Football game remains just a game and has to be whipped indifferently by referees. This is not the first case referees are turning against lesser known countries. Albania didn't deserve to lose against Holland, even playing away. I watched 2-1 Holland winning match when considerable hand balls were not awarded penalties for Albanian team. I am truly concerned the Football game is being sunk by some significant and official iniquitous subjects.

I watched Netherlands - Albania, both games and you could tell after 3 minutes that the results were already office-drawn. In the first match in Netherlands, the referee failed to "notice" two cases of hand balls, even though during replay he could clearly be seen just a few feet away, and watching peacefully like a hitman. In the second game...oh man...forget about inexistent off-sides that I can't stop numbering, but the high point of referee dellusion came when he anulled an Own Goal from Netherland. It was actually an Euro-own-goal. This guy, Melchiot, hit the ball with his head so perfectly right onto his own goal and scored undisturbed one of the best own goals ever scored. The Netherland's team started walking to the centerfield, Albanian team and the stadium were celebrating...but the referee's horrible sounds one more time said NO! It was beyong immagination...so so, that some analysts say that it maybe the first own-goal ever anulled ever!!! People were left speachless for days...that's how bad i

I believe that there some corruption going on within the organization it self, Obviously if Albania were to qualify for the 2008 European championship not many people would want to watch them play apart from three million Albanians so it lowers the popularity of the event. I think it comes down to uefa not the reffs, the reffs are there to do their job as their told by the organization otherwise they would be penalized for their mistakes maybe that’s why uefa keeps a blind eye on this issue.

I'm an albanian and I have watched the 2 matches we played against Netherlands.There were at least 2 penalties the first match which were not given and a own-goal not concerned in the second match.We palyed very well and I think we did not deserve these 2 losses.However we know that netherlands are more powerful than us in the eyes of Uefa and if they want us to loose we will loose, we cant do nothing:(. Hope that the other matches these things wont happen..

Who had the chance to watch the matches of Albania against Netherlands and Bulgaria saw clearly the discrimination against. This kind of behaviour has to stop and UEFA comission has to take the control of the situation for a fair treatment of every small team with aspirations and great efforts.

Couldn't agree more with the author of this article. As an avid fan, I watched both these games and was appalled at the decisiona of referee Michael Riely in the match between Albania and Holland. A canceled goal for Albania, a red card to Cana but not to the Duch player during the altercation at the end of the game, etc, etc... That game was the biggest shame for UEFA, I've ever seen in my life and they took no action even though there was plenty of video evidence. I'd like to add that the same thing happened during the Holland - Albania game where the Duch players touched the ball with their hands several times to no avail for a penalty call. Why is UEFA allowing these double standards and the raping of the beautiful game? What a shame...

I am not surprised at all about the discrimination not only against Albania, but all other small nations. Europe should learn from North America, in the professional leagues here there are mistakes, but the discrimination absolutely doesn't exist against small teams. I am old enough to remember Benfica-Partizani in 1985, or other unjust decisions suffered by Albania or Albanian teams. I believe the discrimination is present in every field of Europe.

I watched the match Albania-Holland and in my opinion the rest of the faults can easily be mistaken, but not to allow the own goal, i have never seen an own goal being disallowed. In my opinion i believe that6 this is only happening to eastern countries, because Ireland has the same population as Albania but they do get a fair decisions. This is not fair to the football fans as they are changing the best sport into business!!

I saw the Netherlands - Albania game played in Albania, and it was very, very sad the way it went. The referee himslef believed that he was the one playing the game, probably in front of a computer. He anulled an Own-goal!!! Can you beleive that? An Own-Goal!!! So, basically, it didn't matter at all what was going to happen on the field, the referee had the PS3 platform in hand and playing with it as he wished. And I paid to watch it happen on TV. Shame!

I actually watched the first game between Dutch and Albanians played in Netherlands with a couple of my Albanian friends. It was really sad to see Albanians trying with all what they had but the referees decided what the result would be. Two for-sure penalties for Albanians never given. The game result should had been 3-1 for Albania at least. Worst game for Dutch ever.

Well as an Albanian I can't think of a good reason why my team should have won. After all we don't have the reputation of the "giants" in football. Maybe we should have out-spent the Dutch in bribes.... Hmmmm. The Frenchies eleminating Brazil in '06 was shocking, but at least they are a big country. Can you imagine if only 2-nd and 3-rd tier squads made it in the quarter finals. What then? God forbid they lose the glory they need.