MOSCOW, July 27, Andrey Mikhailov. Former FIFA referee Alexey Nikolaev said in a conversation that the main referee of the Fakel — Akron match should have sent off Voronezh forward Evgeny Markov without outside help.
During stoppage time in the first half, the main referee of the second round of the Russian Premier League (RPL) match Fakel — Akron Evgeny Bulanov, after the intervention of the video assistant referee (VAR) system, changed the decision and showed the home team forward Evgeny Markov a red card instead of a yellow one.
«The only thing I would like is for the referees themselves to make such decisions, because the assistant referee was in an ideal position and saw this moment. The team was obliged to send off Markov without VAR intervention. All the criteria in favor of sending him off were there. I wouldn't say that it wasn't the assistant's fault — they both bear this responsibility,» Nikolaev said.
In the 6th minute of the game, the main referee of the match showed a direct red card to Fakel player Sergei Bozhin. After VAR intervention, the decision was changed in favor of a yellow card.
«An interesting moment happened — initially, from the position occupied by the head referee, it might have seemed that the Fakel player was playing dangerously. The movement towards the hip and knee could have given the referee a reason to show a red card to Bozhin. But if we look at one of the replays that Vladislav Bezborodov had at his disposal in the VAR center, we will see that the contact was glancing, without open studs, pushing and excessive use of force. Vladislav Bezborodov intervened correctly, and Evgeny Bulanov correctly changed his initial decision,» the agency's interlocutor noted.