Russia 2018 is the first World Cup to feature the video assistant referee system. Is it working?

Critics feared it would hold up games and take away some of the vital excitement from football. Advocates argued it would end refereeing injustice at the World Cup. With a week gone, what are the key incidents that have been decided so far by the video assistant referee system (VAR) – and did the officials get it right?



Diego Costa: Spain v Portugal

What happened: In the buildup to Diego Costa’s 24th-minute equaliser, he challenged Pepe for the ball, leaving the Portuguese defender on the floor, dramatically clutching his jaw.

What should have happened: Portugal were after more VAR-VAR than jaw-jaw, but the goal should have stood, and it did.

VAR verdict: 👍

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Risdon and Griezmann: Australia v France

What happened: Josh Risdon dived in and tripped Antoine Griezmann just inside the box, in a tackle which the referee initially waved on as good. A shout in his earpiece from the VAR room led Andrés Cunha to the pitch-side screen, and he awarded the penalty.

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What happened: Even with multiple angles, TV pundits still argued over whether Risdon had got enough of the ball before touching the man to make it a legal challenge. VAR seemed to have swapped one borderline decision for the opposite borderline decision.

VAR verdict: 👎

Kim and Claesson: South Korea v Sweden

What happened: Play was called back after Kim Min-woo’s forceful challenge and follow-through upended Viktor Claesson.

What should have happened: Sweden’s coach said it was “crystal clear” and it was. The correct decision.

VAR verdict: 👍

Harry Kane: England v Tunisia

What happened: Nothing, despite Kane repeatedly being wrestled to the ground when Tunisia were defending corners.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Harry Kane of England and Yassine Meriah of Tunisia clash in the penalty area. Photograph: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

What should have happened: Kane should have been awarded at least one penalty during the match. He described his eventual last-minute winner as a form of “justice”.

VAR verdict: 👎

Mohamed Salah: Egypt v Russia

What happened: The referee awarded Egypt a free-kick on the very edge of the penalty area after Salah was hauled over by Roman Zobnin for the hosts.

What should have happened: The foul on Salah continued into the area and the correct decision was a penalty. After the review, the spot-kick was given, and Salah smashed in his first World Cup goal.

VAR verdict: 👍

Guerreiro and Amrabat: Portugal v Morocco

What happened: Morocco’s Nordin Amrabat and Portugal’s Raphaël Guerreiro tangled in the penalty area. Morocco appealed for a spot-kick that was not forthcoming. Morocco’s coach, Hervé Renard, was furious, making the TV review signal to the fourth official on the sidelines, and was ultimately spoken to by the referee. Guerreiro later lifted his shirt which appeared to show marks left on his skin where he had been on the receiving end during the exchange, possibly from Amrabat’s boot as they fell.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Portugal’s Raphaël Guerreiro shows off marks left after a clash with a Moroccan player. Photograph: BBC iPlayer

What should have happened: Replays suggested that both players had a firm grasp on each other’s shirts, and that no penalty was probably the correct call.

VAR verdict: 👍

Ronaldo: Portugal v Morocco

What happened: In the 85th minute, with Portugal still only leading 1-0, Ronaldo took a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area which struck the wall. Running in to the area to try to pick up the rebound, he fell under a challenge. Ronaldo himself made the gesture to ask for VAR when the penalty was not awarded.

What should have happened: It may have been an exaggerated fall, and there was a lot of criticism on social media of CR7 for daring to dive and then ask for VAR himself, but the still images speak for themselves, there was definitely contact in the area, and it should have been a penalty.

VAR verdict: 👎

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ronaldo appealed for a penalty after this challenge. Photograph: BBC

Pepe: Portugal v Morocco

What happened: In the 90th minute, Morocco’s captain, Medhi Benatia, tapped Pepe on the shoulder to get his attention when the ball was out of play. Pepe collapsed to the ground. Gary Lineker tweeted: “See Pepe is still a dick.”

What should have happened: Retrospective punishment for Pepe for simulation

VAR verdict: 👎

Ezatolahi: Iran v Spain

What happened: Saeid Ezatolahi appeared to equalise against Spain, and all hell broke loose as the Iranians celebrated. But the referee’s arm was raised to caution them to wait for the VAR check.

What should have happened: The goal was correctly disallowed for offside. The looks on the faces of the referee and his assistants suggested that is the verdict they would have reached more quickly left to their own devices, but VAR made the right call.

VAR verdict: 👍

Poulsen: Denmark v Australia

What happened: The referee consulted the pitch-side screen and awarded a penalty against Yussuf Poulsen for handball. Poulsen was three feet away from where the ball was headed, had his arm out because he was jumping, and didn’t move it towards the ball – but having viewed it, the referee did move his hand to point to the spot.

What should have happened: Probably not a penalty, but it wasn’t clearcut. ITV pundits Eni Aluko, Slavan Bilic and Martin O’Neil argued about it for most of half-time. It was a harsh decision – but maybe, given how Australia fell foul of a VAR penalty in their opening game, just like old-fashioned refereeing mistakes, VAR will also even itself out over the course of a tournament?

VAR verdict: 👎

Aquino: Peru v France

What happened: The referee was going to issue a yellow card to the wrong player.

What should have happened: He should have booked Pedro Aquino. VAR stepped in, and he did, exactly as the system was designed.

VAR verdict: 👍

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Rebic: Croatia v Argentina

What happened: In the 40th minute Ante Rebic plants his studs on Eduardo Salvio’s shin. The referee brandishes his yellow card quickly, so VAR isn’t used to turn it into the red it should have been.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ante Rebic of Croatia fouls Eduardo Salvio of Argentina. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

What should have happened: Croatia should have been down to 10 men, and Rebic should not have been on the pitch to profit from Willy Caballero’s howler to later give Croatia the lead and set them on their way to demolishing Argentina.

VAR verdict: 👎