Two dates and Barracas Central is already the protagonist of the first referee scandal of the tournament

In Junín, Sarmiento and Barracas Central played a game that seemed to come out of the Premier League, full of goals, with many dangerous plays, controversies and emotions. But it is Argentine football, date 2 of the Professional League, and referee errors usually have a repeated protagonist: the Tapia club.

20 minutes into the second half were played and Barracas beat Sarmiento 4-2, with two goals from a penalty, and the local team went on a discount. A cross thrown into the area hits the hand of one of Rodolfo de Paoli’s team players. It looked like a penalty but referee Rey Hilfer didn’t charge it.

“Go to the VAR, go to the VAR,” Lisandro López snapped quickly, earning himself a yellow card for the vehemence of his request. The referee listened to his assistants and when logic suggested that they would correct the mistake, nothing happened. It’s just that they didn’t even suggest that he approach the monitor to see any hand. And the game continued to be played.

Shortly thereafter, tempers turned to Junín. Luciano Gondou leapt into the box and won a high ball to score the discount, his third personal goal. He was shouted loudly. And before they were out of the way, De Paoli sent Centurione onto the field but the substitution was unusually delayed because the fourth referee was unable to enter the number of the player to be replaced.

Believe it or fail, while all this was happening, the VAR called Rey Hilfer to warn him that Gondou had touched the ball with his hand before scoring and ended up disallowing the goal. Did he really touch her? Israel Damonte, Sarmiento’s DT, was expelled in protest.

Then he took a penalty for those of Junín, after a rude hand in the box by Barracas. They also threw Insaurralde on the premises, due to a double rebuke. And Bello put in the definitive 3-5, which served to excite at the end of the game and lower the tension a little in those controversial minutes in which the result could change on one side or the other.