The first half of the Group E clash between Belgium and the Republic of Ireland at the Euros definitely didn’t lack passion from either side – and we also saw some odd moments too.
It’s not every football match that you get two balls on the pitch, is it?
https://twitter.com/irishfonding/status/744163520238002176
Huh? What was that all about? #BELIRL
— Danielle (@DMC1982Nice) June 18, 2016
The slight error of two footballs being in play earned Ireland’s Jeff Hendrick the first booking of the game – because he kicked the non-playing ball away, instead of the one that was, well, meant to be in play.
It was a confusing moment for everyone. So you probably won’t be surprised to hear Twitter is not happy with the ref – who’s Cuneyt Cakir of Turkey BTW – for perhaps rather harshly dishing out such a strange yellow card.
Can the ref be subbed at HT?#EURO2016 #BELIRL #IREBEL #COYBIG
— Nobby (@NobbyFM104) June 18, 2016
Jeff Hendrick invoking little known FIFA Rule 83.7 on multi-ball play – poor ref, should know better than to book him #IRL #COYBIG #BELIRL
— NI Greenways (@nigreenways) June 18, 2016
https://twitter.com/GarethIsEno/status/744163907963654144
https://twitter.com/therealmjf1/status/744163751436427264
Free kick for 2 balls on pitch ??? Think ref may have had some explaining to do if they'd scored there #BELIRL
— Andy Grace (@wurzel62) June 18, 2016
But then again people don’t exactly think Hendricks was blameless in the whole thing. Bet he was left feeling a bit silly in the changing rooms at half time…
Hendrick not realising that multiball is only allowed on a pinball machine. Yellow card #BELIRL
— Joe Gibney (@joegibney15) June 18, 2016
How what a stupid waste of a yellow card – Hendrick is a moron for doing that, now he’s on a yellow for no reason… #EURO2016 #BELIRL
— James Spanos (@_jamespanos_) June 18, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dave__Healy/status/744163974715932672
And it’s left people rather intrigued to see what would happen with extra footballs in other Euro games too.
Football with 2 balls would be interesting…. #BELIRL
— Emma ايما (@guirlandesa) June 18, 2016
//
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.