Chelsea were denied a win at Brentford on Saturday evening after a controversial late equaliser from Fabio Carvalho, with the goal not being checked by VAR
Chelsea have been given a new VAR verdict after a contentious equaliser from Fabio Carvalho denied them victory in the final moments at Brentford.
The Blues found themselves trailing at the Gtech Community Stadium when Kevin Schade slipped one past Robert Sanchez in the first half. Cole Palmer levelled the score just five minutes after stepping off the bench during the second half, with Moises Caicedo then putting the visitors ahead late in the game.
A win would have propelled Chelsea to the top of the Premier League, but Carvalho, a late substitute, had other plans as he snuck away from Alejandro Garnacho to tuck the ball home at the back post following a long throw-in.
In his post-match press conference, Maresca was quizzed about the legitimacy of the goal, but couldn’t provide a definitive answer.
“I didn’t watch [it] back,” he confessed on Saturday evening. “I asked in the changing room to my coaching staff why the VAR reviewed the second goal. I didn’t watch back, to be honest. I don’t know.”
At the time, there was little talk of the goal potentially being disallowed, but that has escalated in the aftermath as further replays showed Dango Ouattara, who seemed to be in an offside position, making a play for the ball after Kristoffer Ajer’s flick-on.
The incident was debated on Sky Sports‘ Ref Watch show, with Dermot Gallagher believing the goal should have stood.
“I think it’s a good goal. Being in an offside position isn’t an offence in itself,” the former Premier League referee stated. “Has he touched the ball? No. Has he interfered with an opponent? I think not.
“We’ve seen this happen before in the Premier League, where the VAR has to decide to send him or not because he feels Ouattara hasn’t impacted on the defender.”
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has now given his take on the incident. Although he didn’t provide a definitive answer, he conceded that VAR perhaps should have been more proactive.
“The Brentford player moves onside for the flick-on,” he informed Football Insider. “The defender clearly makes a deliberate play, and at that point, the scorer is onside.
“The opportunity to show the lines on VAR to confirm the position of attackers and defenders would assist. We must also recognise that VAR does have semi-automated offside technology.
“I would certainly have appreciated VAR intervention to check this goal. VAR did not intervene. It made us doubt that this goal should have been allowed.”
