Maradona calls English win ‘monumental robbery’

NIZNHY NOVGOROD, Russia: Argentine great Diego Maradona said England perpetrated a “monumental robbery” in their World Cup victory over Colombia and accused referee Mark Geiger of not being up to such a game.

Maradona said the American official should have penalised Harry Kane rather than give a penalty for a foul by Colombia’s Carlos Sanchez during Tuesday’s knockout match.

“Today I saw a monumental robbery on the pitch... a fatal mistake for a whole country,” he said of the incident that put England 1-0 ahead in the second half.

“Here’s a gentleman who decides, a referee who, if you Google him, shouldn’t be given a match of this magnitude... Geiger, an American, what a coincidence,” Maradona added on his nightly World Cup show for Venezuela-based Telesur broadcaster.

TV images showed Maradona wildly celebrating Colombia’s late equaliser that took Tuesday’s Round of 16 match to 1-1 and extra time.