Does WSL need VAR? Aston Villa players FUME after Arsenal score controversial goal with referee missing offside AND handball before Stina Blackstenius finds the net
- The hard-fought victory moved Arsenal to within six points of the leaders
- The weekend’s WSL action was interrupted by a series of incorrect calls from officials
- Gareth Southgate deserves more respect among the Man United left… who are these fools doubting him? Listen to the It’s all Kicking Off podcast
Aston Villa striker Rachel Daly protested to the referees after the controversial award of Stina Blackstenius’ goal for Arsenal in their WSL match on Sunday.
The Gunners secured a 3-1 win at Villa Park to leave them hot on the heels of joint leaders Chelsea and Manchester City, but the manner in which they won reignited the debate over whether VAR should be introduced at the top level of women’s soccer in the United States. England.
Villa were left aggrieved after Blackstenius scored the decisive goal for the visitors, having received the ball in an offside position before accidentally handling it following a slip.
The two incidents were missed by referee Stacey Pearson and assistants Laura Van Lier and Matt Eva.
Daly was talking to the officials after the final whistle, pleading her side’s case as Carla Ward’s team remained in seventh place with five games to play.
Rachel Daly had post-match words with the referees following the controversial award of Arsenal’s third goal at Villa Park
Stina Blackstenius was in an offside position and handled the ball after a fall before taking off past Anna Leat in the Villa goal
The Gunners striker scored a through ball when she was in an offside position
The Swede then handled the ball after she slipped while trying to create space for a shot
However, the Lioness could count herself lucky not to have been awarded a penalty in the 70th minute when the score was level due to a clear foul on her England teammate Alessia Russo.
Indeed, it was a weekend of several incorrect calls for officials in the WSL, with West Ham denied a legitimate attack in their 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday and City capitalizing on an offside goal in a 3-1 Manchester derby win over United.
Red Devils boss Marc Skinner lamented Jess Parker’s opener at the Etihad and suggested he would welcome the use of VAR in the competition.
âIt’s difficult because of course it would affect this actual decision,â he said after the match. âAnd there are probably other games where it influences other decisions.
‘I just don’t think it can tolerate a goal like that. A derby is a big game. If the second goal is the first and then the third, you take your medicine, right?
‘But when the first one went in, the momentum that Man City had at the end of the first half changed, momentum when it didn’t.
âWe were able to pin them down the sides quite quickly and I felt they were playing in their shells until the first goal came.
‘And then the game changes. The clichĂ© is that goals turn into games, but in this case that was certainly the case.’
West Ham were denied a legitimate goal in the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner regretted the goal that should not have occurred in his side’s 3-1 defeat to rivals Man City
At Villa Park, Ebony Salmon put the home side ahead after 35 minutes before Victoria Pelova hit back for the Gunners.
Jonas Eidevall’s team had to work for the win and eventually took the lead in the 84th minute through Lotte Wubben-Moy before Blackstenius’ controversial try secured the points two minutes later.
