Switzerland fury at 'unacceptable' VAR law as Argentina reach World Cup semi-finals

Switzerland manager Murat Yakin has branded a new VAR law “unacceptable” after Breel Embolo’s contentious sending off contributed to his side’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina, with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scoring in extra time to send the South Americans into the semi-finals.

The flashpoint arrived just five minutes after Dan Ndoye had equalised to cancel out Alexis Mac Allister’s first-half opener. Referee Joao Pedro Silva Pinheiro initially booked Argentina’s Leandro Paredes for a foul on Embolo, only for replays to show there had been no contact and that the Rennes forward had dived. VAR directed the referee to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, whereupon Pinheiro applied a rule introduced ahead of this tournament — booking Embolo for simulation and, with the Swiss forward already on a yellow card, reducing Switzerland to 10 men.

Yakin did not hold back in his post-match assessment. “There was definitely no reason to award a yellow card. It was a harmless situation. He should have let play continue. We were punished because of a rule that is unacceptable,” he said. “I don’t understand it. The fact that they intervened unnecessarily is extremely hurtful. It’s a rule that has nothing to do with football. It destroyed our game today.”

The Swiss held on through the remainder of normal time before Alvarez and Martinez broke their resistance in extra time. Yakin, reflecting on what might have been, added: “Football didn’t come out on top, we were punished by a referee mistake. I didn’t know this rule before — it’s a very harmless situation. It was a very meaningful moment for us and it was decisive for the outcome of the match. We missed this opportunity; we’re not going to the semi-finals, but I think we deserved to be there.”

Midfielder Remo Freuler was equally scathing, describing the decision as a “disaster”. “I don’t know what this referee is doing here,” Freuler said. “I don’t understand why they call it for a situation like this, because there were many fouls made also in the first half. How can a VAR change a game with this situation?”

The incident has reignited accusations that Argentina are benefiting from favourable officiating at this World Cup, following several contentious decisions during their last-16 win over Egypt. Yakin stopped short of alleging bias, saying: “I wouldn’t say they are being favoured,” but maintained that the referee’s intervention was both unnecessary and decisive.