Match Incidents Clarifications – Premier League Round 5 (According to the Laws of the Game)

Ordabasy vs.Zhetysu

Min 44 – After a direct free kick awarded by referee, away player nº 10 has clear exaggerated dissent towards referee, going to his knees on the ground, hitting with the hands on the ground and clearly protesting by words also. This player has already received YC before.

The referee is busy managing the situation and other players around him and miss this behavior.

In these situations, a second yellow card should be shown, and player must be sent off the field of play.

VAR correctly did not intervene as this was not a direct red card situation.

Min 63 – Close to the touch line, home player 22 raises his leg to play the ball and home 5 bends a little to play with the head. Home player 22 plays the ball and then there is negligible contact with his opponent which was also consequence of both players’ movement. Anyway, the home player could see the opponent and took the risk with this reckless foul.

In these situations, a yellow card must be shown.

VAR correctly did not intervene as this was not a direct red card situation.

Min 90+4 – On an attacking movement by away team, there is a long pass by away goalkeeper, and the ball went very high. When the ball is still moving very high in the air home defender 14 holds away player 5. The Referee sees very slight contact from attacker nº5 just before the holding and assesses it as foul, but this was a normal contact between players.

As the defender had no ball possession nor had a clear likelihood of gaining control of the ball, this cannot be considered as an obvious goal scoring opportunity and should be considered as stopping a promising attack.

In these situations, a free kick and yellow card must be shown.

VAR correctly did not intervene as this was not an Obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

Zhenis vs. Yelimay

Min 85 – Home team coach leaves the technical area and inside the field of play kicks the ball away showing clear and obvious dissent towards the referee.

The Laws of the Game mention that if a Team Official “…Deliberately leaving the technical area to: - Show dissent towards, or remonstrate with, a match official; -Act in a provocative or inflammatory manner” must be sent off.

In these situations, a red card must be shown.

VAR correctly did not intervene as this is not one of the four categories of match changing incidents in VAR protocol and IFAB Laws of the Game.

Tobol vs. Aktobe

Min 90+3 – Close to the touch line home player 13 clearly pushes opponent away 12, with his body, preventing him to play the ball. The home team gains ball possession and scores a goal in the same attacking phase.

After correct intervention from VAR, and On Field Review by referee, the correct decision is taken, disallowing the goal for foul in APP (attacking possession phase).

Turan vs. Astana

Min 54 – On the left side of away team attack and already inside home team penalty area, two players are challenging for the ball and away attacker 28 falls on the ground.

On their attempt to play the ball, there is a very slight and normal contact between attacker 28 and defender 20, which can’t be considered as an offence.

After correct VAR intervention, and OFR by referee, the correct decision is taken to cancel the penalty kick and to restart the match with a dropped ball inside the penalty area for the goalkeeper.