The match of the 15th Challenge League round between Neuchâtel Xamax and Thun will not be replayed. The disciplinary committee of the Swiss Football League rejects a protest by the Neuchâtel team.
The SFL justified its decision on Thursday by stating that it had come to the conclusion that there had been no technical error on the part of the referee. The referee was right to assume that the ball was no longer in play at the time of his whistle - i.e. behind the goal line. Furthermore, any error by the referee in this regard was at his discretion and therefore did not constitute a technical offense.
The decision is final for the instances of the Swiss Football League.
After the 3-2 defeat, Xamax had lodged a protest against Thun's equalizing goal to make it 2-2 in the 89th minute. According to the Neuchâtel side, the referee Hüseyin Sanli made an irregular mistake in the scene in question. Before Xamax defender Euclides Cabral headed a cross into his own goal to give Thun the equalizer, Sanli is said to have interrupted the game for a foul.
SDA
