In today’s match from the 10th round of the First MFL between FC Shkëndija Aračinovo and FC Struga Trim & Lum, a key situation for VAR intervention occurred in the 24th minute of the match.
Namely, the attacker wearing number 9 for FC Struga Trim & Lum was illegally and unsportingly prevented from continuing the action by being fouled through pulling and holding when the ball was played by his teammate, in a situation in which he was clearly in an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Had the attacker not been subject to an obvious foul, he would have reached the ball first and gained a clear advantage over the home team’s defender wearing number 3, who no longer had an opportunity to play the ball, was late in defending and, by fouling him with both hands, pulled and held the opposing attacker, thereby preventing him from having an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Despite the obvious foul, the referee initially failed to react and allowed play to continue. The VAR officials correctly opened the VAR Protocol and conducted a review of this situation, after which they correctly intervened and recommended an on-field review (OFR) for a possible penalty-kick offence and a disciplinary sanction of a direct red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO).
After reviewing the situation, the referee correctly changed his initial decision, awarded a penalty and showed the defender a direct red card.
The VAR protocol was fully respected in this situation, and the criteria from the Laws of the Game for a penalty-kick offence and for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity were correctly applied.
This situation once again confirms the importance of VAR technology as a tool for key situations in which a clear and obvious error has been made, with the sole aim of ensuring fairer decisions on the field of play.
At the same time, we wish to point out and inform the public that the home team, FC Shkëndija Aračinovo, for the second time and in the same manner, unjustifiably and subjectively, through team representatives and unofficial persons, entered the referees’ dressing room and unsportingly, insultingly and vulgarly directed insults at the referees and officials of the Football Federation of Macedonia, and the incident was duly recorded in the match report.
The Football Federation of Macedonia and the Referees’ Organization strongly condemn such improper, uncivilized and extremely unsporting behaviour, which constitutes a direct attack on the integrity, dignity and safety of match officials. Sporting impotence, ignorance of the Laws of the Game and disregard for basic sporting values can neither be nor will ever be an excuse for insults, threats, pressure and unfounded attacks against referees and the Federation’s officials, especially when it concerns decisions correctly made in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the VAR protocol.
Appropriate disciplinary proceedings will be initiated before the competent bodies of the FFM for this conduct.
