Tomas Molina's goal for Argentinos Juniors was ruled out for offside in a controversial VAR decision during their 1-0 defeat to Rosario Central last weekend. Referee Pablo Dóvalo, after a review by VAR official Lucas Novelli, upheld the initial flag from assistant Matías Balmaceda, sparking a furious reaction from the visiting manager.
Nicolás Diez did not hide his anger after the match. "I believe they stole a legitimate goal from us," the coach stated. "He was on the same line, they showed something that isn't true."
The controversial incident
The incident occurred in the first half, before Ignacio Ovando scored the game's only goal in the 42nd minute. ESPN's broadcast showed the VAR's line-drawing process to determine Molina's position, a review that took several minutes. Diez questioned the transparency of the procedure. "When they call something that isn't there, that's the problem," he added. "You have to call what you see, not what you don't see." The manager expanded his criticism of the system, stating that "VAR has to be a tool to help, not to harm with dubious interpretations. What we saw today was not fair to football."
This result keeps Argentinos Juniors in a difficult run of form, now five matches without a win in the Liga Profesional. Their recent record shows two defeats and three draws, including the 1-1 draw with Gimnasia the previous week. The squad must quickly move past the frustration, with their next fixture at home to Tigre on October 3rd.
An injury to any key player now would be a significant blow, making the status of the squad key. The defeat in Rosario, sealed by Ovando's goal assisted by Víctor Pizarro, leaves Argentinos needing a response in their next game at the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona. Club president Cristian Malaspina was also dismayed by the officiating decision, though he avoided making formal statements to prevent sanctions.
