SOCCER
Porto denied late penalty after referee uses phone to call VAR official
The Portuguese giants thought they had been awarded a 90th minute spot kick, until the referee spoke to his video assistant on a mobile phone.
A top flight game in Portugal ended in chaos after the referee used a mobile phone to contact VAR official before ruling overturning a penalty decision.
Porto were trailing Arouca in the 90th minute when referee Miguel Nogueira awarded the home side a penalty. However Nogueira was then called over the pitchside monitor by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to re-examine the decision.
The on-field referee attempted to discuss the penalty with the VAR official but he was unable to communicate using his earpiece. With the game paused, pending the final decision, Nogueira was given a mobile phone to contact the VAR team.
After another delay, and the bizarre sight of an official with an iPhone pressed to his ear mid-game, Nogueira decided to overturn his original decision.
Porto level the game with late equaliser
Incredibly, the referee’s mobile intervention was only the start of the added time drama at Estádio do Dragão. Porto were awarded another penalty 15 minutes into added time and this time the decision was allowed to stand.
Midfielder Galeno stepped up but his spot kick was saved by Ignacio De Arruabarrena, sending the visiting Arouca team into wild celebrations.
However even that was not the end of the action as the home side continued to push forward. The 30-time Primeira Liga winners finally found the equaliser in the 18th minute of added time, Brazilian forward Evanilson on hand to poke the ball home from close range.
The game ended 1-1, but that scoreline barely scratches the surface of the late action at Estádio do Dragão.