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VAR decision sparks debate in Newcastle draw
Tottenham Hotspur secured a dramatic 2-2 draw against Newcastle United on Wednesday after Cristian Romero's injury-time overhead kick, but the match was overshadowed by a contentious VAR penalty call.
The incident
With the score tied at 1-1 in the 86th minute, referee Thomas Bramall was sent to the pitchside monitor after VAR intervened, ruling that Rodrigo Bentancur had committed a holding offense on Newcastle defender Dan Burn during a corner. Despite initial hesitation, Bramall awarded a penalty to Newcastle, which Anthony Gordon converted to put the Magpies ahead.
Spurs' late equalizer
Tottenham appeared destined for defeat until Romero's acrobatic overhead kick in the 95th minute salvaged a point. The dramatic finish capped a tense finale at St James' Park.
Conflicting reactions
Spurs manager Thomas Frank criticized the VAR decision, calling it an "absolute mistake." He argued that the referee's initial call on the field should have stood, emphasizing that such incidents are common during corners and do not warrant penalties.
"The referee did good to do the ref call and they encourage the refereeing call on the pitch. For me, that is never a penalty. Even speaking to some from Newcastle [they] don't think it's a penalty and we need consistency."
Thomas Frank, Tottenham Hotspur manager
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, however, supported the decision, stating that Bentancur was not looking at the ball and was instead focused on Burn. Howe described it as "probably the right call."
Referee's explanation
The Premier League match centre quoted referee Bramall on X, explaining that the penalty was awarded because Bentancur "clearly does not look at the ball" while committing a "holding offence."
Pundits weigh in
Analysts and fans quickly joined the debate, with many suggesting that such incidents are routine in football and should not result in penalties. The controversy reignited discussions about VAR's role in disrupting the flow of the game and the consistency of its decisions.
