The four controversial events of the referee Wilmar Roldán and the VAR in the Ecuador-Brazil match

Two expulsions of the same player corrected by the VAR, another red card ratified with the technology, and two penalties in favor of Ecuador that were annulled after review. The video arbitration and the Colombian judge Wilmar Roldán were protagonists in the 1-1 between the Tricolor and Brazil in Quito.

1. Red card to goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez

The afternoon in Quito turned dark for Ecuador at 6 minutes with Casemiro’s goal, and it could have been worse at 16 when goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez caught Matheus Cunha at neck height when the striker was struggling with two defenders at speed entering to the large area.

The lanky Domínguez miscalculated the rejection and violently hit the Atlético de Madrid player.

Roldán was called to review the play and expelled the Ecuadorian ‘1’ at the request of the technology for a dangerous play.

2. Allison’s first red card

Four minutes later, the Brazilian winger Emerson Aparecido was sent off after seeing the second yellow card, but at 25 the super leader of the South American qualifier for the Qatar-2022 World Cup could have kept nine men.

Goalkeeper Allison saw the red card in a risky action outside his area when he rejected a ball quite rigorously, and one of his raised legs hit Enner Valencia’s face.

Roldán did not hesitate to expel the goalkeeper, but after going to VAR and due to pressure from the Brazilian players, the Colombian referee confirmed that it was Valencia who sought the clash with the Liverpool goalkeeper.

Cancellation of the red for Alisson, which ended with a yellow card.

3. Penalty annulled for Ecuador

Another game action was reviewed by the VAR when Roldán sanctioned a maximum penalty in favor of Ecuador.

A contact by Rapinha on Pervis Estupiñán was considered a foul by the Colombian judge, but the VAR assistants quickly summoned Roldán to review the play.

The final decision was annulment of the sanctioned penalty, in a quick play that lent itself to confusion.

4. Second red card for Allison and second penalty annulled for Ecuador

At the edge of 90 minutes with the match tied 1-1, a new controversial action had Allison as the protagonist.

The Brazilian goalkeeper clears with his fists a ball that Carlos Gruezo was trying to head, but the speed of the play and the showiness of it prompted Roldán’s decision: red for Allison and penalty in favor of Ecuador.

The VAR called the Colombian to review the game action, and after a few minutes of observation, the central judge annulled both decisions. Allison got to the ball first to parry it and Gruezo overdid the subsequent contact. (D)