern Ireland's 1-0 win in Georgia, where Shea Charles scored a 99th-minute winner in Tbilisi. O'Neill said Pierce Charles had saved a controversial penalty from Georgia captain Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and he also fumed at official Orel Grinfeeld for not awarding a free-kick after Ceadach O'Neill was brought down late on. Orel Grinfeeld was also involved in a 65th-minute flashpoint, when Ballard was adjudged to have fouled Luka Lochoshvili after a VAR review.
O'Neill confirmed Sunderland defender Daniel Ballard had injured his hamstring and would miss Northern Ireland's next three games in the window, against Hungary, Ukraine and Georgia. O'Neill said, "I was just baffled by the quality of the refereeing."
Referee and match context
The BBC described Northern Ireland's appeal being waved away when Charles appeared to have been caught in the area in the 88th minute, while O'Neill said he was "really disappointed" with how the game was refereed. UEFA's fixture list placed Georgia vs Northern Ireland as B2 on Friday 25 September, with the result shown as Georgia 0-1 Northern Ireland. The BBC said the first flashpoint came in the 65th minute when Ballard was adjudged to have fouled Luka Lochoshvili after a VAR review.
The BBC reported that Pierce saved the penalty from Paris St-Germain winger Kvaratskhelia, and it said key defender Daniel Ballard was injured in the following phase of play. UEFA's league phase schedule also showed Northern Ireland playing Hungary on Monday 28 September, with the match listed as B2 Northern Ireland vs Hungary (18:00).
Next games and stakes
O'Neill said his hamstring injury would keep Ballard out of Northern Ireland's next three games, and he said the team would "scan him tomorrow" while insisting Ballard was "certainly not going to be available for the next three games." UEFA's schedule listed Northern Ireland vs Hungary on Monday 28 September (18:00), then listed Georgia vs Ukraine on Monday 28 September (18:00) and Ukraine vs Northern Ireland on Tuesday 29 September. The BBC said O'Neill's team was tied to Northern Ireland for three years after he won his third cap, and it said he told BBC Sport NI, "In the second half we had to show a lot of resilience."
“We'll scan him tomorrow but he's certainly not going to be available for the next three games.”
UEFA's league phase timetable also showed Georgia vs Ukraine on Monday 28 September (18:00), and it showed Ukraine vs Northern Ireland on Tuesday 29 September. The BBC said O'Neill's players were "magnificent" and that his team "showed every side of our character tonight" after the restart.