The VAR of Riestra – River was known: the incredible details of the action that began as a penalty, changed into a free kick and expulsion and ended in offside

The comedy first River it could be one of the ones you love Deportivo Riestra about its history of controversial rulings, but no. In a local attack, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez He brushed his knee against his calf Jonathan Herrera which headed towards the arch of the FrancoArmani and the attacker collapsed in the area. The referee Andrés Merlos He didn’t hesitate and pointed to the penalty spot.

However, from the VAR room in Ezeiza they warned that the foul was not inside the area and invited Merlos to look at the images. “Andrés made contact, but he was outside the area”the VAR referee told him Yael Falcón Pérez on the intercom and the referee replied: “I want to see”. That was the beginning of a crazy failure.

With the lines drawn, you can see in the multiple images that The foul existed but it was not criminal. From Ezeiza they suggested that, in addition to returning to the initial sentence, the disciplinary sanction for the River player should be analysed.

Before leaving the screen, Merlos verbalizes how he will modify his primary action. “I go with a red card for number 14 and a free kick“, he says and Ezeiza supports the decision. Then the referee gives the signal that identifies the VAR display and gives the good news that he has found the disapproval of Riestra, left without a penalty, and River, who lost a player.

However, as the barrier was set up and Riestra analyzed the impending action, Merlos heard something unexpected through his earpiece. “Andrés, don’t start again. Andrés, can you hear me? Don’t start again, I did something wrong”pointed to the AVAR Gaston Monson Brizuela and the referee warned the players to stop their preparations.

Then again Falco Perez anticipates Merlos: “There is a possible offside which invalidates the play”. González Pírez entered the locker room cursing the situation, but the referee started desperately calling him not to leave the field. “Hey Pirez, Pirez!” He yells at the player who turns around when he hears it and, a little exasperated, opens his arms and asks what’s happening. “Do not go”suggests running again to find the screen.

There he reviews the play, confirms that before contact between defender and attacker there is an advanced position Nicola Benegaswho heads the ball and serves the pass that ends in a foul and, therefore, has to cancel the marches and countermarches of an unusual play.

Merlos looked at the image again and again and returned to the pitch with the news: he annulled González Pirez’s red card, he annulled the free kick in favor of Riestra – which had initially been sanctioned as a penalty – and the ball was stopped. be for River. In seven minutes VAR avoided a refereeing error and then one of his own.