2023-12-23 23:08:58
The match between Anderlecht and Genk was the scene of a rather unusual sequence. Within minutes, a penalty was awarded following the intervention of the VAR. The attempt was unsuccessful. Sor scored on the rebound. The referee then floundered a bit. The Limburg goal was canceled. There was talk of having the penalty withdrawn before the ball was returned… to Anderlecht. Following the match, the Professional Refereeing Department admitted that an error had been made. The penalty should have been withdrawn.
Return to the different elements of this strange imbroglio:
- 19e minute : Joseph Paintsil launches a strike which hits the hand of Thomas Delaney.
- 21st minute: VAR calls Nathan Verboomen which after viewing the images indicates 11 meters.
- 23e minute : Bryan Heynen starts, Kasper Schmeichel s’interpose, Yira Sor follows well and places the ball deep.
- 24th minute: the referee indicates the penalty spot again. The Mauves contest.
- 26th minute: Mr Verboomen’s earpiece crackles. And the referee finally indicates an indirect free kick.
What happened ? The VAR simply called out to the main referee to tell him to award an indirect free kick to Anderlecht because Yira Sor entered the area too quickly (the arc of a circle is part of it on penalties to keep the players at the regulatory distance of 9.15m from the penalty spot). But on the Genk side, we wonder why the penalty was not simply withdrawn. The Laws of the Game also state that if there is “encroachment of a defending player AND an attacking player“, the penalty must be withdrawn. In this case, an Anderlecht player also entered the rectangle too quickly.
“The referee did not see it himself, it was communicated to him via the headset. I think everyone was able to see the images. Verschaeren was also one meter in the rectangle in this phase. And incomprehensibly, Anderlecht recovered and received the ball“, regretted Kevin van Desselthe Racing deputy at the microphone of Eleven DaZN.
A few minutes after the final whistle, the Professional Refereeing Department published several messages on “X” (formerly Twitter). The official account of the Belgian referees lists the different stages of the phase and emphasizes that the penalty should therefore have been withdrawn.
Van Dessel also pointed out, “several phases which determined the outcome of the match“. He spoke of a “flaw of Delaney’s hand” and “the fault on Joske (Paintsil) at the start of the action which leads to the second goal“. “These are things we cannot control. Boys don’t deserve this“, he stressed.
Paintsil (second yellow) and Wouter Vrancken (red) were both excluded following their protests. They will both be suspended against Antwerp.
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