📝 Sporting KC 0 Columbus Crew 0: VAR inexplicably misses clear punch | OneFootball

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Blaise Bourgeois·28 May 2018

📝 Sporting KC 0 Columbus Crew 0: VAR inexplicably misses clear punch

Article image:📝 Sporting KC 0 Columbus Crew 0: VAR inexplicably misses clear punch

Despite being down to ten men for the entire second half, Columbus Crew’s defence held firm and extended their shutout streak to 495 minutes.

The Crew’s remarkable feat now ranks 10th all-time in Major League Soccer history.


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The match will be remembered for an explicable decision by referee Robert Sibiga, not sending off Crew midfielder Cristian Martínez after he was seen on replay punching his opponent. However, the VAR somehow did not get utilised in this instance, and will steal the headlines across the league and perhaps the world in the coming week.

With the World Cup less than three weeks away, VAR’s reputation certainly hit one of its lowest points since it’s inception in MLS.

With the point, Sporting Kansas City and Columbus both join Atlanta United on 25 points for the joint-best record in Major League Soccer.

Tim Melia made three saves for Sporting Kanasa City, including a pair of spectacular stops on Crew forward Gyasi Zardes in the first half.

Zardes found himself with a free header and Melia somehow came up with a strong hand to parry away the opportunity.

Just before half-time, Columbus earned a penalty after Melia took down Zardes in the area. Zardes stepped up to the spot and was once again denied by the great Tim Melia, who continues his case for an MLS All-Star starting nod.

The match would shift into SKC’s favor at the very end of stoppage time, as the VAR determined that a prior challenge by Crew forward Federico Higuaín was deemed to be a red card offence, and Columbus would have to play the second half a man short.

Columbus should have been down to nine men just before the hour-mark but somehow the referee did not brandish a red card (or any card for that matter) to Cristian Martínez after he clearly swung and made contact with SKC’s Seth Sinovic. The match officials failed to use VAR to look at the incident, and Robert Sibiga shockingly was not affected by what he or the replay officials in the booth saw. Absolutely disgraceful.

Zack Steffan earned three saves for the Crew as well, his best effort coming late in the second half to preserve the clean sheet.