On Monday night,
Defensa y Justicia
achieved their second consecutive draw, this time against
Deportivo Riestra
, with a score of 1-1 on their own ground.
The duel against Malevo was marked by a controversial ruling that arose at the request of the VAR, adding more drama to Varela's night.
At the beginning of the second half, with Deportivo Riestra leading 1-0, referee
Fernando Espinoza
awarded a penalty in favor of Halcón after a handball by
Joaquín Borja
.
However, after almost three minutes of review,
Yamil Possi
alerted the referee about an advanced position by
Gastón Togni
in the initial play that led to the penalty.
As a result, the decision was changed to an indirect free kick in favor of Riestra.
The situation was confusing for spectators, even for those who followed the actions on television, since
the situation was not clearly visible from
the camera angles .
The uncertainty tried to dissipate this Wednesday with the revelation of the audios and screenshots of the software used, which showed that Togni was in an offside position at the moment he received the pass from
Uvita Fernández
, just before entering the rival area. With the ball.
"The VAR team in its check, with different angles and speeds, and the use of considerations, certifies that the hand is punishable but by protocolally checking the APP of the action (the "Attacking Possession Phase" or attack phase with possession of the ball) and after constructing the virtual lines, it identifies that prior to the penalty incident, an attacking player was offside," the video released by the League Cup begins by saying, as a summary.
Above, the supposed offside, and below the penalty handball that was not.
In the dialogue between Espinoza and his assistants in the VAR, this entire situation is exposed.
"Once the penalty has been confirmed, we are going to see the APP just by protocol," Possi warned Espinoza, beginning the review that would end up annulling the penalty for offside.
There you can see the famous "drawing of lines" that the VAR carries out with its specialized software, much more precise than what can be determined through the television broadcast that viewers follow, live.
"We're going to throw a line," you hear the VAR say, anticipating a possible irregularity in the play.
"Fer, management that we are analyzing possible offside at the beginning," they warn Espinoza, as if to worry about managing the uncertainty that was beginning to become visible among the players.
"Give me the shoulder of 9," asks Possi, in the midst of analyzing the play, marking the position of Jonathan Herrera, the Riestra player who marked the limit of the action, in contrast to the location of Togni's body.
According to the lines, the Defensa y Justicia footballer appears disqualified at the time of Fernández's pass.
"Offside, that's what you get? Okay, ready, let's go," concludes the VAR, and then lowers the order to Espinoza: "Fernando! Fernando, this is Yamil. Factual decision. Offside."
With that comment, the referee did not need to go closer to see the monitor and accepted what his assistants saw from the booth, which is why he sanctioned the indirect free kick in favor of Riestra.
Beyond the anger of coach Julio Vaccari, who at a press conference said that his wife had advised him not to dwell any longer on non-football issues (he had already complained a week before after the clash against Central Córdoba), technology seems to give him the right to the referees.
VAR things.