Controversial Offside Call Leads to Goal Disallowed in Guadalajara Match

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — During a heated match on Saturday, Jesús López, the central referee, annulled a goal scored by Alan Pulido after a review of the play with VAR officials, creating significant controversy among fans and analysts alike.

The decision came during the seventh round of league play when Pulido’s goal for his team was deemed offside. The Refereeing Commission released a statement on Monday, clarifying the situation surrounding the incident. According to the Commission, the image broadcast during the match was erroneous, which contributed to the confusion regarding the call.

“During this review, the procedure used by the VAR referees was correct, and the image displayed on the television broadcast did not correspond to the outcome provided by the offside software,” the Commission said in a statement. “This image shared was the result of an error in the process of sending lines to the broadcaster, which received an image after the procedure was completed.”

The release included a video showing the moment when the vectors were drawn at the time of the ball being touched and the position of Pulido. The Commission concluded that the offside call had been made accurately.

“VAR: I have offside. We’re going to release the field, the decision is offside, check complete,” commented the VAR official after utilizing the tracking vectors.

Linesman Enrique Bustos also acknowledged in real-time that the play was close, but he maintained that it was indeed an offside, a decision that received validation shortly thereafter.

The incident has reignited discussions about the efficacy of VAR technology in football and its implementation during matches. Reactions from players, coaches, and fans have been mixed, with some supporting the technology while others argue for a review of how it is applied.