The Denmark manager, Kasper Hjulmand, took aim at football’s “ridiculous” handball rules after they were beaten 2-0 by Germany in a controversial, storm-ravaged last-16 tie.
Denmark had been well in the game against Germany and thought they had taken the lead when Joachim Andersen converted three minutes after half-time. But the goal was disallowed by the video assistant referee for a fractional offside against Thomas Delaney and, almost immediately afterwards, Andersen was penalised for a harsh handball picked up by the VAR officials. Denmark could not find a way back after Kai Havertz scored the penalty, Jamal Musiala confirming Germany’s progress Germany’s Havertz and Musiala shrug off storm delay to sink furious Denmark
It was the decision to penalise Andersen, using pedantic and confusing laws regarding handball contact, that energised Hjulmand most. “I’m so tired of the ridiculous handball rules,” he said. “We cannot require our defenders to run with arms like this [flat to their side], it’s not natural. Joachim is running normally, it’s a normal situation. He jumped up and was hit by one metre. I rarely talk about decisions but it was very decisive in our game.
“It’s frustrating for our team. Being 1-0 in front would have changed everything. In my opinion this is not how football is meant to be.”
Hjulmand emphasised that he was not against VAR in principle but questioned its application. “In my opinion when a decision is good it should be visible from the moon,” he said. “It shouldn’t depend on a few
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