Coach Ha Tinh wants VAR to handle it faster

Viettel's 4-0 win over Ha Tinh on the evening of July 27 at Hang Day Stadium is the first time VAR (Video Assistant Referee) has been applied in the V-League. VAR participated in the goal to increase the score to 2-0 and 4-0 of Viettel, but the processing took a total of 11 minutes, thereby making the second half have 16 minutes of compensation.

Assistant coach Nguyen Duc Thang wants VAR to improve its handling ability, limit the game being stopped many times, prolong and make players wait for a long time. He said: "I watch matches around the world, VAR usually checks the situation and the game continues, when there is a signal, the referee stops."

Besides, he assessed the situation where Janclesio fouled Tran Danh Trung in the seventh minute, leading to the penalty being quite heavy. "If there was no VAR, no referee would dare to blow a penalty," said assistant coach Ha Tinh.

Meanwhile, coach Thach Bao Khanh sympathized with the referees because this was the first match where VAR was applied. "I believe in the future the referees will make decisions faster," said Viettel head coach. "You can't claim to have VAR without the game being interrupted."

In addition to two situations related to Viettel's two goals, referee Ngo Duy Lan also had four more pauses to listen to advice from VAR but no penalty.

It is expected that the next rounds in the V-League will have at least one match applying VAR. FIFA recommends that the Vietnam Football Federation VFF and the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company VPF choose matches that are assessed as less stressful. All match selection and VAR application processes are closely monitored by FIFA. Currently, VPF only has two technical vehicles to serve the VAR team.

Yesterday's victory gave Viettel 28 points to rise to third, equal to Hanoi Police, but ranked behind due to poor goal difference and playing more than one match. Ha Tinh ranked sixth with 20 points.