Football fans have fumed at VAR after a six-minute delay in Manchester City’s Carabao Cup semi-final, first leg at Newcastle on Tuesday.
Antoine Semenyo thought he had doubled City’s lead on the night with his second of the game, only for the goal to be ruled out for ‘subjective offside’ following a lengthy VAR check.
Semenyo flicked home Tijjani Reijnders’ corner but the officials adjudged Erling Haaland, who was standing marginally in front of Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope, to have been in an offside position.
It took the VAR team of Stuart Attwell and Craig Taylor around four minutes to recommend an on-field review to referee Chris Kavanagh, who eventually decided to chalk off Semenyo’s goal.
In total, there were more than six minutes between the ball hitting the net and the match restarting, with the officials taking five and a half minutes to disallow it.
‘The game’s gone,’ Chris Sutton, commentating on the match for Sky Sports, said.
Antoine Semenyo’s goal was ruled out for subjective offside against Erling Haaland
Chris Kavanagh went to the monitor after a VAR recommendation that took around four minutes
Former Premier League star Darren Huckerby said: ‘This VAR check is ridiculous.’
Fans were also outraged on X, both at the time it took to rule out the goal and the decision itself.
‘VAR rules out perfectly good goals and destroys the fan experience, for no material gain. The most destructive change to the sport we have ever seen,’ one said.
Another wrote: ‘They’re absolutely ruining this sport. That decision should kill off VAR.’
Semenyo put Pep Guardiola’s side in front eight minutes after the restart as he continued his superb start to his City career following his £65million move from Bournemouth.
Rayan Cherki then ensured City would take a significant advantage back to the Etihad for the second leg as he netted in stoppage time, leaving holders Newcastle with a mountain to climb if they are to reach the Wembley final.
