Each week a-league.com.au will be speaking with FFA Director of Referees Ben Wilson to review some of the contentious refereeing and VAR incidents from the weekend’s matches.
There's two VAR reviews to discuss this week. Let’s start with the decision in Melbourne to overturn the penalty…
Melbourne City were awarded a penalty after the on-field match officials judged that Lewis Miller’s foul on Riley McGree had occurred inside the penalty area.
UPDATE: How to watch the Hyundai A-League Elimination Finals
LIVE BLOG: Catch up on all the latest news during Elimination Finals week
READ: Can Melbourne City starlets provide Warren Joyce with Finals Series X-factor?
The VAR checked the decision and determined that the contact was clearly outside the penalty area. After a VAR review the decision was overturned and Melbourne City were awarded a direct free kick.
Lewis Miller was then cautioned for stopping a promising attack. If the foul occurred inside the penalty area, Miller would not have been cautioned because the foul was a football challenge.
WATCH AND LISTEN: Hear the communication between the referee and VAR during the VAR review in the video below.
In Perth, the Glory had a goal allowed after the assistant referee initially ruled the player offside.
Chris Ikonomidis’ 65th-minute goal was initially disallowed after he was judged to be offside by the assistant referee. As per the VAR protocol when a goal is imminent, the assistant referee allowed the play to conclude before raising his flag. The referee correctly waited until after the attacking phase had concluded before blowing his whistle. This allowed the VAR to check the decision.
The VAR checked the decision and determined that Ikonomidis was clearly onside. After a VAR review the decision was overturned and the goal was correctly awarded.
If the referee had blown his whistle for offside before the goal had been scored the VAR would have been unable to intervene to correct the error.
WATCH AND LISTEN: Hear the communication between the referee and VAR during the VAR review in the video below.
