Referee Luís Godinho Errs on Red Card in Porto Match

Referee Luís Godinho analyzes disputed VAR intervention and red card decisions in a Primeira Liga match

Match official Luís Godinho evaluated key disciplinary decisions and video assistant referee interventions from a recent Primeira Liga fixture, detailing the application of new rules regarding corner kicks and red card thresholds, A Bola reported.

Application of the New VAR Corner Kick Protocol

The match official reviewed an incident in the 22nd minute where the video assistant referee intervened under a new regulation for the current season. According to law five on page 77 of the officiating guidelines, the VAR can intervene and reverse a corner kick if it was incorrectly awarded, provided the decision is changed immediately without delaying the restart of play. The referee initially awarded a corner to FC Porto, but video review showed André Silva was the last player to touch the ball, resulting in a corrected goal kick for Gil Vicente.

Elimbi Red Card Should Have Been Yellow

In the 81st minute, the referee showed a straight red card to Elimbi following a challenge on Pepê, a decision Godinho classified as incorrect. Evaluating the red card requires satisfying four simultaneous factors under law 12: distance to the goal, general direction of play, control of the ball, and the position and number of defenders. While Pepê maintained control and moved toward the goal, defender Buatu was positioned centrally more than six meters ahead of the foul in a lateralized zone, providing ample cover. The infraction warranted only a yellow card for a negligent challenge rather than a dismissal, and the VAR should have intervened.

Match Officials Note Seven Minutes of Stoppage Time

The referee added seven minutes of stoppage time at the end of the match, a duration Godinho confirmed as correct. The calculation accounted for four separate substitution stoppages involving nine player changes, one goal, and the issuance of a yellow and a red card that caused a four-minute delay during the 81st-minute expulsion incident.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Match Officiating

Why was FC Porto’s goal in the second half disallowed?

The assistant referee correctly disallowed a goal scored by FC Porto in the 47th minute after determining that Borja Sainz was 74 centimeters offside when receiving a pass from Pepê before the final shot.

What disciplinary action was missed during the challenge on Jan Bednarek?

In the 73rd minute, player Santi García made a hard tackle with the studs of his right boot into the left heel of Jan Bednarek, an action Godinho noted was a clear, negligent foul that warranted a yellow card.