Another game, another VAR controversy! Coming with an unfortunate defeat over Canada, the USMNT kickstarted their second friendly match of the September window against New Zealand. Things kicked off pretty well for the hosts, who somehow took an early lead, only to see it get ruled out. This call somehow didn’t settle in the eyes of ardent fans who didn’t hold back their criticism of the match official.

Moments after being greeted with good news regarding the official hiring of Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager, the mood took a downturn after fans witnessed the decision taken against their favor during the friendly tie. It all transpired during the 20th-minute mark. Ricardo Pepi managed to strike a decent right-foot finish past New Zealand’s Max Crocombe.

While the American boys were celebrating drawing the first blood, the Honduran referee Selvin Antonio Brown Chavarria had other plans as he ran to the linesman for a brief chat. A decision was made to check the goal for VAR, which saw the goal get ruled out. The reason why USMNT’s lead didn’t stand was due to a foul during the build-up. A New Zealand player was reportedly caught between two USMNT players, which was considered illegal blocking.

Upon initial look, it might not appear to be a significant issue, but many would still view it as a borderline or questionable decision. However, had it been given in the USA’s favor, then surely things would have been different in the aftermath. Sadly, the controversial call did affect the score line as the visitors held them to a 1-1 draw. Varas and Co. found a replacement for their disallowed goal through Christian Pulisic’s late strike in the second half.

Sadly, poor defending saw them concede a silly goal in the final minutes of the game. In an attempt to clear the long ball that came floating from the Kiwis’ own half, Ben Waine’s untimely deflection gave Matt Turner no chance whatsoever to save it.

However, had Pepi’s goal would have stood, then USMNT could have won the game. This has angered fans, who can’t understand the controversial call from the official.

USMNT fans seek a valid explanation on Ricardo Pepi’s disallowed goal!

It wasn’t just the players who raised their hands in confusion after the goal was ruled out as it infuriated many fans watching the game. The majority of netizens decided to express their anger on X and took a dig at the ref for disallowing the goal.

This fan made a strong suggestion by stationg it was clearly was not a foul. Rather, it’s yet another instance of the USMNT bearing the brunt. As we said, we are no expert and would surely like to keep this decision in gray area.

There have been various opinions regarding the use of Video Assistant referee (VAR) in soccer. The majority of supporters, pundits, coaches, and even players have opposed this controversial technology. So, was today’s incident involving Ricardo Pepi’s goal yet another example of the negative impact it can have on the game? This fan thinks so.

As we mentioned before, we are no expert but this seems to be a gray call. Another reason why this decision was in the favor of the USMNT is because the assistant referee didn’t raise his flag in the first place, not before the shot was taken or after it went back out of the net. Rather, the referee decided to rewind the decision with a brief discussion with the linesman.

Seems like Selvin Antonio Brown Chavarria owes some kind of an explanation to the American fans. Even if the reason for the match official to turn down this goal was due to the rival player getting sandwiched during the build-up, that solely doesn’t address the exact cause of denying the goal.

Apparently, this isn’t the first time USMNT has been the scape goat for such controversial decisions. Just months ago, they were caught up in a similar drama that ensued during the Copa America final group stage fixture against Uruguay. At that time. referee Kevin Ortega was the target of fans and players as Gregg Berhalter and Co.’s journey came to end.

These were just some of the glimpses that showcase the dedicated fans unleash their fury at today’s match officials. It remains to be seen whether the referee Selvin Antonio Brown Chavarria will explain his decision in the aftermath. For now, we would like to know your thoughts in the comments.