West Ham United manager David Moyes expressed his frustration after his team’s Europa League defeat to Freiburg, citing a controversial penalty decision that went against his side.
Despite a disappointing performance, which saw Freiburg secure a first-leg victory in the last-16 tie, Moyes was particularly aggrieved by the referee’s failure to award West Ham a penalty in stoppage time.
Moyes confronted referee Alejandro Hernandez at the final whistle, adamant that his team deserved a spot-kick after Freiburg’s Noah Weisshaupt handled the ball in the box.
The Scot emphasized the clarity of the incident, stating, “I have never seen such an obvious and easy decision to make in my life watching football!”
While Moyes acknowledged his team’s subpar performance and costly errors, he maintained that the missed penalty call was a significant factor in the outcome of the match.
Addressing the referee’s explanation for not awarding the penalty, Moyes criticized the notion of a slight push, arguing that it did not justify the decision to disregard the clear handball.
Despite the controversy, Moyes stressed that West Ham should not have to rely on contentious decisions to secure results, urging his team to improve ahead of the second leg at the London Stadium.
As West Ham looks to overturn the deficit and progress in the Europa League, Moyes will be hoping for a stronger performance from his players and a fairer officiating in the upcoming fixture.
