Soccer

Malaga cry foul after controversial defeat

Club’s owner blames defeat on ‘racism’ after officials allow Dortmund’s winner to stand

Malaga's goalkeeper Willy and his team mates appeal for offside as Borussia Dortmund's Felipe Santana celebrates the winning goal. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/Reuters
Wed Apr 10 2013 - 09:39

Borussia Dortmund's dramatic 3-2 Champions League quarter-final win over Malaga last night left the Germans dizzy with success while their opponents were fuming over the late winner.

Former European champions Dortmund scored twice in stoppage time, including a controversial winning goal from defender Felipe Santana, that saw them complete a sensational comeback and advance to the last four for the first time in 15 years.

Several Dortmund players in front of Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero looked offside when the ball was crossed for the winning goal and Santana also appeared offside when he scored.

The Germans, who last reached the semi-finals in 1998, a year after winning the trophy, looked on their way out when Eliseu scored to put Malaga 2-1 up in the 82nd minute.

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Dortmund, needing two goals to advance after their goalless draw in Spain last week, pulled one back through Marco Reus a minute into stoppage time to rekindle their hopes.

Santana then scrambled the ball over the line from what looked an offside position to complete a dramatic night and protect Dortmund's unbeaten Champions League run this season.

For the Spaniards it was a complete contrast of emotions.

"We are still trying to take in what has happened. The dressing room is very depressed," said striker Roque Santa Cruz.

"It was a game that incredibly we let slip out of our hands In the end they had a lot of luck. Not only for scoring goals but because of the situations as well. The third was offside. They had a lot of luck."

"We are very disappointed. We were four minutes from a semi-final and everything slipped out of our hands in those last few minutes," he told Spanish television.

Malaga's Qatari owner, Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, appeared to blame the defeat on "racism", without saying who the accusation was aimed at, and urged European soccer's governing body Uefa to open a probe into the match.

"Thank you very much for the team you have been champions on the pitch. I'm sorry to go out this way injustice and racism," Al Thani wrote in a series of tweets on his official feed.

"I hope to open a thorough investigation (by) UEFA regarding the Spanish club (going) out this way. Which does not affect the spirit of sport," he added after the final whistle.

"This is not football, but racism and clear of all."