Beto ‘conned’ out of Everton penalty as Caicedo footage re-analysed – Ex-PGMOL chief
Keith Hackett has given his verdict on appeals for a penalty from Everton striker Beto during his side’s defeat to Chelsea.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the Toffees forward was unlucky not to be given a spot kick for a challenge by Moises Caicedo.
Beto had enjoyed some excellent form immediately after David Moyes’ return to Goodison Park earlier this season, but has started to struggle in front of goal once again.
The Everton striker produced another disappointing performance as his side were beaten by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (26 April).
Even so, he can consider himself to be unfortuante over one key moment that did not go his way in that game.
Moises Caicedo survives penalty appeals
Chelsea had taken the lead through Nicolas Jackson shortly before the half-hour mark in that game, with Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford left furious with his defence.
Moments later, the visitors were denied the chance to level from the spot, after Beto went down in the penalty area.
As the striker looked to get on the end of a cross into the box, he would go to ground following an apparent push in the back from Caicedo.
| Beto vs Chelsea | Total (as per SofaScore) |
| Shots on Target | 1 |
| Shots off Target | 0 |
| Expected Goals | 0.03 |
| Duels Won | 5/14 |
| Successful Passes | 4/8 |
| Successful Dribbles | 1/2 |
Referee Chris Kavanagh did not give a penalty to Everton on the pitch, with that decision also being confirmed by VAR.
Hackett though feels that there was enough in that challenge to have given Moyes’ side reason to believe they should have had a spot kick.
‘Everton unfortunate as Beto appeals dismissed’ – Keith Hackett
After being asked by Football Insider whether he felt Beto could have won a penalty for the challenge on him, the former referee said:
“The whole scenario here is that we’re being conned into thinking that the push for a foul to be given or a penalty kick to be awarded has to be sustained and almost with a level of strength.
“What we see here is the start of the defender [Caicedo], with a bent elbow and that elbow and arm straightening out, and it’s a push.
“I think that the PGMOL in the summer need to start to consider that whatever they say about raising the bar, or whatever they’ve done, is allowing this type of offence – and it is an offence – of pushing to go unpunished.
“And what we’ve got in the game, is penalty kicks not being awarded for holding and pulling. The question I would ask is, if that happened near the halfway line, the referee would give the foul, for a push.
“I think we’ve got to back to law. The law says ‘push’. It doesn’t talk about threshold… It might seem a soft penalty but ultimately at the end of the day are we going to allow that?
“Clearly at the moment they are, and therefore players will take advantage of it.”
Everton would be denied a second penalty shortly after, when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez won a free-kick despite colliding into Vitaliy Mykolenko.
With either side able to find another goal, that ensured a 1-0 win for the hosts which keeps them in contention for Champions League qualification.