In an AFC Champions League match that was as exciting as a dramatic climax, Shandong Taishan needed to be extra cautious. For no other reason than the eye-catching performance of the VAR video assistant referee on the scene, whose passion seemed to surpass that of the home team's players and coaches, eager to help the Yokohama Mariners. The boldness of this VAR's judgment and the frequency of its interventions were staggering. Especially at the end of the extra time, the VAR referee intervened in the game to ensure that the Yokohama Mariners won.
VAR was used three times, twice to award Yokohama Mariners a penalty and once to award a red card to a Bangkok United player. If we look at the VAR's reasonable intervention alone, the first two interventions were baffling and even difficult for the referee to accept.
In the first half of overtime, in the 100th minute of the match, an attacking player fell to the ground in a tangle of players from both sides during a corner kick by the home team (see photo below). The match continued without the Yokohama Mariners players signaling that a foul had been committed. About a minute later, the VAR video assistant referee intervened - pointing out that a visiting player had pulled down a home player - and awarded a penalty kick.
However, the referee watched the replay himself and deemed it a normal defensive action and did not penalize 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. However, only a minute later, the VAR video assistant referee again reminded the referee that it was a red card action. The referee went to the pitch again and found that it was not a red card as the Bangkok United player who committed the foul was not the last defender (see below) and the action was not enough for a red card.
As a result, the referee still did not take the advice of the VAR video assistant referee. However, the drama did not end there! The VAR Video Assistant Referee finally came into play in the final minutes of the game - it was the final penalty kick.
The penalty kick was full of drama! As the game progressed into the 117th minute, a home player signaled a foul by a visiting player to stop a cross. The home players then surrounded the penalty kick, but the referee initially ruled it a corner.The VAR video assistant referee quickly intervened.
In the 118th minute, after communicating with the VAR video assistant referee, the referee ruled that it was a free kick outside the penalty area (see above). Yokohama Mariners were not satisfied and continued to surround the penalty kick. Surprisingly, 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, under pressure from the VAR video assistant referee, had to decide that the penalty kick was valid. It was this goal that turned the tide for the Yokohama Mariners and allowed them to advance. It was an outrageous intervention by the video assistant referee, who blatantly delivered warmth to the home team, which can almost be described as "favoritism". Therefore, Shandong Taishan must be vigilant in the next round of matches against Yokohama Marinos. Such VAR intervention is rare in the Chinese Super League!
