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Cardiff City interim Omer Riza has his say on Coventry City's Frank Lampard 'bounce'

Cardiff City's Omer Riza shouts instruction to players
-Credit: (Image: Mark Kerton/REX/Shutterstock)


Omer Riza was not happy with the penalty awarded against his team in their 2-2 draw with Coventry City.

The Bluebirds twice took the lead in a game that saw Frank Lampard take charge of the Sky Blues for the first time.

However, Cardiff’s interim boss chose not to focus on having to face a side potentially buoyed by a managerial change, instead he questioned referee James Bell’s decision to penalise Calum Chambers for hand-ball.

The visitors had gone ahead through Yakou Meite only to be pegged back by Ephron Mason-Clark. They regained the lead in through Alex Robertson in the 48th minute and held it for 40 minutes before Victor Torp converted the spot-kick to give Lampard a point.

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“Personally, I don’t think it was a penalty. I’ve looked at it back, that’s my opinion,” he told PA. “I’m not willing to really discuss the decision in respect to the referees, they’ve made their decision and I have to respect it.

“I don’t look at the occasion in respect to whether Frank’s got the job or whether their fans are going to be up for it or their players are going to have a bounce.

“I think they all knew about that anyway without me telling them – they’re experienced players a lot of them – and for us it was about us doing our job and trying to get back on track, and I think we managed that quite well today.

“The first half was difficult, the second half I think we earned a lead and we could have come away with a win, but we got the point and I think we have to be semi-happy with that.”

For his part Lampard saw a few things he liked – but certainly not the goals his team conceded. “(I was) clearly disappointed in the set-piece, to get a free header and to score, but it can happen. It’s not nice but it can happen.

“And then the second goal I was probably more disappointed to allow a shot and not get out to the shot and not block the shot at full pelt, full-bodied.

“But I don’t want to be bordering on the side of negative because I’m pleased that we’ve got our point. I know what this league’s like.”

Was the penalty decision a correct one? Have your say here