Ukraine forward Artem Besyedin will miss the remainder of Euro 2020 after suffering a knee injury following a challenge that saw Sweden’s Marcus Danielson sent off.
The 99th-minute dismissal proved pivotal as Ukraine defeated Sweden 2-1 after extra time at Hampden Park to set up a Euro 2020 quarter-final with England on Saturday night.
Danielson was shown a red card by Italian referee Daniele Orsato following a VAR referral after following through and catching Besyedin with his studs having won the ball.
Ukraine striker Artem Besyedin receives treatment after suffering a knee injury in Tuesday night’s Euro 2020 last-16 victory over Sweden at Hampden Park
Marcus Danielson was shown a red card for lunging in on Ukraine forward Besyedin
After initially winning the ball, Danielson’s studs caught Besyedin on the follow through
Danielson is given his marching orders following a VAR intervention at Hampden Park
The injury has ended Besyedin’s tournament and he is returning to Ukraine for further tests.
‘We are no longer able to count on Artem Besyedin in our next matches,’ said Ukraine’s assistant coach Oleksandr Shovkovskiy.
‘He is forced to leave the team and return to Kyiv for a full examination.’
Besyedin, 25, of Ukrainian team Dynamo Kyiv had played a total of 36 minutes across three of Ukraine’s matches at the tournament but hadn’t found the net.
Besyedin hobbles off the pitch during extra time before Ukraine scored their late winner
Ukraine’s assistant coach announced the striker will return to Kyiv for further tests
The decision to send Danielson off was described as ‘ridiculous’ by Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, who claimed the replays made the challenge look worse than it actually was.
The former England international wrote on Twitter: ‘That’s not a red card. He’s perfectly entitled to clear that ball.
‘Slow motion once again turning an innocuous challenge look more than it was. Ridiculous.’
Gary Lineker branded the decision to send off Danielson as ‘ridiculous’ on Tuesday evening
Lineker backed up his own point moments later, arguing: ‘When you kick a football it’s almost impossible not to follow through (not that kind of follow through btw).
‘Just because a player gets injured because someone kicked a football and accidentally catches him on the follow through doesn’t make it a foul, let alone a red.’
However, Lineker’s tweets certainly divided opinion on social media on Tuesday evening.
Some backed the former England international up, with one social media user arguing: ‘Absolute joke. How the commentators, VAR team & Ref have looked at it & not 1 of them said “well he’s kicked the ball & that’s a natural follow through” is crazy.
‘Do we now have to kick it and avoid a follow through in case it catches someone? Unfortunate timing but NEVER a red!’
Many fans disagreed with Lineker on Twitter, claiming he could have ‘broken his leg’
Another fan simply argued: ‘What’s he supposed to do with his foot after.’
‘Eyes on the ball, got the ball, then hit the guy – yes in a bad way, but not a red for me. Intent? None for me’, another fan wrote on Twitter.
But some definitely disagreed with Lineker on social media, with one fan simply writing: ‘It is a red he’s nearly broke his leg btw’, while another told Lineker to ‘stop tweeting.’
‘Red card all day every day,’ another fan argued. ‘Studs up, dangerous challenge. It’s not always about “getting the ball” or clearing the ball or whatever it is. Besedin is very lucky his leg is still in one piece.’
Another fan who clearly didn’t agree with Lineker, said on Twitter: ‘It’s the way he did it at knee height, with a straight leg, lunging, it’s extremely dangerous and lucky he didn’t snap the other fellas leg in 2. 100% red card.’
Other football fans agreed with Lineker however, claiming there was no ‘intent’ meant
Danielson trudges off the pitch after being shown the red card during extra-time
Artem Dovbyk popped up with a dramatic last-gasp winner for Ukraine in the last-16 clash
After Sweden went down to 10 men, they were clinging on and penalties looked likely, but Ukraine had one last say right at the death.
In the 121st minute, Artem Dovbyk dramatically popped up with the winning header from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross to seal a quarter-final date with England on Saturday evening in Rome.