Penalty and VAR Drama as Atlético held by Rayo
Late spot-kick from Radamel Falcao denies Atlético after controversial earlier penalty awarded thanks to Video Assistant Referee
Rayo Vallecano and Atlético Madrid played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Estadio de Vallecas on Monday night, with a late penalty from Radamel Falcao cancelling out an earlier spot-kick awarded to Atlético thanks to VAR.
The visitors took the lead in controversial circumstances in the first half when VAR intervened to award a penalty for a handball by Rayo defender Florian Lejeune. Antoine Griezmann stepped up to convert the spot-kick, but Rayo fought back bravely after the break and were rewarded when Falcao levelled from the spot in the 80th minute.
The result leaves Atlético in fourth place in La Liga, two points behind leaders Barcelona, while Rayo are up to ninth.
Key Moments
*Expert Analysis
The match was a tale of two halves, with Atlético dominant in the first half and Rayo the better side after the break. Atlético will be disappointed not to have taken all three points, but Rayo deserve credit for their fighting spirit.
The use of VAR was again a talking point in the match, with the penalty awarded to Atlético a particularly controversial decision. It is clear that VAR is still a work in progress, and there will need to be greater consistency in its use if it is to be fully accepted by fans and players alike.
Reaction
"We are disappointed not to have won the match, but we have to give credit to Rayo Vallecano," said Atlético coach Diego Simeone. "They played very well in the second half and deserved a point."
"We are very happy with the point," said Rayo coach Paco Jémez. "We showed great character to come back from behind against a very good team."
Comments