Initial Publication Date: November 26th, 2023; Revised Publication Date: December 3rd, 2024.

After having watched the match between the USWNT and Columbia on October 29th, 2023, I was wondering if VAR should be able to investigate a fifth ‘match-changing situation;’ missed yellow and red cards. As it stands today, VAR is only allowed to be used for the following:

• Goals and offenses leading up to a goal
• Penalty decisions and offenses leading up to a penalty decision
• Direct red card incidents only (not second yellow card/ caution)
• Mistaken identity (player being wrongly ejected or penalized/ carded)

If there is a missed card, i.e., one is not handed out, VAR does not have the mandate to investigate and request a review of the incident from the Referee. While I can understand the desire not to have the Refs stop play for every minor infraction, what frustrates me is the lack of cards handed out during this match and the harm done to the Americans as a result. For example, Alyssa Thompson. After she was tackled in the 2nd half, I asked myself “how could this happen?” and “how can we prevent this from happening, in the first place?” She could have been seriously injured.

This brings me to my next point. If a player is injured and has to be removed from the game, does that not qualify as a match changing incident? Of course it does, but if the Referee misses the penalty leading to the injury, then the offending player and team get away with seriously crippling an opposing team’s ability to play in the match, as well as one of their players. This is the problem with the current rules; at best, they are reactionary. How can we be proactive in preventing these types of match changing incidents?

First off, I think handing out cards appropriately, and from the start of the match could help. I mentioned this in my previous post from October 30th, 2023; hand out cards immediately and do not allow a grace period where all that is given are ‘warnings’ or ‘stern talking tos.’ A card is a card, no matter when the offense occurs in the match; when bad behavior goes unpunished, worse, more dangerous behavior is encouraged.

Next, consider punishing the player, coaches and federation staff. FIFA can draft new guidelines for unsportsmanlike and dangerous play that extended beyond the specific match or incident in question, i.e., fines, suspension of a play, disqualifications from major tournaments, etc. Additionally, US Soccer could draw up similar guidelines for dealing with unsportsmanlike and dangerous teams and federations, i.e., refusing to play with them in the future, demanding they apologize, etc.

Lastly, allow VAR to review missed red cards, at least, or perhaps, cards where the player(s) could have been seriously injured. I remember watching a video clip of Abby Wambach getting punched in the face in an Olympic match against Colombia, many, many years ago. This incident went unadjudicated because the refs missed the offense. This, or the incident involving Alyssa Thompson, are the types of incidents I am thinking of.

Regardless of what you may think about a potential fifth situation, there has to be a change to how that match was adjudicated, either at the VAR level, Referee level, FIFA level or from all three.

After watching that match, one has to wonder whether FIFA has a policy encouraging FIFA Refs to be more lenient in foul calling or if the Refs in this match specifically, were told to be more lenient in calling fouls against the Colombian team.