The match between drawing opponents FC Bayern Munich and the Bundesliga side, FC Cologne, has been marred by a controversial moment that saw a goal awarded but not scored.
FC Bayern Munich was leading 2-1 at halftime when their midfielder, Michael Ballack, received a yellow card for fouling a defender. Despite this, the referee did not award the penalty to Bayern and instead gave it back to FC Cologne. This led to a celebration among the fans in the stands and a heated exchange on social media.
In the second half, the match became even more tense as both teams tried to score. In the 77th minute, FC Bayern Munich's forward, Robert Lewandowski, received a free kick and headed it past the goalkeeper, resulting in a corner. The ball was saved by FC Cologne's goalkeeper, but after some hesitation from the defense, a quick touch by defender Jürgen Klopp resulted in a corner. The defender could only get a shot off, but the ball ended up going wide of the post.
FC Bayern Munich then went ahead again with a penalty kick from a corner kick, but the penalty was ruled out due to a foul by the referee. The match continued, and in the 84th minute, Bayern Munich's forward, Mario Balotelli, received another yellow card for a foul on a defender. However, the referee allowed the penalty to be awarded because the player had not committed enough foul action to warrant a red card.
FC Cologne's striker, Christian Pulisic, stepped up to take the spot-kick and hit the ball over the crossbar. The referee called for a review of the decision, but the appeal was denied. After a long wait, the replay showed that the ball had actually gone over the bar before the penalty was given.
FC Bayern Munich then took advantage of the situation and scored a late winner to win the match. The result was a draw, but the controversy surrounding the decision by the referee left a bitter taste in the mouths of many football fans.