Women’s World Cup: Wendie Renard’s penalty – did officials get France award right?
It was the most contentious moment of the Women’s World Cup so far.
When Wendie Renard sent her late re-taken penalty into the top corner to earn hosts France a 1-0 win over stubborn Nigeria, it sparked “confusion” and “bemusement” on social media.
One BBC Sport reader even described it as “daylight robbery”.
France were awarded a spot-kick – after a video assistant review – in the 75th minute when Ngozi Ebere fouled Viviane Asseyi in the box. Centre-back Renard stepped up to take it and missed – hitting the outside of the right post.
But VAR intervened, adjudging 18-year-old Super Falcons keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to have moved off her line early.
Renard stepped up again – and this time made no mistake.
But fans using #bbcfootball were far from happy.
So were they right to be so outraged?
Football law changes came into effect on 1 June, with one of them saying this:
The goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot on/in line with the goal line when the kick is taken; cannot stand behind the line.
By way of added explanation, lawmakers the International Football Association Board added this explanation:
Goalkeepers are not permitted to stand in front of or behind the line. Allowing the goalkeeper to have only one foot touching the goal line (or, if jumping, in line with the goal line) when the penalty kick is taken is a more practical approach as it is easier to identify if both feet are not on the line. As the kicker can ‘stutter’ in the run, it is reasonable that the goalkeeper can take one step in anticipation of the kick.
So given that Nnadozie clearly had both feet in front of the line, the decision was correct. And Renard was quite happy to have another go.
“When it came to it, the players were asking me whether I wanted to take another go at it, and I decided I was going to take the penalty again,” said the Lyon captain. “It was very good for the team, and also for me as well.”
France head coach Corinne Diacre added: “I’d like to commend the courage Wendie showed. She had the tenacity to go back to the penalty spot and take that kick.”
But some BBC Sport readers believed the second penalty should have been retaken as well.
And Nigeria coach Thomas Dennerby was also fuming: “If I give you my honest feelings, they’ll probably send me home so it’s better I don’t say anything.
“My players are heroes. Of course I’m disappointed by the result, France is a really good team and don’t need support from anybody to win games. The girls were fighting so well, they followed the match plan and it’s getting destroyed by people that we’re not so happy with.”
BBC Sport readers also showed their frustrations by using our player rater tool to give match-winner Renard the lowest score of any player on the pitch (3.36), while keeper Nnadozie got the highest mark (8.80).
Former England defender Laura Bassett, watching for BBC Four, said the decisions were “ultimately right” but that the law changes will continue to lead to confusion.
“France deserved to win because Nigeria were in the wrong [according to the laws] but for the players it is so hard because it is going to take time to coach them to change their training methods.”
But what do you think? Watch the incident below and decide for yourself…
BBC Sport has launched #ChangeTheGame this summer to showcase female athletes in a way they never have been before. Through more live women’s sport available to watch across the BBC this summer, complemented by our journalism, we are aiming to turn up the volume on women’s sport and alter perceptions. Find out more here.
