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Why Son Heung-Min was booked as penalty goal was disallowed in crazy VAR-filled first half

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Why Son was booked as penalty goal was disallowed in crazy VAR-filled first half — Son was booked (Picture: Getty Images)

Where to start with this FA Cup tie?

It’s been VAR galore in the first half of Tottenham Hotspur’s fifth round replay against Rochdale at Wembley, with Spurs having TWO goals chalked off.

The first saw Fernando Llorente penalised in controversial fashion for *tugging* a Rochdale defender back to convert a parried Son Heung-Min shot.

Though it was frustrating for the Premier League giants, Son did put them in front with a fine strike to assert their dominance over the League One side. For the time being, at least.

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Not long later, VAR was back in action to award a penalty for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, for a foul on Kieran Trippier.

Son stepped up to take it, stuttered slightly and placed the ball into the bottom right corner.

However, the referee, using VAR as a handy confirmational tool, ruled out the goal and booked Son.

Former referee Chris Foy, working as a pundit for BT Sport, explained, saying: ‘It is what they call illegal feinting.

‘He is quite rightly carded. The decision is right albeit unpopular.’

It was certainly unpopular with Spurs fans, who were going crazy at the constant use of VAR, and to add insult to injury, Rochdale levelled minutes later as Stephen Humphrys slotted past Michel Vorm.

In the second half, things started to go Tottenham’s way. Llorente grabbed a 12-minute hat-trick, while Son scored his second of the night.