From the agony of Scotland’s
World Cup women to an anguished Emirates the technology has caused confusion and delayThe year in VAR begins in June, at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
Scotland are on the verge of qualifying for the last 16 of their first ever Women’s World Cup. They are 3-2 up and the match is in the 90th minute when a penalty is awarded to Argentina. Florencia Bonsegundo steps up to take and … it’s saved! And the follow-up too! But Scotland’s goalkeeper Lee Alexander does not celebrate, she just gets up and glares.
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It turned out that was the right decision. Within a minute Alexander’s heroics had been snuffed out. A VAR check of the penalty revealed that Alexander’s feet had stepped off the goalline, her back foot by a matter of an inch, and the kick was ordered to be retaken. Bonsegundo took her second chance and a draw was not enough: Scotland were going home.