Referees explain controversial offside calls in Columbus Crew SC's second leg win over Montreal Impact

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sunday’s Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs thriller between Columbus Crew SC and the Montreal Impact had more than its fair share of excitement, but it also came with more than its fair share of controversial calls.

Crew SC eventually came out on top in extra time, but several important officiating decisions – most notably, two controversial offside decisions and a penalty kick awarded to Crew SC – came under the microscope. After the match, referee Armando Villarreal admitted one of the game's goals should have been waved off.

In the 40th minute, Dilly Duka equalized for Montreal after a loose ball fell to his feet deep in the Columbus penalty area. The flag stayed down, but Villarreal said that was the incorrect call.

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“[The] assistant ref incorrectly judged Montreal[‘s] Duka to be onside when [the] ball was played by a teammate,” Villarreal wrote in response to the pool reporter's inquiry about the play.

The play was a deflating one for Crew SC. Had the 1-1 scoreline held, Columbus' season would have been over. Michael Parkhurst said the players were told at the half that it was a mistake.

“You don’t want to go out on that,” he said. “You don’t want your season to end because of a mistake, a missed call. We persevered; we pushed through."

Columbus responded with two more goals, and winger Ethan Finlay said it showed the team’s character.

“Giving up the offside goal was difficult and a little frustrating,” Finlay said. “But I’m proud of how these guys stuck in it. You have a bad call go against you and you miss a PK, your back is against the wall. We responded really well tonight and that’s what you have to do this time of year."

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Villarreal also gave a penalty to Columbus that Kei Kamara missed. But Columbus tied the aggregate-goal count in the 78th minute, although some felt Finlay and Jack McInerney, both integral to the play, were offside.

Villarreal stood by his team’s call on that goal.

“McInerney was judged to be even with [the] second-to-last opponent,” he wrote. “Finlay was judged to be onside, on the shot, by [the] second-to-last opponent.”

Kamara's winner in extra time did not involve any controversy, and it sent Columbus through to the Eastern Conference Championship against the New York Red Bulls.