http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/08/13/history-made-video-replay-technology-used-official-usl-match

In the 2nd tier US division, the USL, video replay technology was used for the first time in-game last night. Transcript of article linked above:

HARRISON, N.J. – Friday night saw the debut of video replay in competitive play as the United Soccer League, via two MLS reserve teams, became the first North American league to utilize FIFA's video assistant referee (VAR) initiative during the course of a league match.

Once in each half, head referee Ismail Elfath made use of the video screen behind the goal, which was manned by review assistants. In both instances, Elfath needed just a few moments to communicate with the VAR, located in a mobile truck on Red Bull Arena property.

And both times, Elfath and the VAR – on this night it was PRO referee Allen Chapman who oversaw the technology – worked together to make a clear, precise call. The VAR automatically reviews every goal, every red card and all penalties, and communicates directly with the head referee, who ultimately decides whether to resort to the monitor.

The first use of the VAR on Friday came in the 36th minute (video above): Orlando’s Conor Donovan fouled Junior Flemings right near the 18-yard line, just as the young New York forward was heading in on goal. Within moments of the foul being whistled by Elfath, Chapman communicated with the referee.

“The VAR first had to identify if it was a penalty kick or a free kick outside the box, looking at both some pulling and a trip," David Elleray, the Technical Director of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), told MLSsoccer.com after the match. "Initially, Elfath correctly called the foul outside the box, which was upheld by the replay.”

Elfath needed just one camera angle and a handful of seconds to review the replay himself, as well as some simple communication with Chapman, to make the call. He decided on a foul outside the box and a straight red card to Donovan for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

In the other instance in the 82nd minute, Elfath also employed video review to determine that Orlando City B defender Kyle McFadden’s challenge on a 50-50 ball was not worthy of a red card. In this instance, Chapman communicated to Elfath that he should review the play, so Elfath jogged behind the goal and this time reviewed the play a couple times before determining that a yellow card and not a red card was warranted.

Chapman, with the same multiple views available to Elfath, did not give any personal input on the play just “that it deserved and needed to be reviewed.”

“He made the call that it was a yellow card after reviewing the play,” Chapman said.

The time utilized to make the review was added on as part of the four minutes of stoppage time at the end of the match.

But while the focus from this match was clearly the two calls made after Elfath used video review, the technology also came in handy in a moment when there was no need for the referee himself to refer to a replay.

In stoppage time, Red Bulls II forward Zoumana Simpara scored on a rebound off the post. As per the standard, Chapman immediately reviewed the goal. Elfath had communicated to him that Simpara, a member of Mali’s U-17 national team, might have been offside.

Within moments, Chapman made the review and communicated to Elfath that Simpara was not offside. The final call on video reviews always belong to the head referee, who ruled that the goal stood, capping off the first night for the VAR and this emerging technology.

“I’d give it a very high grade,” Elleray said.

/End Article

I for one, welcome our new technological overlords. This use of replay took the referee around 30 seconds, with an additional 15 seconds or so for the referee overseeing the replay to inform the head referee to come over an take a look. All of this time, was, as the article notes, added onto extra time.

I like it. A sending off or a PK should be the right call, and if it takes 45 seconds to make that call I'm all for it. Keep in mind this was also the first time they'd ever used, I would imagine that they could do it a lot faster with additional use.

What are your thoughts?

@Dynastian98

the NBA has fully adapted this system and they still manage to fix entire seasons and titles

They really do. Meaning the referees. Euroleague suffered from the same last year. In the final game. Referee refused to take a look at the overtime which costed the championship for Fenerbahçe.

Considering the fans' effect, it will be really hard not to check the video review in front of the 40000 people for example. But with the same way of thinking, it will be the exact opposite for the away team.

Can we just remove the human referee for good? Everthing should be controlled by the tech. Offside call is the easiest for to begin with. A coding must be done, placed under the pitch, which also be bounded with the keepers' boots, and the players from the teams, seperately.

They really do. Meaning the referees.

There are a lot of complaints of rigging that I hear in North American sports, and 99.9% of them have no grounding whatsoever. Look at the Super Bowl last night, half of social media has decided the game was rigged because the refs didn't review the final touchdown. Spoiler alert, they didn't have to, because it was pretty obvious that he scored. Replay confirmed that anyway.

Yes, humans can make errors. But almost every time someone is complaining of rigging, it's because they can't accept that their team lost fair and square. This is less true in Europe, since there is no replay, but American sports try REALLY hard to ensure that there is 100% credibility in what they do. That's why people like Pete Rose are still banned for life.

@Sunflash Well, I'm sure there is corruption in America as well, might just not be in the area we think it is. I alway wonder when we are talking about coruption, why are people so quick to point the ref. They are not the only one who can be buyed. :S

@SunFlash

In the NBA the rigging is blatant and present for any intelligent fan to see. Important regular season games are sometimes rigged, but important play-off series are often rigged. Most notable ones that come to mind are the 2002 Kings-Lakers, 2006 Heat-Mavericks, and 2016 Warriors-Cavaliers. There's plenty more rigging that go on throughout the rounds in order to let the 'money-making' team move on.

I don't really watch the NBA, but I did watch the Warriors-Cavs game 7 (because I always watch game 7's). There was nothing wrong with that game. GS missed like their last nine shots and that's why they lost. Anyone chalking that up to rigging isn't only paranoid, they're blind. Freaking Curry went 6-19, and Thompson went 6-17. I don't see how the refs caused that. I'm sorry, I don't.

EDIT: Besides, America can't keep its own state secrets secret. What on Earth makes you think they could keep rigging at the professional sports level secret?

@Sunflash

don't see how the refs caused that

Thats what I was trying to say, the refs are not the only way to rig a game. Ok, this propably had nothing to do with this game but I had to say it. :P

Pepe's goal has jusst been disallowed after the video review. That was one of the coolest things I saw this year.

@Emrecan Yep, me as well, especially since it was clearly offside! I don't think Mexico would have been able to get a point out of that one if the ref didn't cancel it. :)

I think it's necessary, but not in this manner. To me, technology should be different for each instance as a single VAR is way too inefficient when trying to intertwine the beauty of an open game like football with a flawless justice system.

Goal-line technology was an instant hit, not because of its accuracy and freshness, but because of its efficiency. A decision that required a millimetric standard of accuracy could then be seen instantly on the referee's watch allowing the game to go on fluidly and seamlessly thus maintaining the beauty of the game with a fault line that was practically inexistent.

The success of this implementation should be considered in future endeavors not only in principle, but also in concept. An isolated system that resolved an issue in the game that, in itself, is impossible to be figured out by the naked eye, in a manner that is so efficient and exact that it allows us to continue living the game with the passion that we always have, with a level of justice that has never been seen in football.

With this in mind, I would vouch for the creation of an isolated system to figure out the endless offside saga, in the same way that we resolved the goal/no goal problem, and only using VAR for red card and penalty issues. This would make the uncertainty created by VAR in offside situations go away, allowing the players to play the game fluidly and freely, like it should be in an open field sport
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With this in mind, I would vouch for the creation of an isolated system to figure out the endless offside saga, in the same way that we resolved the goal/no goal problem, and only using VAR for red card and penalty issues. This would make the uncertainty created by VAR in offside situations go away, allowing the players to play the game fluidly and freely, like it should be in an open field sport

Literally what is happening...come on bruh

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/04/boehm-its-actually-happening-video-review-era-finally-here

Starts on Saturday in MLS. Has been present in games for a few months now, although not used in a completion of the planned testing period, which has concluded with no roadblocks.

Here we go boys.

@Sunflash Holy yes! Today its the MLS, tomorrow its going to be the PL and hopefully, it should become mainstream before the start of world cup 2022. :D So happy its happening at last. :D

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/06/brisendine-breaking-down-first-night-video-review-mls

Summary of the first day. Only one major call, which probably would've gone the other way in the absence of video review.

@SunFlash Great improvement for the MLS. "That's the way it is supposed to work"
We will also have the video referee after january. It should become worldwide asap.

@Emrecan Serie A and Bundesliga should start using it as well it seem. :)

^Let's see how that will progress.

Did you guys see this↓ Awesome

@Emrecan Lol at the Feyenoord fan cheering like a bunch of crazy without realizing what about to happen. A bit sad for them as well. Also, I think it was fair by the ref because the game was never stopped before Feyenoord goal, so he couldn't really review the action. Also, it seem it was the Vitesse player who asked him to review the action. Seem like player will have to request VAR... Not sure I would like that. They will have to use rule so there isn't abuse.

Yep, it was a fair call. Devestating for the fans tho.

Seem like player will have to request VAR... Not sure I would like that. They will have to use rule so there isn't abuse.

I don't think it will be the way how it works. Depends on the refs. We need to learn more about the rules. If anyone finds something, It'd be appreciated.

so Feyennord goal disallowed? dam thats rough, could see this maybe causing riots in big games