The MLS match between St. Louis and Atlanta on Saturday, June 22 has taken an unexpected turn over a controversial decision by referee Filip Dujic following a VAR review.
Filip Dujic’s VAR decision
The match, held at CITY PARK, saw St. Louis CITY SC fans erupt with excitement when Nökkvi Thórisson appeared to score a goal in the 39th minute off Indiana Vassilev’s assist.
However, celebrations were short-lived as the assistant referee raised his flag, indicating a potential offside by St. Louis’ striker João Klauss.
After a lengthy Video Review, it was revealed that the play leading up to the goal involved a strong challenge by St. Louis’ midfielder Eduard Löwen on an Atlanta midfielder Tristan Muyumba.
Following the review, Dujic started speaking with a loud voice, announcing that there was no offside offense, which caused the home crowd to erupt in applause.
However, Dujic delivered more news that dampened the spirits of the St. Louis fans, leading to a chorus of boos.
Dujic declared: “It was found that a foul was committed by St. Louis before the goal, the final ruling is a direct free kick.”
The referee to disallowed the goal, much to the disappointment of the home team and their fans. The CITY PARK supporters went from ecstatic to disheartened within seconds.
Vassilev broke the deadlock in the 50th minute to give the hosts the lead, ending their scoreless streak that had lasted over four matches.
Atlanta’s Daniel Ríos scored in the 71st minute to equalize, resulting in a 1-1 draw. This extended St. Louis’s winless streak to eight games.
However, the controversy surrounding the disallowed goal has sparked discussions among soccer fans.
Fans’ reaction to referee Filip Dujic’s decision
The decision by referee Filip Dujic has since gone viral on social media, with many fans praising the referee’s explanation after a VAR call.
Football fans were left buzzing with excitement as referee Filip Dujic reviewed a crucial play using VAR before delivering a shocking decision.
A fan took to social media to express his thoughts, suggesting that FIFA should consider adopting a similar rule for their tournaments worldwide, stating: “tbh, FIFA could adopt this rule for their tournament over the world.
Another fan pointed out the hypocrisy of fans who criticize VAR decisions without explanations. He said: ” Everyone complains about VAR calls with no explanation but hates when the MLS has referees justify calls, making it make sense
The third one said: “People are just hating because it’s in the MLS, but at the same time they will be complaining about decisions from the referee explaining.”
In a humorous twist, one fan humorously commented on the referee’s aura, adding to the excitement and drama of the match, writing: “The way bro did +10000 aura.”
In-Stadium VAR Announcements in MLS
Starting in the 2024 season, Major League Soccer implemented in-stadium Video Review announcements to keep fans both at the game and at home informed.
According to the MLS rulings, VAR decisions will be communicated by the referee to spectators in the stadium and viewers watching from home.
