BORÅS. Gais fell in the cup opener against Elfsborg.
Afterwards, the green and black criticized the refereeing team.
– That’s what you get as newcomers, sighs Jack Cooper Love.
The atmosphere in the stands was good and down on the field it was lively in the duels when IF Elfsborg took on Gais in the premiere of the Swedish Cup. But referee Granit Maqedonci also ended up in the firing line.
The referee opted to award a penalty (saved by Mergim Krasniqi) for Elfsborg before ten minutes had passed on the clock, but waved off when young Gais centre-back Anes Cardaklija went over later in the match.
– I think the first one is a penalty, but we have a fairly clear penalty in the second half with Anes (Cardaklija), says Jack Cooper Love, who is on loan from Elfsborg to Gais.
Cooper Love was also involved in a situation himself when he got to a clearance, but was blown off for a duel before that when a home player went over.
– If you have to comment on it, it is absolutely not a free kick. I think most people had the idea that it was cheap, he tells FotbollDirekt and continues:
– That’s what you get as newcomers, but I’m pretty sure we’ll get that respect from the judges after a while. I’ve played for newcomers three years in a row now, so you’re quite used to getting free kicks like that. It’s not fun, but you have to buy it.
Gais goalkeeper Mergim Krasniqi also reacts to the decision that denied Cooper Love a free-kick.
– We shouldn’t comment on the referees that much, but if we are going to do it anyway and you ask the question, he (the referee) is too kind to Elfsborg today. Clearly. Otherwise, I think it’s a good referee, but that (the situation with Jack Cooper Love) and I think we have a penalty situation with Anes, which he should have. It happens a little, but we grow into the match and then I think he blows quite evenly. He maintains a decent level anyway, says Krasniqi.
Elfsborg won the match 2–0 after two late goals by Sebastian Holmén and Jalal Abdullai.
