In today’s two matches from Round 13 of the First Macedonian Football League, Struga TL – Shkëndija Tetovo and Sileks – Vardar, a total of five significant VAR situations were recorded. In all cases, the video technology contributed to the correct and justified refereeing decisions.
FC STRUGA Trim Lum– FC SHKËNDIJA
2nd minute – The referee awarded a penalty to Shkëndija for an alleged contact between the attacker and the opposing defender. Following the VAR intervention, the referee was called to the pitch-side monitor, where he determined that there had been no contact constituting an offence. The penalty was therefore correctly cancelled.
89th minute – Following a cross, Struga’s defender played the ball with his head, after which it rebounded directly off his head and struck his hand. The referee initially awarded a penalty to Shkëndija, but following the VAR intervention and a review at the pitch-side monitor, he correctly changed his decision. Under the Laws of the Game, when the ball rebounds directly off a player’s head or body onto their hand, without any additional elements constituting a handball offence, a penalty is not awarded. The decision to cancel the penalty was entirely correct.
FC SILEKS – FC VARDAR
28th minute – Sileks’ goal was correctly disallowed because the player who passed the ball to the goalscorer was in an offside position. The VAR intervention was fully justified and successfully carried out.
47th minute – Vardar’s goal was valid. Both the player who provided the assist and the goalscorer were in an onside position, with no elements of offside. The VAR check was correctly conducted, and the goal was rightly confirmed.
87th minute – Sileks’ goal was again correctly disallowed because the player who scored was clearly in an offside position. The VAR intervention was justified and correct.
In both matches, the VAR system played a significant role in ensuring accurate and correct refereeing decisions. A total of five significant VAR situations were recorded, two of which concerned correctly cancelled penalties and three of which involved offside situations: two correctly disallowed Sileks goals and one valid Vardar goal that was confirmed.
All five VAR interventions were justified and successfully carried out. This once again confirmed the importance of VAR technology as an essential tool for increasing accuracy, transparency and fairness in refereeing.
The overall assessment is that the VAR teams in both matches completed their task at a highly professional level.
