Favorable refereeing for Argentina: Mac Allister and Martinez spared against Austria

Argentina beat Austria 2-0 on Monday, but the world champions’ victory was eclipsed once again by refereeing controversies, following disputed decisions involving Alexis Mac Allister and Lautaro Martinez.

The first controversy concerns the action preceding Lionel Messi’s opening goal shortly before half-time. Mac Allister allegedly committed a foul from behind on an Austrian opponent, without the referee or VAR intervening. Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was categorical: “I don’t think this goal should have been allowed. Mac Allister committed a foul from behind. It should have been a free kick for Austria. VAR should have intervened to overturn this decision because it was a clear error by the referee.”

In the added time of the first half, a second decision fueled the controversy. Lautaro Martinez was guilty of a gesture on Konrad Laimer — arm to the face and sole from behind — but it was the Bayern Munich player who was sanctioned, not the Argentine striker.

These incidents occur in an already tense context. After Argentina’s first match, marked by a sole from Messi and an elbow from Mac Allister that went unpunished, Algeria filed an appeal with FIFA to denounce the refereeing. According to several sources, FIFA decided to sanction the VAR officials following that match.

Former international referee Saïd Ennjimi sheds light on the mechanisms at play: “Referees receive instructions regarding the protection of playmakers, of which Messi is naturally part. Conversely, when it’s them committing fouls, the Messi case is telling and this decision seems very strange to me, not to say incomprehensible, because any other player would have received a red card for that fairly rough sole on a calf. The instruction to protect playmakers can have a perverse effect when they commit fouls.”

The repetition of these incidents puts FIFA under pressure, as the competition continues and Argentina remains one of the most scrutinized teams in the tournament.