In an AFC Champions League match, the Shandong Taishan players faced no ordinary challenge, not only did they have to deal with intense confrontation, but they also had to watch out for the "invisible force" on the field - the VAR video assistant referee. On a day when the VAR was stealing the limelight, seemingly outstripping the desires of the home team's players and coaches to help the Yokohama Mariners win the match, the VAR's penalties were so out of the ordinary that people couldn't help but marvel at the frequency of its interventions.
VAR's performance after extra time was particularly striking, as he seemed to be completely oblivious to the direction of the match itself, and was hell-bent on helping the Yokohama Mariners turn the game around. He intervened as many as three times: twice to call for penalties for the Yokohama Mariners, and once to decide that a Bangkok United player should be shown a red card.
In the first half of overtime, just after the 100th minute of play, an attacking player of the host Yokohama Mariners fell to the ground in a fierce physical confrontation during a corner kick (see photo below). Play continued and the Yokohama Mariners player did not raise a foul by the opponent. However, about a minute later, the VAR Video Assistant Referee intervened - noting that the visiting player had pulled down the home player - and awarded a penalty kick.
However, after watching the video replay himself, the referee deemed it a normal defensive action and did not award the penalty. Bangkok United got away with it, but the VAR video assistant referee didn't stop there. In the 107th minute of extra time, a Bangkok United defender intentionally tripped the Yokohama Mariners (see below).
The referee showed a yellow card warning on the spot. However, after 1 ½ minutes, the VAR again reminded the referee that it was a red card action. The referee watched the video again, but realized that the action was not a red card offense - the Bangkok United player who committed the offense was not the last defender (see below), and the action was not enough for a red card.
Despite this, the referee still did not take the advice of the VAR video assistant referee. But the story didn't end there! In the last minutes of the match, the VAR referee finally made his "contribution" - awarding a penalty kick.
This penalty kick was full of story! With the game in the 117th minute, a home player signaled a foul by a visiting player to stop a cross. The home players then argued around the penalty but the referee initially ruled it a corner.The VAR video assistant referee intervened immediately.
In the 118th minute, the referee decided it was a free kick outside the penalty area after communication from the VAR video assistant referee (see above). The Yokohama Mariners were displeased and continued to argue around the penalty kick. Shockingly, the VAR Video Assistant Referee continued to communicate with the referee, insisting that it was a penalty kick.
Finally, in the 120th minute, the referee was forced to recognize the penalty kick as valid after sustained pressure from the VAR video assistant referee. It was this goal that helped the Yokohama Mariners seal the victory and advance. This was an extremely outrageous case of VAR intervention, and its support and assistance to the home team could be almost blatant. Therefore, Shandong Taishan must be more vigilant when facing Yokohama Mariners in the next round. Such VAR intervention is also rare in the Chinese Super League.
