In the 9th week of the Trendyol Süper Lig, Çaykur Rizespor was defeated 4-3 at home by Trabzonspor. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Çaykur Rizespor Assistant Coach Ekrem Dağ addressed both the defensive errors in the second half and the referee's decisions.
Recalling that they finished the first half with a 2-0 lead, Dağ stated that they started the game as they had intended, saying, "We started the first half as we wanted, with desire, courage, and very good effort. We controlled the opponent well without giving them any opportunities. We tried to take a 2-0 lead, and we succeeded."
Ekrem Dağ argued that referee Halil Umut Meler's decisions influenced the course of the match. Noting that Trabzonspor player Fabinho was already on a yellow card, Dağ claimed that the player should have been sent off after receiving a second yellow card in one incident.
Dağ stated, "There is an incident with Fabinho, he has a yellow card. He steps on his foot clearly, right in front of the referee. He lets play continue and doesn't give a yellow card. If he had given a red card there, it would have been a different game in the second half."
Stating that they expected a penalty before Trabzonspor's winning goal after Çaykur Rizespor had leveled the score at 3-3, Dağ also reacted to the VAR management. Dağ said, "Before the 4-3, before the goal we conceded, there is a clear penalty. That is indisputable. But unfortunately, what about the VAR referee... Maybe the VAR referee isn't here today. One has to look into it."
Arguing that the incident should have been reviewed, Dağ said, "Wouldn't someone call and say 'Come and take a look'? Even if you don't give it, it's a clear penalty. This is not good faith. There is so much effort involved in this work."
Continuing his criticism of referee Meler, Ekrem Dağ declared, "We are always talking about referees, but they really shouldn't assign Halil Umut Meler to our matches." Dağ also expressed his discomfort with the fact that refereeing decisions are being discussed instead of football.
On the other hand, Dağ acknowledged that his team's errors in the second half also played a role in the defeat. Stating that the goals Trabzonspor found in the 49th, 51st, and 58th minutes created a turning point, Dağ said, "Did we concede the goals easily? We did. Were we caught too open? We were. We shouldn't have given those spaces to these talented players."
News Source: 12punto
