For the fourth date of the 2024 Professional League Cup, River Plate had no major problems to beat Deportivo Riestra as a visitor by 3 to 0, with goals from Miguel Borja, Nacho Fernández and “Yacaré” Herrera.
However, at this time there is more talk about a specific play than about the result and performance of Martín Demichelis's team, due to the unusual nature of that sequence. We tell you everything that happened.
📌Merlos charged a penalty for Riestra
📌He went to the VAR
📌Roja to González Pirez and free kick
📌Benegas was clearly ahead
📌It was not a card, foul or penalty
📌They called him again from the VAR
📌There is no red card for González Pirez
📌Free kick for Riverpic.twitter.com/At9OohkzHg— VarskySports (@VarskySports) February 11, 2024
The refereeing of Andrés Merlos in the match was on the verge of nonsense, along with those responsible for the VAR in Ezeiza, who were not far behind either. It was 8 minutes into the second half when the referee and the technology were about to sanction a penalty that was not, in the first place, and then leave the “Millonario” with one less game due to an alleged foul by González Pírez.
The judge saw a foul by the aforementioned defender inside the area and did not hesitate to sanction a penalty. Minutes later, he received the call from the VAR and went to observe the play in the cabin.
The technology showed Merlos that the alleged restraint was outside the area. For that reason, The main referee decided to take the foul outside the area and sanction González Pírez with a red card, as a last resort. The central defender couldn't believe it, since he had practically not touched his rival.
VAR misused: you cannot go to the VAR to see an offside. It is factual and there is no interpretation. The VAR referee had to tell him at the outset that it is an advanced position and nothing else is reviewed. On top of that there was no penalty either.
Unusual.— Gastón Edul (@gastonedul) February 11, 2024
However, the referee's role escalated moments later. The VAR called Andrés Merlos again, this time to show him that in the previous play there was a clear offside by Benegas that they had not noticed in the first instance.
The match judge, after seeing this correction, annulled González Pírez's red card and called a foul in favor of River for the offside position.
Merlos should have been told first that it was offside, from the VAR, since it is a play that does not allow interpretation, because it is factual. One more role in this Argentine football, the famous “Product”.
#mess #Argentine #football #incredible #sequence #RiestraRiver #corrected
