Manchester City coach Nick Cushing has revealed that match officials apologized to him after a controversial decision denied his team a goal in their 2-1 loss to Chelsea in the Women’s Super League (WSL).
City took the lead through Kerolin, and they could have doubled their advantage when Jess Park scored after Kerolin was fouled near the penalty area. However, referee Kirsty Dowle blew the whistle for a free kick before allowing the play to continue, meaning Park’s goal did not count.
Chelsea took advantage of the situation, with Aggie Beever-Jones equalizing before Erin Cuthbert scored a late winner at the Etihad Stadium.
“The officials admit they got it wrong and should have played on,” Cushing said after the match.
“The frustrating thing is after the [Laura] Coombs foul earlier on, because we were so dangerous on the counter attack when the whistle was blown on Coombs I asked her to play advantage. But three minutes later, it happens.”
Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor sympathised with Cushing’s frustrations but praised her side for their tenacity in the second half.
“From my opinion, the referee whistled since the beginning, even when the ball was not going into the goal so I think she made the right decision and it’s difficult after when you see the result,” she said. “So I can understand their frustration.
“If I was the City manager I would probably be in the same place. But again, I don’t think it changed our belief going into the second half. We created a lot in the second half, 24 shots on goal, their keeper made really great saves, we could maybe have scored more.”
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