The decision to award France a penalty via VAR has provoked a furious reaction

Paul Moore

Controversial.

In a World Cup that has highlighted the benefits and problems that are associated with the use of VAR, the World Cup final is in danger of being overshadowed by a controversial decision to award France a penalty in Moscow.

After equalising for Croatia, Ivan Perisic went from hero to villain after he was adjudged to have deliberately hand-balled a corner that was flicked on by Blaise Matuidi.

Antonine Griezmann dispatched the penalty but the decision has provoked an extremely heated reaction.

Here’s the footage along with some of the views on the awarding of the penalty.

The referee has gone to Var to take a look at the Ivan Perisic handball. But was it accidental?

PENALTY – the ref has awarded the penalty

Updates: https://t.co/6Xl4rm9N4W pic.twitter.com/L77qLkUvkA

— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 15, 2018

I think I've said this 100 times to increasingly bored friends during this World Cup, but watching football in slow-motion distorts everything. VAR has altered the rules on handballs without the wording being changed.

— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) July 15, 2018

https://twitter.com/Carra23/status/1018522131787894787

Noooooooo!!!! Can’t give that. Jeez VAR.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 15, 2018

I mean how is that a pen? How can he get his hand out of the way? Shambles…

— 👑 Joey Barton 👑 (@Joey7Barton) July 15, 2018

This is turning sport into soap opera. Which I'm pretty sure some see as a good thing. I'm not one of those.

— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) July 15, 2018

That is VERY harsh. Perisic's hand not really in an unnatural position, very close distance from header. I would not have given it.

— Raphael Honigstein💙 (@honigstein) July 15, 2018

VAR VAR VAR VAR

— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) July 15, 2018

Ref awards penalty after consulting VAR. Wrong decision. Perisic doesn't have time to react when ball comes over.

— Oliver Holt (@OllieHolt22) July 15, 2018

That's terrible. I can't see how that was deliberate. For a start he would think that Matuidi was going to change the direction of the ball completely.

— emmet malone (@emmetmalone) July 15, 2018

As for the match, we all feared the worst when Antoine Griezmann’s in-swinging free-kick glanced off Mario Mandzukic’s head and flew into the Croatia net to give France the lead.

In strictly defensive terms, the French were imperious against Uruguay and Belgium because they suffocated any attacking threat that came their way and after Les Blues took the lead in Moscow against the Croats, football fans feared the worst.

Step forward Ivan Perisic.

After delivering a hammer blow to England’s dreams in the semi-final, the Inter Milan attacker was Croatia’s saviour again after his expert touch and superb strike flew past Hugo Lloris.

Massive credit also goes to Atletico Madrid’s full-back Sime Vrsaljko because his clever run before the free-kick was taken was instrumental in the goal.

This being said, the touch from Perisic to get away from Kante and the stunning half-volley will be seen for years and years.

GOAL Croatia #FRA 1-1 #CRO

28mins: Ivan Perisic slams the ball home to equalise. Watch out for the run of Sime Vrsaljko before the free was taken.#RTEsoccer

Updates: https://t.co/6Xl4rm9N4W pic.twitter.com/uYagWC4ONt

— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 15, 2018

Here’s what they made of that strike in Zagreb. The second-half could be a cracker.