The play against
River
could be one more of those that
Deportivo Riestra
has in its history of controversial rulings, but no.
In an attack by the local team,
Leandro González Pírez grazed
Jonathan Herrera
's calf with his knee
as he was heading towards
Franco Armani
's goal and the striker collapsed in the area.
Referee
Andrés Merlos
did not 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.
"There is contact Andrés, but he went outside the area
," VAR referee
Yael Falcón Pérez
told him over the intercom and the referee responded: "I want to see her
.
"
That was the beginning of a crazy failure.
With the lines drawn, it is clear in the multiple images that
the offense existed but was not criminal
.
From Ezeiza they suggested that, in addition to going back with the initial ruling, he analyze the disciplinary sanction for the River footballer.
Before leaving the screen, Merlos verbalizes how he will modify his primary action.
"
I'm going to go with a red card for number 14 and a free kick
, "
he says and from Ezeiza they support the decision.
Then, the referee makes the signal that identifies the VAR display and gives the good news that they found the disapproval of Riestra, who was left without a penalty, and of River, who lost a player.
However, while the barrier was being adjusted and Riestra was analyzing the upcoming action, Merlos heard something unexpected through the earpiece.
"Andrés, don't resume. Andrés, do you hear me? Don't resume, I was wrong about something
," AVAR
Gastón Monsón Brizuela
told him and the referee warned the players to stop their preparations.
Then, again
Falcón Pérez
anticipates Merlos:
"There is a possible offside that invalidates the play
. "
González Pírez walked to the locker room cursing the situation, but the referee began to desperately call him not to leave the field.
"Hey Pirez, Pirez!"
He shouts at the player who, when he hears it, turns around and, somewhat exasperated, opens his arms and asks what's going on.
"Don't go
," he suggests as he runs to look for the screen again.
There he reviews the play, confirms that before the friction between the defender and the forward there is an advanced position of
Nicolás Benegas
, who heads the ball and serves the pass that ends with a foul and, therefore, must leave the marches and countermarches without effect. of an unusual play.
Merlos looked at the image again and again and returned to the playing field with the news: he annulled González Pirez's red card, voided the free kick in favor of Riestra - which had initially been sanctioned as a penalty - and the stopped ball It happened to be for River.
In seven minutes the VAR avoided a referee error and then one of its own.