River demanded a penalty against Tigre for a kick on Ángel Correa: the controversial play the referee Gariano did not call and VAR did not review
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- River Plate players and staff protested a missed penalty call against Tigre, arguing a foul on Ángel Correa was clear.
- The referee did not award a penalty, and the VAR did not intervene, drawing criticism from the club.
- Coach Eduardo Coudet and players like Lucas Beltrán and Nicolás Otamendi expressed frustration over the decision and other officiating calls.
River Plate's dugout erupted in disbelief and protest during their match against Tigre after a clear foul on Ángel Correa inside the box went uncalled. Coach Eduardo Coudet repeatedly questioned the fourth official, asking if the incident was truly not a penalty, while Lucas Beltrán stated, "It was a clear penalty."
Wasn't it a penalty? Are you really not going to look at it?
The controversial moment occurred in the 38th minute of the first half. Replays showed Nahuel Banegas's left leg making contact with Correa's right calf as the latter entered the area following a pass from Beltrán. While some might debate the severity of the contact or whether Correa initiated his fall, the action appeared clear enough to warrant at least a VAR review.
It was a clear penalty.
From Ezeiza, VAR official Yamil Possi decided against intervening, a decision widely seen as a significant error. River players immediately claimed a penalty upon Correa's fall, and their conviction grew after reviewing replays on a tablet. Substitute Rafael Santos Borré urged his teammates to insist on the call.
It was a penalty, ask for it.
Gonzalo Montiel and Nicolás Otamendi approached referee Gariano, who signaled "play on" after consulting his earpiece. The frustration mounted later in the half when Aníbal Moreno cleanly dispossessed Jalil Elías, yet Gariano called a foul and booked the Tigre midfielder. Otamendi confronted the referee at halftime, questioning their professionalism and the inconsistency of the calls, particularly the unreviewed penalty versus the questionable foul and yellow card.
Are you professionals or not? You have to resolve things properly, not just anyhow. You won't look at the penalty and then give a yellow card for something that wasn't even a foul.
Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.