UAF chief refereeing expert Nicola Rizzoli commented on the scandalous episode in the match of the 2nd round of the Ukrainian league between Shakhtar and Veres, when Mykola Matvienko converted a free kick without a whistle.
Nicola RizzoliRizzoli noted that the correct decision would have been to repeat the free kick and not to count the goal against Veres. The expert also added that even if there was a VAR system at the match, it would not have been able to intervene in the episode.
"The referee (Alexander Shandor - note) correctly awarded a penalty kick (SHU) for an offence that was committed outside the penalty area. The Laws of the Game allow the players of the team in whose favour the penalty kick is awarded to resume play without the referee's whistle, so from this point of view the goal was scored correctly.
It should be recalled that only the team in whose favour the goal is awarded has the right to ask the referee to take the opponents away, in which case the referee will restart play on the whistle. Following the above, it should be noted that in practice, when the referee interferes with the dynamics of a penalty (by marking the spot of the penalty with spray), it is advisable not to restart play, but to do so on the whistle," said Rizzoli.
