England Fans Confused Over Referee’s Decision in 7-0 Win Over North Macedonia
England fans were left scratching their heads after their team’s 7-0 win over North Macedonia on Monday evening. Despite the game featuring four goals, a penalty, and ten substitutions, referee Istvan Kovacs did not add any time on at the end of the 90 minutes. This decision left Three Lions supporters baffled, with many taking to social media to express their confusion.
The Game
Gareth Southgate’s men raced into a 3-0 half-time lead at Old Trafford thanks to goals from Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, and Marcus Rashford. After the break, Saka completed his hat-trick with two more goals, while Kane scored a second from the penalty spot and Kalvin Phillips also got his name on the scoresheet. The win maintains England’s 100% record in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
The Confusion
Despite the comfortable victory, England fans were left confused by the referee’s decision not to add any time on at the end of the game. One fan took to social media to say, “I think we can all agree the biggest takeaway from England 7-0 North Macedonia was 0 minutes being added on after four goals, a penalty and ten substitutions. You’re not a charity, Uefa.” Another fan added, “I actually rang in the radio once to ask about this, why do they only add on the exact minutes if the game is tight? What if I had a bet on 8-0? It’s mental how some rules are just ignored.”
The Rules
The rules regarding added time in football state that the referee should add on any time lost due to substitutions, injuries, or other stoppages in play. The amount of added time is at the discretion of the referee and is usually based on how much time has been lost during the game. In tight games, referees often add on more time to give teams a chance to score, but in games where one team is dominating, they may add on less time.
Conclusion
While England fans were left confused by the referee’s decision not to add any time on at the end of their team’s 7-0 win over North Macedonia, the rules regarding added time in football are clear. Referees are instructed to add on any time lost due to stoppages in play, but the amount of added time is at their discretion. In this case, the referee may have felt that there was no need to add any time on as the game was already won. Regardless of the reason, England fans can take comfort in their team’s comfortable victory and their 100% record in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.