Goals changed for Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Ajax after Gunners club official spots crossbar is 10cm too low
JONAS EIDEVALL says Arsenal were faced with the bizarre scenario of having goals changed before their Champions League clash with Ajax.
The Swede revealed the Dutch side’s goals were 10cm too small, saying: “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life.”
IFAB rules state the bar must be eight feet high and the width between the two posts eight yards.
But Ajax use the smaller goals in Dutch League games.
Arsenal spotted the bar was nearly four inches too low in the warm-up and demanded the goals were changed ahead of their 1-0 second round, second leg win.
Eidevall, 39, said: “It has been weird coming here and playing a big club like Ajax and we have to measure the goals.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
“We can only control what we can control.”
Later in the game, Arsenal were prevented from bringing on a concussion sub for Lionesses star Beth Mead, who suffered a head injury.
He added: “Beth needed to be taken off.
“The problem I had is that I asked the fourth official if we could do a concussion sub and she said yes.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
“Then when we were about to do it she said no. I don’t understand it.
“But the players defended well with 10.”
Vivianne Miedema blasted the Gunners into the Champions League group stages with a 3-2 aggregate win.
The Dutch hotshot struck in the 51st minute for her third goal of the season.
Meanwhile, Fran Kirby and Sam Kerr helped thwart West Ham’s hopes of a top-flight shock as Chelsea trounced the Irons 3-1.
The match saw Emma Hayes drop an F-bomb as the titleholders took the lead before bagging back-to-back wins.
The Hammers – who are yet to beat their London rivals in the WSL – took a third-minute lead with skipper Dagny Brynjarsdottir’s towering header.
Kirby chipped in a 40th-minute leveller before Kerr gave the hosts the lead with just over half an hour of normal time left.
And Millie Bright made it 3-1 with a classy, headed effort.
READ MORE IN SPORT
Chelsea looked to extend their lead when Lauren James won a penalty after being brought down by Lucy Parker.
But the forward saw her spot-kick saved in the 77th minute as the WSL champs moved to fourth ahead of their trip to Everton after the international break.