Soccer-Switzerland coach blasts 'unacceptable' VAR rule after Argentina defeat
Switzerland's national soccer coach, Murat Yakin, criticized the use of VAR and the rules regarding simulation following his team's World Cup loss to Argentina. He argued that the referee's decision to issue a second yellow card to Breel Embolo was unjustified and negatively impacted the match.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing debates regarding the implementation and impact of video assistant referee (VAR) technology in professional sports.
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, July 11 (Reuters) - Switzerland coach Murat Yakin described the rule behind Breel Embolo sending off as “unacceptable” after Argentina scored twice in extra time to end the Swiss fairytale World Cup run with a 3-1 quarter-final victory on Saturday.
Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation in the 72nd minute, five minutes after Dan Ndoye had cancelled out Alexis Mac Allister’s early opener and with Switzerland carrying the greater threat.
The referee had initially booked Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes before a lengthy VAR review established that Embolo had not been fouled.
“There was definitely no reason to award a yellow card,” Yakin said. “It was a harmless situation. He should have let play continue.
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