VAR in V-League 2023 - 2024: Primitive but very useful for the Vietnamese team

VAR is leaving a strong mark after round 1

After a cautious trial season, VAR technology has been applied more widely by VPF in V-League 2023 - 2024. In the opening round, VAR was used in 4 matches between Hai Phong - HAGL, Thanh Hoa - Ha Tinh, Nam Dinh - Quang Nam and Hanoi Police (CAHN) - Binh Dinh.

In fact, the quality and persuasiveness of VAR is still a controversial topic, such as the referee awarding Hai Phong FC a penalty even though slow-motion replays could not clearly determine whether HAGL midfielder Diakite played the ball with his hand or not.

This is understandable because the "Vietnamese version of VAR" cannot yet have the same quality as the standards applied in top European tournaments or the World Cup, EURO or Asian Cup, when our country's conditions must temporarily be satisfied with the number of cameras for each match being much less than FIFA standards.

VAR has not been eliminated completely, but has helped reduce a lot of controversy.

Previously, the first time VAR appeared in Vietnam in the match between the Vietnamese team and the Australian team in the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup, there were about 15 - 16 cameras placed throughout My Dinh Stadium - only half of the 33 cameras at the 2018 World Cup, far less than the 42 cameras at the 2022 World Cup.

But this number is already very luxurious because according to a TV director in the North: "For each match in V-League 2023 - 2024, the Organizing Committee only requires a minimum of 8 cameras. To be clear, that is to take advantage of 8 TV cameras on the field to bring images into the VAR room".

Because of using television signals, the camera position will have to be fixed according to the broadcasting requirements of the station, the signal quality will not be able to meet the standards of "14 slow-motion and super slow-motion cameras spread evenly on all four sides of the field to monitor the match".

VAR technology is being upgraded, aiming to cover 100% of matches in V-League

Also because of the limitations of cameras, angles and image quality, controversies have arisen, such as the penalty kick in the match between Hai Phong Club and HAGL, when the camera angle was blocked by a player and there were no other angles, and the image quality was not sharp enough when moving slowly.

However, overall, the number of controversial situations has decreased significantly since VAR was applied more widely in the V-League. As Ho Chi Minh City FC head coach Vu Tien Thanh said, "only applying VAR in the North is a disadvantage for Southern football."

That wish will soon become a reality when 10 VAR referees, 3 VAR assistant referees and 10 technicians of the second VAR class, organized by VPF in conjunction with the VFF Referee Board, have completed the first step, preparing for the practice phase under the supervision of FIFA experts.

Referees still have a hard time despite VAR

The entire centralized training process (phase 2 and 3) with the direct participation of FIFA experts will be held between the breaks of the V-League, expected to be completed before the 2 VAR vehicles sponsored by FIFA arrive in Vietnam to aim for 100% of V-League matches to apply VAR.

Obviously, the full application of VAR in V-League is a great effort by VPF, the television copyright holderFPT Play and sponsors, to help each professional player understand how VAR operates, thereby creating the habit of playing according to the "VAR culture".

This will directly benefit the Vietnamese team after receiving many yellow cards and penalties in the 2019 Asian Cup, the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and even friendly matches... due to their traditional dirty play habits until being caught by VAR.

Looking further, shaping football in the sights of VAR in V-League 2023 - 2024 promises to help players - especially young players - learn to give up bad tricks and focus on playing football, which will only be good for the development of the Vietnamese team, starting right from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/var-tai-v-league-2023-2024-so-khai-nhung-rat-bo-ich-cho-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-185231027212737367.htm