An on-field review of a handball decision in favour of Central Coast Mariners against Perth Glory was reversed by referee Nathan Shakespeare to deny the hosts a penalty at 0-0 late in the Isuzu UTE A-League contest at Industree Group Stadium.
Glory defender Luis Canga was deemed to have handled the ball in real-time by referee Shakespeare, as Mikael Doka’s cross looked set to find Ryan Edmondson arriving at the back post for a chance to put the home side ahead of bottom-placed Glory in Gosford.
But VAR advised Shakespeare to review the incident by the pitchside monitor; Shakespeare returned to the field of play and explained that, although the ball did strike Canga’s arm, the defender had returned the previously outstretched limb back into a natural position before contact.
Shakespeare explained: “After on-field review, the ball strikes the arm of number 33 – however the arm is in a natural position, therefore no penalty, drop ball to the goalkeeper.”
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