Iturralde Gonzalez was instructed to favor Ireland in match v Armenia?

 October 12, 2011 - 13:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Chairman of the Armenian community of Slovakia Ashot Grigoryan said that on Monday, October 11, he was visited by representatives of the Slovak Football Federation, who possessed some information about the Armenia-Ireland UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier scheduled for the next day.

According to Grigoryan, there was a suspicion that Spanish referee Iturralde Gonzalez was instructed to favor Ireland in the match and help them to play-offs, as the UEFA had to compensate Ireland's defeat in Paris in 2009, when France striker Thierry Henry, as he admitted later, had intentionally handled the ball to set up William Gallas’s decisive goal against Ireland.

Grigoryan told PanARMENIAN.Net he wanted to contact the Armenian Football Federation over the issue but their mobile phones were switched off.

On October 11, Armenia suffered a 2-1 defeat by Ireland. They were dealt a huge blow when keeper Roman Berezovsky was harshly sent off for handball. Ireland striker Simon Cox later admitted the ball brushed his arm before Berezovsky was sent off.