Late in the day on Saturday striker Adriano Bertaccini looked to have rescued a point for Sint Truiden. The Canaries had been piling the pressure on Standard Liege throughout the second half. Goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo then made a crucial mistake for the hosts, mis-controlling a ball over the top and then, when trying to keep it in play, ended up being tackled by the striker who celebrated what he believed was the equaliser.
However, VAR overruled the decision, stating that Bertaccini was in an offside position. While the striker had been offside when the ball was played over the top, yet Epolo’s actions, according to the refereeing department, meant that a second phase had begun and thus the striker was offside. As a result, the club have filed a formal complaint. What the club hope to achieve from this is unclear, but it is the latest in a string of similar complaints that have occurred during the Belgian Pro League under the period of VAR.
Bertaccini himself may well be frustrated if, come the end of the season, he misses out on the top scorers award by one goal. The striker is currently level on goals with Genk’s Nigerian forward Toluwalase Arokodare.
