Referee slammed after Rotherham’s Cafu gets sent off after ‘winning the ball’ in the defeat to Stoke City in the Championship opener.
Andre Vidigal scored twice in a thumping opening win for Alex Neil’s Potters side who get off to a flying start, but the decision to hand Cafu a second yellow was the main talking point on social media.
The hosts went into an early lead with Ki-Jana Hoever inside five minutes with Vidigal, a summer arrival from Maritimo, scoring double before the break.
Matt Taylor’s half-time tactical tweaking sparked an instant impact as substitute Lee Peltier scored with his first touch to hand the visitors hope.
Rotherham reduced to 10 players after debutant Cafu was sent off and Jacob Brown got Stoke’s fourth with a late tap in.
Rotherham United Cafu sent off for winning the ball:
pic.twitter.com/99X3L9sY3q— The72 – We Love the #EFL (@_The72) August 5, 2023
— Hancok 🇪🇪 (@San_Pers) August 5, 2023
Stoke’s Alex Neil:
“I thought we looked like an exciting team. We wanted to start the season well because there’s been a lot of optimism and a lot of talk. But the talk was always going to stop, so to win in the manner in which we did was very pleasing. I thought the first goal was excellent and that set the tone, so to go on and score four goals was something we didn’t do very often last season. And to do it with six debutants in the team and a few more new players who came on, that speaks volumes for where the lads are. To get some of the new guys to score and get some of the performances we got – and to win at home so emphatically – was very pleasing.
“It’s hard not to pick him [Vidigal] (as man of the match) because he scored two goals and he had a header in the second half which their keeper made a wonderful save. He was really effective in the game. You can see his hunger to get into the middle of the box and get a goal and that’s going to be vitally important for us this season.”
Rotherham’s Matt Taylor:
“It was a tough afternoon for us. They’re a good team and they got on the front foot and we struggled to get any aspect of control. We did well to keep it at 1-0 for a large period of the first half and I was pleased that we showed enough character to stay in the game. But then (conceding) two goals in quick succession is really frustrating and it looked like a mountain to climb. There’s lots to take from it in terms of where we have to improve, but character and personality-wise, we were better in the second half.
“A lot of teams go two or three behind and almost when you’ve got nothing to lose, you play differently when the pressure’s off. Mentally we had nothing to lose and we asked them to show a little bit more belief; they started to show it but when Cafu got sent off, it was a difficult one for us. We weren’t sharp enough, bright enough or good enough in that first half and we know we can be better. We’ve caught a good team on a very good day and a poor day for ourselves, but we know we can improve in certain areas.”
📹 “Top professional, we’re lucky to have him”
🔴 Rotherham United midfielder Ollie Rathbone on new teammate Cafú, the debutant’s sending off and the 4-1 defeat away at Stoke City.
🎧👉https://t.co/A9N1cTsKOq#RUFC | @BBCSheffield pic.twitter.com/0XCHhmHkPo
— Football Heaven (@footballheaven) August 5, 2023
As mentioned, the referee was slammed after Rotherham’s Cafu gets sent off for ‘winning the ball’…
@Adrian_chadwick: @FA_PGMOL sack John Busby, rescind 2 yellow cards for Rotherham for Cafu for an absolute diabolical decision and refund every Rotherham fans we do not pay our money to see referees ruin the game
@nffcalways1: Ref definitely got that one wrong, the clubs got to appeal that
@Gelsthorpe22: This is what ya up against. How can we expect officials not to drop bollocks all time when this is happening in championship. Should be interviewed after game or audio between officials played on tv. Started season well.
@DavoLFC_: That’s a terrible decision
@millerman1511: @EFL @FA_PGMOL #rufc can the decision for the 2nd yellow against Cafu be explained or will it be swept under the carpet cause its rotherham
@azza_leva3: Refs in the EFL shocking as per usual, new season same shit
@safcjack25: Hahahahaah efl referees are back
@bwfctalk: That’s pathetic
@abs_rufc: nothing says football’s back like a wank decision by the officials 🖕🏻
@joshyy_Daviss: This is absolutely awful. The ref was right in front of it and still made the wrong call. Change the rules, second bookings should be able to be rescinded and ban the officials that make such horrific decisions.
@joeecfc1905: All these rules they’ve introduced for “showing more respect to match officials” yet clubs constantly have to put up with this incompetence week in week out
@AllEnglandFlags: Can’t go one week without a referee howler.
@chris_00071: From a stoke fan can admit it was a bad decision but didn’t change the outcome of the game at all
@TheoWatsonTDC: Christ couldn’t even get past the first game without a shocking decision 😂😂
@hyrum_rufc: EFL refs…
@mattdavie84: Can’t wait for these refs to ruin every weekend for the next 9 months
@milldogs4: i don’t care about result i’m genuinely more rattled at this
@Rufcjoe87: If this is a foul, let alone a card, games gone totally. Shite refs on the second highest division in the land is infuriating. We were shit today but fuck me when will we get decent refs, or refs held to account #rufc
@_ae19_: Sorry how the hell is that a foul, reyt challenge that.
@worrallc: Never a foul.
@bojseph: The ref was garbage all game, on both sides. This wasn’t a yellow, but Morrison should’ve been sent off in the first half for bringing down the last man. Felt like he was making up for a poor decision. Numerous other weird yellows too.
@CharlieCassid20: How on earth is that a yellow
@Leap_year_man: Not sure the championship refs are ever going to get better, another shocker to add to the catalogue.
@Michaelsmith908: Typical efl reds, why are we surprised, something needs to be done 💩
@andrewknevett: that other player diving and making a meal of it though
@TownAd1: We’re all stuck with these refs week in week out, never gonna change
@mwrgeography: That’s a brilliant challenge. Defo need to appeal that
