Keith Hackett has claimed that Ireland were unfairly denied a clear penalty against England following Kyle Walker’s “careless challenge” on Sammie Szmodics.
Speaking to *Football Insider*, the former Premier League referee and ex-PGMOL chief stated that the Manchester City defender “knew what he was doing” during the incident.
The controversial moment occurred in the first half of the match, with the score still 0-0. Walker appeared to clip Szmodics, causing him to fall as part of the motion. However, the referee dismissed the appeals, allowing play to continue.
Hackett suggested the decision could have been pivotal had it gone in Ireland’s favor. Instead, the game shifted in England’s favor in the second half when they were awarded a penalty after Jude Bellingham was fouled by Liam Scales inside the box.
### Hackett’s Verdict
Reflecting on the incident, Hackett said:
*”Clearly, Walker went down and knew what he was doing. Ireland were unfortunate because, in Walker diving for the ball, it’s a careless challenge on the Irish player that brings him to the ground. For me, he’s lucky – that should have been a penalty kick.”*
Had the decision gone the other way, it could have significantly altered the course of the match, leaving Ireland with plenty to rue.
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