A disconsolate Alcide Ghiggia , Italy's outside right , explains to colleagues his version of the incident in which Hungarian referee Istvan Zsolt sent him off the field in the 69th minute of the Northern Ireland - Italy World Cup battle in Belfast , Northern Ireland . Referee Zsolt awarded a free kick after a tussle between Ghiggia and Irish back McMichael . Apparently , Ghiggia disputed the award . Ireland won the match 2 - 1 and now go on to the World Cup finals in Sweden . 15 January 1958