Title: Angeldahl Furious at VAR Decision, Calls it “Absolutely Insane”
Date: July 25, 2023
In the first round of group stage matches, penalties have been a prominent feature. In each of the initial eight games, at least one penalty was awarded.
However, a turning point came during Sweden’s encounter with South Africa. Filippa Angeldahl unleashed a shot that struck the arm of a South African defender. Some argue that the arm was in a natural position, while others contend that it was not.
After a lengthy VAR review, the decision was made against awarding Sweden a penalty.
The decision has been met with strong opposition from the Swedish camp, with Angeldahl expressing her outrage at the ruling.
“I believe it was a clear penalty. I was completely certain about it and I don’t understand the VAR situations. It’s absolutely insane, don’t you think?” she exclaimed to the press.
When told that the arm was in a natural position, Angeldahl immediately retaliated, saying, “I don’t think so. We shouldn’t even get into this. It’s just crazy.”
She continued, “That’s the thing with VAR, you can’t get away with anything. If there’s contact, it’s a penalty. That’s why I was certain we would be awarded one.”
Stina Blackstenius, another player from the Swedish team, commented on the incident, saying, “I saw the situation shortly afterwards, but I’m not exactly sure what to say about it. I thought we had a pretty clear explanation before the tournament started regarding the handball rule, which is quite sensitive and sometimes difficult to interpret.”
When asked if it feels like different referees interpret the handball rule differently, Blackstenius responded, “Sometimes, that can be the case. For that particular situation, someone might have thought it was obvious, while someone else might have thought otherwise, depending on where the hand was placed and whether it was in a natural position or not. It feels like it’s sometimes a matter of interpretation.”
Regarding the frustration of inconsistent interpretations, Blackstenius stated, ”From my perspective, it wasn’t something I focused on during the match. However, it has been discussed more when it comes to other matches.”
The controversy surrounding the VAR decision and the differing interpretations of the handball rule have sparked intense debate within the football community. As the tournament progresses, it remains to be seen how these issues will be addressed and resolved.
1) How did M Filippa Angeldahl express her anger and frustration towards the VAR decision, labeling it as “absolutely insane”?
M Filippa Angeldahl, who expressed her anger and frustration, calling the VAR decision “absolutely insane”.
The VAR decision controversy surrounding Sweden vs. South Africa match was intriguing. While some argue it was a clear penalty, others question the questionable nature of the decision.