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Unclear from the replay that the defender didn’t get the ball first

That’s a dive

As an Italian, I turned off the TV as soon as I saw Cristante's tackle. Minutes later I was surprised to see that it had ended 0-0 anyway

100% pen - Arteta would be furious if that happened to his team.

Are they PL refs?

Even if the ref somehow missed it, I can't imagine VAR managed to check it properly in such short amount of time. Looked like the play resumed within like 10 seconds. There just wasn't enough time to tell the ref that they are checking something, see it in slowmotion in a few angles and then report back that "nah, we didn't see anything wrong".

The more I‘m watching the replays the more I think it’s not a penalty at all. The last take shows almost no contact at all, and the Ukrainian jumps in a very awkward way. Sure him being theatrical shouldn’t influence if it’s a pen or not, but then I watch the 3rd replay again and it‘s less and less contact to me.

The Ukrainian tries to force a penalty, to me, but IDK to be honest.

The ref must be a closet Russian

This should have at least gone to VAR.

There is slight contact on his left leg. The way that he exaggerated it by leaping off his right leg made it look a bit suss and probably put the ref in two minds.

Not even a check? A peek? A little lookey-loo? Nothing?!

The most blatant penalty I've ever seen

The Italian Job, #robbed

Ceferin’s comment before the match 👁️👁️👁️

The first angle it looks 100% like a pen but then all the other angles make you wonder how his legs could explode in the other direction like that without diving.

Silly Italians. Mudryk skies all his good chances. No need to foul the guy

If he doesn't make an absolute hash of the dramatical foul I think it's given, it just so simulated because of his reaction.

even my wife shouted “ that’s a pen “. Such a criminal decision

There is literally barely any contact lmao. Is a massive dove, where exactly is the foul?

I'm really not sure from whats shown in the video.

This is one that falls victim to slo-mo. Hard to tell if it helps because it makes it clear there was contact or hinders because you cant see how forceful it was or if there was unnatural movement from Mudryk. I feel like if that wasn't in the box, and Mudryk felt that contact, he'd keep running. I dunno if thats a sensible way to look at penalties, but I often feel like penalties should only be given if the foul would actually bring someone down, if they had no reason to go down. Too many are given that wouldn't be a freekick because the player would avoid it/brush it off easily, because there is more benefit to staying up.

Good decision by the ref imo

Gil Manzano xDDD why u do dis to urselves?

Ukraine likes to complain alot but to the surprise of no one

Utter disgrace. I guess they couldn't have one of the big boys not qualify. They've set the rules up nicely to determine the games I'm such a brazen manner and offer no recourse to those on the receiving end. Disgusting.

So, in the end, what is the verdict??? Penalty or not??
10,000 cameras on the pitch and none of them managed to tell the truth.

No penalty. Neil did not "foul" Grosso, he was merely in the way of Grosso's direction and wasn't in a position to get out of the away. Also, Grosso just tripped on his own because he misplaced his footing while getting past Neil. Luck was on Italy's side.

Asamoah Gyan did the same thing against the Italians during the first group stage match and referee used his head and best judgement to not give Ghana a penalty for it.

Dive

Genuine question:

So you can see from this angle that there is clear contact. Mudryik’s left leg gets rammed into.

https://twitter.com/Manucrypto2022/status/1726734189905490196

It’s also obvious that the Ukrainian first touch had gotten away from him and he wasn’t gonna reach the ball.

Should a foul/penalty be awarded when the attacker has no chance to get to the ball? And why?

I know the answer is yes but I realised I don’t know why, Just curious to understand the reasoning and see what people think

IMO it wasn't a penalty. But it's that shitty footballer attitude and unclear rules. Not every freaking contact in the penalty area should result in a penalty kick. He looked for the contact to get a penalty instead of going for a shot. That's trying to cheat IMO. But that's the state of football. Unless there is more protection for defenders and for referees to punish such clear try to cheat, nothing will change in football.

In this state, football is the sport where the most just try to cheat.

Maybe I’m biased as a Cristante fan but for me it’s a dive. Maybe there’s enough contact to argue for a pen but I actually like refs punishing blatant stuff like this from attackers.

Uh... Why is everyone so vehement this is a Pen? Mudryk flicks the ball and there is contact, yes, but look at where the ball goes. Even if he doesn't go down, I don't think he's reaching that ball before the Keeper is onto it, which is something I assume VAR would take into account.

Looks more like a dive to me.

Unpopular opinion: the referee saw the ukrainian player dive and decided to not give the penalty. The VAR confirmed he did indeed dive even if the contact was there. Imho it could've been given or not, but it's not the scandal a lot of people are trying to make it be.

The refs mind was made up in the last five minutes, no calls for Ukraine

Is there an AA which shows better contact? Looks like a clear dive to me

It's both a foul(there's contact) and a dive (the effect is exaggerated).

That makes it a judgement call.

Those are the facts.

Here's my opinion: if it's in the other box, pen. That's how UEFA roll.