The situation quickly spiraled out of control as players from both teams rushed to the scene with their voices raised and tempers flaring.
Martens, AZ Alkmaar’s captain, was the first to reach the referee, his arms spread wide as he pointed furiously toward Diarra.
"You have to send him off for that! That’s a straight red!" Martens demanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Behind him, Alvarado and Viergever joined in, their faces set in anger as they crowded around the official.
[AZ Alkmaar players aren’t holding back here,] the lead comntator noted. [And frankly, I don’t bla them. That was a brutal tackle]
On the other side, Samuel Eto’o led Anzhi Makhachkala’s response, ushering his teammates toward the referee.
His calm deanor belied the intensity in his eyes as he raised his hands to diffuse the tension.
"It wasn’t deliberate, ref. He went for the ball," Eto’o argued in mixed French and English, standing toe-to-toe with Martens.
The offender, Lassana Diarra, was now flanked by his teammates, Samba and Zhirkov who looked agitated but stayed quiet as Eto’o did the talking.
[This is turning into a real flashpoint,] the co-comntator remarked. [Both captains are in the referee’s ear. You can feel the tension boiling over here]
Fweeeee!
Fweeeee!
Fweeeee!
The referee, who was caught up in the storm, blew his whistle repeatedly, trying to restore order.
The players shoved and jostled, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of complaints.
Wilian stepped forward, attempting to pull Martens back, but the AZ Alkmaar captain shrugged him off with little effort, his focus entirely locked on the official.
[The referee has to get a grip on this,] the lead comntator said. [The longer this chaos goes on, the harder it’ll be to control]
In the stands, the ho fans roared their disapproval, waving their arms and chanting for justice.
The away section, anwhile, cheered Diarra’s aggression, their voices a stark contrast to the fury around them.
[The crowd is making their feelings known,] the co-comntator added. [The ho fans want a red card. The away fans think it’s all part of the ga]
The referee’s patience visibly wore thin as the lee continued, and his stern expression signaling he was done listening to the barrage of complaints.
Ignoring both captains, he strode purposefully toward the fallen Benjamin, who was now sitting up after receiving treatnt.
The teenager took a deep breath, testing his leg as the dical staff hovered nearby. Finally, he nodded towards the dical staff, signaling he could continue.
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the ho crowd, their applause breaking the tension montarily.
[Good news for AZ Alkmaar—Benjamin looks like he’s okay to carry on,] the lead comntator said, his tone lifting slightly.
[That’s a relief for the ho fans, but it doesn’t excuse the tackle,] the co-comntator replied sharply. [The referee has to make a decision here. This could set the tone for the rest of the match]
The referee raised his hand to silence the remaining protests from the red-faced players.
Fweeeee!~
His piercing whistle cutting through the noise and all eyes—the players, fans, managers—were glued to him as he reached his hands into his pocket.
Fweeeee!
The yellow card erged, with its flash as bright as the uproar it was soon to cause.
Holding the card aloft for all to see, the referee turned toward Lassana Diarra who stood with his hands akimbo.
[It’s a yellow card for Diarra!] the lead comntator announced. [He’s lucky to escape with just that]
Diarra exhaled loudly, relief evident on his face. He gave a half-hearted nod toward the referee before turning back to his teammates.
[Look at that reaction,] the co-comntator said. [He knows he dodged a bullet there. A tackle like that could’ve easily seen red]
BOOOOO!~
The ho fans erupted in frustration, their boos ringing out louder than ever.
"WHAT IS THIS!? ARE YOU BLIND!?" one man shouted from the front row close to the sidelines, his voice hoarse from yelling.
Others waved their arms furiously, gesturing toward the referee in disbelief.
In contrast, the Anzhi Makhachkala supporters roared their approval of the decision, their cheers drowning out the dissent from the ho crowd.
"THAT’S RIGHT, REF! GOOD DECISION!"
On the sidelines, Gertjan Verbeek threw his arms up in exasperation, pacing furiously as his assistants tried to calm him.
[Look at Gertjan Verbeek,] the lead comntator said, his voice tinged with empathy. [He’s absolutely beside himself. And who can bla him?]
Guus Hiddink, however, remained composed, offering a subtle smile as he clapped his hands and signaled his players to stay focused.
[Guus Hiddink looks like the cat who got the cream,] the co-comntator quipped. [He knows how lucky his team is right now]
Back on the pitch, Martens shook his head in disbelief at the referee’s decision. His lips moved as he muttered sothing under his breath. He gestured toward Benjamin, and then to the referee, clearly frustrated with the outco.
"That’s not enough!" he barked, his voice carrying over the din.
Samuel Eto’o placed a hand on Martens’ shoulder, and offered a subtle smile. "Let it go. The decision’s made," he said quietly before guiding his teammates back into position.
[This ga just got even more heated,] the lead comntator said, his tone steady despite the chaos. [You can feel the tension building, and it’s far from over]
[Absolutely,] the co-comntator added. [If the referee thought this yellow card would calm things down, he might be in for a rude awakening]
The players slowly retreated to their positions, though many cast lingering glares at the referee.
Benjamin, who was now standing tall, jogged lightly to test his leg, and was glad he sustained no serious injury.
The crowd’s energy remained electric, and was a mixture of lingering frustration and anticipation as the referee prepared to restart the ga.
[Benjamin’s back on his feet and ready to go,] the lead comntator said. [This young man’s resilience is remarkable. Let’s see how he responds to this]
[And let’s see how the referee handles the rest of this match,] the co-comntator replied. [Because sothing tells this isn’t the last ti we’ll see tempers flare tonight]
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