Roma: Officials admitted Smalling penalty was a mistake against Gladbach

Roma revealed the match officials admitted they made a mistake in awarding an extremely controversial last-gasp penalty in the Europa League draw with Borussia Monchengladbach.

Monchengladbach benefited from a refereeing howler as Lars Stindl stepped up to convert a 95th-minute spot-kick and earn the visitors a 1-1 draw Thursday.

With Roma looking poised to claim all three points following Nicolo Zaniolo’s opener, a long ball into the box struck defender Chris Smalling in the face, but referee Willie Collum pointed to the spot, ruling the defender – on loan from Manchester United – had handled in the area.

Seething afterwards, Roma tweeted: “#ASRoma’s management spoke to the match officials after the game and they admitted that the decision to award the penalty was a mistake.

“We respect and thank them for their genuine honesty and now we focus on the next game.”

#ASRoma ’s management spoke to the match officials after the game and they admitted that the decision to award the penalty was a mistake. We respect and thank them for their genuine honesty and now we focus on the next game. #ForzaRoma pic.twitter.com/tyPZlJxMxE

— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) October 24, 2019

The result moved Roma to five points and top of Group J, a point ahead of Istanbul Basaksehir and Wolfsberg and three clear of Monchengladbach.

“It is difficult to accept a decision like that,” Roma head coach Paulo Fonseca told Sky Sport Italia.

“All the players are devastated. We faced the Bundesliga leaders and were in constant control of the game, despite the difficulties. It’s really hard to accept this, we deserved a different result.”

Roma striker Edin Dzeko added: “It’s a serious error that cannot happen at this level. It changes the result, the whole game, the group.

“Now we have another three games where anything could happen. A victory today would’ve made everything easier. I just don’t understand the referee, he was so sure that he was right, but I’d seen it hit Smalling in the face. When I saw the replay on television, it’s just incredible.

“The referee kept insisting it was a penalty, I told him it was his face and not the hand. You could see the mark on Smalling’s face where the ball hit him.

“You can’t give a penalty like that at the 95th minute. It’s unacceptable. We ran no risks at all in the second half and we’ve lost two points here. We can’t do anything about it now, we have to look forward.”

Smalling himself took to social media after the match and expressed his disbelief at the decision.