Published 13:14 IST, September 25th 2020
Tottenham demand new goalposts after Shkendija's goals were 5cm smaller during UEL clash
Tottenham had their goalposts changed ahead of the Europa League qualifier against Shkendija as they were 5 cm sorter than the UEFA standards.
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Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur faced an unusual problem ahead of their Europa League qualifier on Thursday. Spurs travelled to Macedonia to face off against Shkendija and noticed that the goalposts for the game were too small. Tottenham goalkeepers alerted Jose Mourinho of it, who red-flagged the issue and reported it to the UEFA delegate.
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Shkendija vs Tottenham highlights: Tottenham lodge complaint against Shkendija goalposts, have them changed
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho revealed that his goalkeepers noticed that the Shkendija goalposts did not have the proper height and were too low. The Portuguese tactician sensed something wrong annd instantly informed the UEFA officials of the same. Delegates checked the Shkendija goalposts and ascertained that the crossbar was 5cm too short and the frames were subsequently changed. Mourinho wasn't done yet, as he took to Instagram to troll the Shkendija goalposts.
The former Real Madrid manager joked "I thought I had grown, but then I realised the goal was 5 centimetres lower". As per The Sun, Rule 1.10 of Ifab's Laws of the Game details the exact dimensions of a full-size goal post. The distance between the inside post is marked at 7.32 m (8 yds), while the distance between the lower edge of the crossbar to the ground is set at 2.44 m (8 ft). Smaller goalposts, like the one on Thursday, can be used for small-sided or junior football games.
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Shkendija vs Tottenham highlights: Harry Kane, Son rescue Spurs
Tottenham had their senior pros to thank on Thursday after they edge past Shkendija in their Europa League qualifiers. Erik Lamela gave Spurs the lead five minutes into the clash before the Macedonian outfit bounced back. Ten minutes into the second half, Valmir Nafiu scored a thumping equaliser, which easily made the Shkendija vs Tottenham highlights reel. Mourinho turned to Harry Kane and Son Heung-min to turn the tide in their favour, and the duo responded in style, adding two before the full-time whistle.
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The pair continued their rich vein of form from last weekend when they combined to score five goals against Southampton in the Premier League. The Europa League results on Thursday meant that Tottenham will now face off against Israel's Maccabi Haifa in the playoff round of the Europa League qualifiers. A victory on October 1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would guarantee a safe passage into the main stage of the competition.
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(Image Courtesy: Jose Mourinho Instagram)
13:14 IST, September 25th 2020