FOREST PART OF THE VAR STORY

29 May FOREST PART OF THE VAR STORY

When it was announced that video assistant referee (VAR) was going to be used during the Absa Cup final a lot of stakeholders expressed doubt.
But history was made last Saturday at Woodlands Stadium when VAR made it’s debut in Zambia during the MUZA versus Forest Rangers final.
Zambia became the third country in Africa after Egypt and Morocco to use VAR in a domestic competition.
VAR is a permanent feature in prominent renowned European leagues as English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Seria A and UEFA competitions.
CAF organised leagues or competitions also have VAR.
For the teams involved it is was a proud moment for them as they will go down in history as the first one’s to experience the VAR touch.
On the side of Forest, they will be remember for three things.

𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙎𝙏 𝙂𝙤𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙙 𝘽𝙮 𝙑𝘼𝙍

With Forest leading 1-0, Ghanaian Amenu Moro thought he had given his team a second but unluckily for him and luckily for MUZA VAR was in use.
Egyptian referee Amin Omer sent the crowd at Woodlands Stadium into huge cheers when he was told by VAR to go to the monitor and review the goal.
After reviewing the goal,the centre referee, cancelled the goal as there was an infringement on MUZA skipper Sydney Kasanda before Moro found the back of the net.

𝙈𝘼𝙇𝘼𝙈𝘽𝙊 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙤 𝘽𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙑𝘼𝙍 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬

Experienced midfielder Shadreck Malambo will go down in history as the first player in Zambia to be shown a yellow card in the aftermath of a VAR monitor review.
The former international was booked for a foul on Kasanda which led to the MUZA captain losing the ball on the edge of the box for Moro to pounce.
After reviewing the goal,the referee Omer instead awarded MUZA a free kick and showed Malambo a yellow.

𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙎𝙏 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙏𝙤 𝙒𝙞𝙣 𝘼 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙑𝘼𝙍 𝙄𝙣 𝙐𝙨𝙚.

Above all Fole Malembe entered the history books as the first team to win a match on VAR’ debut.
The VAR story will always be associated with Forest forever as the two will have to be mentioned in one way or the other in the years to come.
VAR officials were from Morocco and Ghana while referee and his assistants were all from Egypt.