OBETZ, Ohio – Crew forward Emilio Renteria refuted a story from a newspaper in his native Venezuela that he agreed with the referee’s decision to disallow his goal during the CONCACAF Champions League game at Santos Laguna in Mexico on Tuesday.
“I never said that,” Rentería said Friday morning through a translator. “I said, ‘Why is the referee calling it off? He couldn’t disallow the goal because he called for it.’ I never said the referee was right in disallowing the goal.”
The score was nullified after referee Luis Rodríguez said in his official report that Rentería re-entered play without authorization. The Crew dispute the account, and they say Rodríguez told the team that the reason was because he did not have a number on a replacement jersey that was necessary after Rentería got blood on the original from an elbow to the right eye.
The Crew contend there is no requirement to have a number on a jersey.
“It’s not right,” Rentería said of the decision. “[Rodríguez] made a mistake. He called for the goal. He can’t call the goal back.”
Rentería came onto the field and took a free kick from Duncan Oughton before setting up Andy Iro’s header into the goal in the 22nd minute.
The Crew lost 1-0 and Rentería received a yellow card after the goal was taken off the board. But he said he was never given an explanation by the referee.
“He didn’t say anything to me,” Rentería said. “I was asking why I got a yellow card and why he didn’t call the goal.”
