From Ecuador's Enner Valencia's offside call in the opening game against hosts Qatar to Denmark's penalty denial in Tuesday's high-octane clash against Tunisia, Qatar World Cup 2022's VAR adjudications has already frustrated fans.
The Qatar World Cup 2022, kickstarted on November 20, has already been marred with controversies surrounding contentious VAR decisions. From Ecuador's Enner Valencia's offside call in the opening game against hosts Qatar to Denmark's penalty denial in Tuesday's high-octane clash against Tunisia, the showpiece event's VAR adjudication has already frustrated fans.
During Ecuador's 2-0 win against Qatar on Sunday, Enner Valencia's goal in the third minute of the game was disallowed for offside. This call by VAR was the correct one though it needed to be more apparent for fans and it took quite some time for the 3D visualisation to be shown.
VAR's controversial decisions also marred England's emphatic 6-2 win against Iran. In the 10th minute of added time, Iran was awarded a free kick, which did not result in anything. However, the VAR, Uruguayan referee Leodan Gonzalez, was reviewing a possible penalty. Mehdi Taremi scored from the penalty spot.
Fans despise this type of VAR decision since it stems from what appears to be a minor incident, especially when a more blatant incident earlier in the game did not prompt a VAR intervention.
Morteza Pouraliganji attempted to contest the free kick when it was played into the penalty area, but John Stones tugged his shirt. It's doubtful whether the Iran defender felt any impact from the tiny pull. But in the first half, Roozbeh Cheshmi appeared to wrestle Harry Maguire to the ground. What, therefore, is the VAR's difference? Most crucially, the VAR will consider both players' holding offences because Maguire also had his arm around Cheshmi. This is crucial.
Also read: Qatar World Cup 2022, DEN vs TUN: Top 5 moments as Denmark held goalless by Tunisia
Football fans used VAR's decision to overturn a possible foul on Maguire to try and decipher the foul by Abdulhamid on Paredes during Argentina's Group C clash against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, which resulted in a penalty being awarded.
Penalty No Penaltypic.twitter.com/R6u8T8gEVn
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball)FIFA had stated before the competition that pushing and shoving in the penalty area would be dealt with more harshly, but awarding Argentina a spot kick for holding back Leandro Paredes was another lenient ruling. The adage that VAR should be "minimum interference for maximal benefit" isn't supported by this.
During Demark's clash against Tunisia, the latter had a late reprieve when the referee went to the screen to check for a handball, but opted against giving the penalty.
When there is no explanation or VAR audio to provide clarification, it is challenging for spectators to comprehend how similar instances may be handled differently. But if this is the starting point, this World Cup will have a lot of VAR penalties.
Football fans took to Twitter to express their anger over such controversial decisions, with some even demanding answers from FIFA for VAR inconsistencies. Here's a look at what some fans wrote:
The inconsistency in referring football games nowadays is disgusting. https://t.co/rAO0cvKLfP
— Khalid Alfares (@Khalid_Alfares)FIFA logic https://t.co/bEUfHZ23ZI
— Alejandro Morales 🇫🇷🇰🇷 (@alemp89)Told you they’re going to try Hand messi the World Cup like they handed him about 3 ballon d’Ors https://t.co/shEUDpEX5V
— UnitedStalker (@united_stalker)The people handling the VAR are bunch of clowns... Inconsistency every blessed day https://t.co/M2nTLtNNDl
— Shuyi ❛◡❛ (@Oluwa__Seyi)All we want is consistency https://t.co/o8oN7dj8dd
— yung taps 🇧🇷🇵🇹 (@TapsSZN)mientras tanto el del var en Qatar: pic.twitter.com/7u9F28SV3k
— el porrito ✪ (@ElPorritoOk)VAR in Qatar: pic.twitter.com/3CbyTpmlSo
— CR7 Rap Rhymes (@cr7raprhymes)El que maneja el VAR en Qatar. pic.twitter.com/JVptCNKtL2
— L (@leanDeZonaSur)El VAR de Qatar pic.twitter.com/lbfVs07CVB
— Daniel Horacio 🇦🇷 (@Danteache)When a referee goes to review the VAR when Qatar is playing 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/q4pIQsjNtg
— 💥Fuliza Limit⚡ (@Oscar_beautah)Did i not say that the VAR in Qatar would be breathtaking? Argentina denied 3 offside goals, confirmed by showing a cartoon??? Then a handball by Tunisia stonewall one not given. McGuire's penalty not given. And still i sit and watch the corruption, fcuking idiot!
— Cromwell (@CromwellStuff) vs Tunisia ends in a goal-less draw. Even after personally reviewing the on-field referee didn't give legitimate penalty to the Europeans.
Seems Qatar has made it a point with the match officials that no decision should go against any OIC country!! 👎
VAR in Qatar 🇶🇦 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/fuWKvHBQmF
— Ug finest 🇺🇬🤪 (@karamoja_f)Keep on disgracing yourself, you think you are disgracing Qatar Keep on fixing the games with VAR. Criminals. With time all the fakes will be exposed. NOW WHAT'S THE HEADLINE NOW 😂😂😂😂 Saudi arabia shock Argentina with messi🤡
— Is Juice (@Richloganjuice)It’s going to be hard for those North African countries like Tunisia etc to employ the diving tactics because of VAR there in Qatar. Phela those guys can dive and intimidate refs in African competitions. We haven’t forgotten how Ghana went through but we’ll support it’s okay 👍 pic.twitter.com/rRYblrIVPV
— Sbudda Radebe (@EphraimSbudda)