This week’s episode of A-Leagues All Access takes fans closer than ever before to an Isuzu UTE A-League Semi Final, including unseen footage that shows the entire VAR process that led to a number of contentious refereeing decisions. Watch the episode below.
VAR was at the centre of four key moments of Sydney FC’s first-leg draw with Melbourne City. The 1-1 draw featured two disallowed goals for offside, a re-taken penalty for encroachment, and a City opener that survived a VAR check for offside.
KEEPUP’s A-Leagues All Access crew was on hand to capture all the action, with the latest episode of the docuseries, titled High Stakes, set to premiere on Thursday, May 18 (7.30pm AEST).
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WATCH A-LEAGUES ALL ACCESS, EPISODE 26: HIGH STAKES
One of the running themes of the episode is on-field referee Adam Kersey’s dialogue with VAR Shaun Evans across a series of contentious moments in a Semi Final that was balanced on a knife’s edge from minute one to 90.
The first incident presents in the 18th minute, when City’s Mathew Leckie heads home the opening goal.
“I don’t know what they’re checking for here,” says Network 10 commentator Simon Hill.
“The ref has got his finger to his ear, so they’re looking at something,” replies co-commentator Andy Harper.
Leckie scores the opener from close-range, attacking a Valon Berisha free-kick whipped toward the front post. But there’s potential for an offside call on Marco Tilio, who nudges Sydney FC’s Adam Le Fondre, from an offside position, as the ball whips over both of their heads and into the path of Leckie.
“Kersey, it’s Shaun,” says VAR Evans to on-field referee Kersey. “We’re going to recommend an on-field review for a possible offside.”
Evans ushers Kersey toward the pitchside monitor, where he continues:
“Okay, so, Tilio, number 23, Melbourne City in the centre is in an offside position, okay? So it’s a matter of if he impacts (in your opinion) on number nine (Le Fondre)
“I don’t think there’s much in that for me, mate,” Kersey replies. “The contact for me doesn’t impact Le Fondre’s ability to play the ball. He has a clear jump at it. He takes a step after, and then jumps clearly, and then misses the header.”
Evans approves of Kersey’s assessment of Tilio’s contact on Le Fondre – but there’s still the matter of a potential offside to consider.
“There’s a clear action to play the ball, though,” Evans adds. “Are you happy with that? There’s a clear action.
“Yeah, I’m happy with that,” Kersey replies. “I’m fine, I’m going to give it a goal.”
Leckie’s header hit the back of the net with 17:04 on the clock; it took Kersey and Evans more than three minutes to come to a conclusion.
Across comes Tilio to plead his case – “I didn’t do anything! he says – but no such action is required from the City forward.
“Let’s see what Adam Kersey decides… yep, goal!” Said Hill on commentary. “Sydney were hoping against hope they were going to get a reprieve there.”
WATCH THE FOOTAGE ON TONIGHT’S EPISODE OF A-LEAGUES ALL ACCESS, ON KEEPUP FROM 7:30PM.
The Isuzu UTE A-League was a VAR pioneer in domestic football, becoming the first top-flight division in the world to utilise the referring system in April of 2017. The use of VAR has been divisive around the world since its inception, with a lack of clarity to those watching on about the system’s application often leading to confusion and frustration.
This week’s A-Leagues All Access episode takes viewers behind all the key decisions impacted by VAR in the Semi Final first leg, including Sydney’s two offside goals and the retaken Sydney penalty caused by City defender Callum Talbot’s encroachment.
The A-Leagues have taken fans behind the curtain before; this incident earlier in the 2022-23 campaign explained how the officiating team reassessed a foul from former Newcastle Jets defender Jordan Elsey that resulted in a yellow card getting upgraded to a red, and a penalty being awarded to Newcastle’s opponents Perth Glory.
Produced by KEEPUP Studios and JAMTV, each new episode of the docuseries will debut on Thursday at 7:30pm AEDT on 10 Play, KEEPUP.COM.AU, the KEEPUP app. It will be available on Australia’s fastest growing streaming service, Paramount+, and will then be broadcast on 10 Bold at 2:00pm AEDT on Sunday afternoons as an appetiser for the evening’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men game on the same channel.
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