Spain 1 USA 2        24 June 2019

VAR decisions are proving to be quite influential in the outcome of football matches in this world cup.  USA’s advance to the quarter final, at the expense of Spain provided VAR controversy over the awarding of a second penalty.   Contact by the Spanish defender Virginia Torrecilla was confirmed and even though Rose Lavelle fell to the ground, she was going away from goal and unlikely to produce a shot on goal.   But, this kind of detail is no longer relevant with VAR.   There was contact in the box – penalty.

This interpretation of the awarding of penalty kicks has huge implications for defensive technique.  Defending will be much more like defending in basketball in the future.   Here, a defender is deemed to have control of space that is confined to an imaginary cylinder; arms must be by one’s side and legs must be in their customary shoulder-width stance.

In basketball, the significance of body position is more to do with an arm coming out of this cylindrical space.   In football, it is legs that are likely to protrude with the intention of winning the ball.   In both sports now, if contact occurs when defenders have moved a limb outside of this cylindrical shape, the onus is with the defender, not the attacker.

The reality of football in the future with VAR is, as soon as a defender’s leg is extended to meet the ball, the player is potentially risking the awarding of a penalty kick.  There is always the option of a clean contact on the ball but attacking players will now, with the advent of VAR, be looking to contact the out-stretched leg.

The mantra for a defender of not trying to win the ball is going to be more important than ever.  Defenders must resist the temptation of trying to win the ball in favour of a more “shepherding” role to make sure they stay with the attacker and maintain a goal side position.

The defensive technique for this is quite different.   John Terry, the former Chelsea stalwart, has spoken about the technique adopted by some teams in Europe, “You have to move like a crab moving sideways.   You cannot afford to try to win the ball, they are too quick”.   MOTD2 4-11-18.   This theme has been discussed in a former blog: What’s basketball got to do with it?

Spain had earlier cancelled out USA’s first penalty of the game when Jenni Hermoso capitalised on an error by Becky Sauerbrunn who was trying to play out from the back.   Both spot kicks were scored by Megan Rapinoe to put the Americans through.   The defending champions now face the hosts, France, in Paris on Friday.