The VAR intervention led to the red card: it happened in injury time in the first half of the match between Paraguay and Türkiye
In an electric match, with a hint of a fight in the second and a tension that reaches straight from the bench to the field, a small page of history of the World Cup and the rules of the game of football is written. It all happens in the 48th minute of Turkey-Paraguay 0-1 (lightning goal by Galarza for the South Americans) when, in one of the many moments of stopped play with some player on the ground, the Salvadoran referee Barton is called to the VAR. At first it is not clear why, then the images explain it clearly: the 10 of the South Americans Almirón turned to the Turkish Muldur, saying something with his hand in front of his mouth and it is a game situation prohibited by the new regulation. The consequence is a red card directed under the face of the incredulous Paraguayan, with Alfaro’s bench rising up; on the contrary, the Turks rejoice and incite the tens of thousands of compatriots in red shirts who populate the stands of Levi’s Stadium. In a very complicated match, the Turks now see a space to recover.
RED IN HISTORY
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There has never been a red card like this: this is the first expulsion in history for a player guilty of covering his lips. The new rule was approved unanimously by the IFAB precisely to target footballers who, by masking their lips, often utter insults or unsportsmanlike phrases. The rule came into force from this World Cup, the president Gianni Infantino himself had explained it like this: “Those who have nothing to hide have no reason to hide their lips, so if the gesture serves to cover a discriminatory offense, the red card must become the natural consequence to cleanse football of these unacceptable behaviors.” At the origin of the whole now famous Prestianni-Vinícius case: during Benfica-Real Madrid last February, the Argentine Gianluca Prestianni approached the Brazilian Vinícius, covering his mouth with his shirt. Following the Brazilian’s complaint and the UEFA investigation, the player was found guilty of homophobic conduct and banned for six matches. From there, the hard line applied for the first time here in San Francisco.