Wolves found themselves deeply frustrated with yet another VAR decision going against them during their match against Newcastle on Saturday night.
The game at Molineux, played on a rainy evening, ended in a 2-2 draw, a result that may have left both teams reasonably content. Wolves managed to score twice, thanks to Mario Lemina and Hee-Chan Hwang, but their concerns grew when Pedro Neto had to be stretchered off after injuring his hamstring.
During the match, Newcastle was awarded a penalty, a decision that sparked the usual debates and controversies associated with VAR.
Hwang was the player who conceded the penalty, but upon reviewing the incident, it appeared to many that it wasn’t a clear-cut penalty. Karen Carney, speaking at half-time on Sky Sports, shared her doubts about the decision, stating, “I don’t think it was a penalty. He seemed to attempt to slow down in the last moment, but the referee’s decision stood, and VAR supported it.”
This situation presented another instance where Wolves felt aggrieved, as decisions seemed to consistently go against them this season. The referee faced a challenging task in making this call, particularly when watching it at full match speed. However, upon closer examination and viewing replays, the penalty decision appeared far less certain.
Many, including former goalkeeper Shay Given, argued that while it might not have been a clear and obvious error, VAR should have advised the referee to take a closer look when a decision was unclear. While the draw was likely a fair result for this specific match, the accumulation of unfavorable decisions throughout the season left Wolves and their supporters wondering how their league position might be different with a few corrected calls.
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