VAR Overview: Was Kane’s penalty for England the right name?

We’re analysing each VAR resolution made all through all 51 video games at Euro 2024. On Wednesday, England had been awarded a penalty in opposition to Netherlands for a problem by Denzel Dumfries on Harry Kane. Why was it given, and was it the right resolution?

After every sport, we check out the main incidents to look at and clarify the method by way of VAR protocol and the legal guidelines of the sport.

Doable penalty: Dumfries problem on Kane

What occurred: England had been on the assault within the 14th minute with Harry Kane trying a shot from a bouncing ball that was hit over the bar. He was caught by Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries after releasing the shot, and went down in ache. Referee Felix Zwayer pointed for a aim kick, however after a couple of moments it grew to become clear the VAR was checking for a doable penalty.

VAR resolution: Penalty, scored by Kane.

VAR overview: There’s an unwritten legislation in soccer that if a participant manages to finish a shot on aim and is then caught by a defending participant, there should not be a penalty. So why is that? Primarily it is as a result of the attacking group can’t lose out on something due to the problem — the shot has been launched and the transfer is over.

It is appears odd, as a result of typically on this scenario we might say “however that is a foul wherever else on the pitch.” However make no mistake, there’s one other unwritten legislation that the brink is way greater on a penalty offering a shot on aim vs. a free kick in an space that is not instantly harmful.

So, how did England get a penalty on this scenario?

It is a very harsh intervention by the VAR, Bastian Dankert. It is his ninth sport of the match, way over every other video assistant. He has clearly earned a popularity inside UEFA as its most trusted VAR all through the match.

So, why has Dankert suggested a penalty? He has taken the character of Dumfries’ problem, main with the studs versus attempting to kick via the ball, as being reckless — which is why the Netherlands’ participant was booked. And that is the one space the place a defender catching an attacker after a shot could be seeing as a penalty — when it is reckless or harmful.

Are you able to see why this is perhaps a penalty? Sure. Does this attain UEFA’s excessive threshold for a transparent and apparent error for a VAR intervention? No. You’ll be able to solely assume Kane’s response, happening in ache, persuaded the VAR.

And in UEFA competitors you’ll nearly by no means see a VAR intervention rejected on the monitor by the referee.