USA received an unusual reprieve during their opening World Cup game against Paraguay as captain Tim Ream had his yellow card overturned following an intervention by VAR.
USA were leading 3-0 when Ream chased Paraguay winger Miguel Almiron towards America’s byline. Almiron went to ground and Ream was shown a yellow card for his challenge, but replays showed there was no contact between the pair and that Almiron had dived.
The game was paused as “VAR check – mistaken identity” flashed up on giant screens around the SoFi Stadium. And after the Dutch referee, Danny Makkelie, consulted his pitchside monitor, he rescinded the yellow card shown to US defender Ream and instead issued a yellow to Almiron for simulation.
The moment was bizarre. VAR interventions are not allowed for correcting yellow cards and are restricted to moments in the game involving goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identity. But this appeared not to be a case of mistaken identity but simply a mistake by the referee in his reading of the incident.
“I don’t believe there’s any contact,” explained former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, speaking on ITV. “Because he’s cautioned Ream, he can go for mistaken identity and go to caution Almiron.”
The Independent has contacted Fifa for comment on the incident.
It came after a perfect first half by the Americans. An own goal by Damian Bobadilla gave the US the lead, before two goals by Monaco striker Florian Balogun extended their advantage before the break, much to the joy of most of the 70,000 fans inside the stadium.
