Huddersfield Town head coach Andre Breitenreiter has called for VAR to be introduced in the Championship after his side were the victims of a heartbreaking 98th-minute penalty decision in a 1-1 draw with Bristol City.
Nahki Wells, who was Huddersfield's hero of their 2016/17 season in which they were promoted to the Premier League, rescued a point for the Robins as he despatched his 101st minute spot kick, following significant protests in the face of referee Rebecca Welch.
Terriers substitute Ollie Turton was judged to have handled Cam Pring’s cross as he dived across inside the penalty area, with his elbow deflecting the ball behind for a corner. On Robins TV, legendary former City defender Louis Carey branded the decision a harsh one given Turton's elbow didn't appear extended given his body position as he slid on the ground.
Huddersfield had opened the scoring not long earlier in the 81st minute through Josh Koroma who tapped in Jack Rudoni’s blocked effort at the far post and defended well to keep City at bay until the penalty decision.
“You need a VAR in England in the Championship, for sure,” said Breitenreiter, whose previous job was with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, a league which has had VAR since 2017/18. “Maybe it takes some more minutes but you have correct decisions and so we should’ve won here 1-0. It’s never a penalty so I disagree with the penalty decision.
“We always have Premier League discussions about how long it takes but we want to have fair football and a fair decision, and this was unfair. It was unfair for the boys, and they cannot understand it.”
When the concept of having VAR in the Championship was put to City head coach Liam Manning, he said: "If it helps, definitely. VAR is an interesting one but if you look at it in terms of some of the results then of course it helps the game but, in other ways, some of the decisions, processes and time it takes, that still needs amending.
"I think it will eventually come in just because of what's on the line and the investment - we're ultimately staging one of the richest games in sport in the play-off final; when there's that much on the line, you have to be getting things right.
VAR has been in place in the Premier League since the 2019/20 season but outside of last year's play-off finals the EFL have elected not to introduce it into the Championship, League One or League Two, with cost thought to be the primary factor.
City's only experience of VAR this season has been in the FA Cup ties against West Ham and Nottingham Forest with Divock Origi's opener at the City Ground in the fourth round replay a decision that led to a considerable period of deliberation before it was awarded.
Robins defender George Tanner said: "I think I'm quite happy without VAR at the minute. I feel like in the Premier League it slows the games down quite a lot and I have no issues with the referees at the minute and the way the games flow.
"We've not really experienced it that much but when we played Forest away there were a few decisions where you're just stood around waiting for a decision and it can be a bit of a pain."
Huddersfield players and fans were significantly aggrieved at the full-time whistle, with boos ringing from the Atyeo Stand and Terriers winger Sorba Thomas displaying his thoughts to the officials as they headed down the tunnel.
Breitenreiter joined the visitors in February after Darren Moore was dismissed and has had a tough task on his hands keeping them in the Championship. The draw in BS3 leaves Huddersfield in 22nd place, on 44 points and in the relegation zone, a point behind Birmingham City and two behind Stoke City and QPR above them.
Had the Terriers managed to see out the victory and taken all three points away from Ashton Gate, they would be out of the relegation zone at the expense of Birmingham. It was a vital two points snatched from their grasp in one kick of a ball.
“[Turton] is disappointed and frustrated because it was no penalty,” added Breitenreiter. “It was under one metre [away], and it was not the hand in the air like an unusual situation; it was on the back. I’m not sure if it’s really handball.
"It doesn’t matter if it’s in the first, the 60th or the 98th minute, but when you give a penalty in the 98th minute… it must be 150 per cent sure. And she said yes, it was for sure 100 per cent and she was clear. But it’s OK and it’s really good to have a conversation after the game but it doesn’t change.
“The boys played really well over 90 minutes today and now they are crying in the dressing room really because they cannot understand it.”
Breitenreiter had sought out referee Welch after the final whistle to discuss the decision and ask more questions over her performance. Manning confessed he hadn't watched the clip back but stated it was a "brave" call given the circumstances while Tanner, who had a good view of the incident, was confident it was a penalty and also claimed he said some Huddersfield players had also agreed with the decision.
“When you see the situation of the penalty," Breitenreiter added. "David Kasumu was lying with cramp on the ground. She stopped every moment when a player was lying on the ground but why didn’t she stop this attack? I don’t know."
City experienced an off-day on Saturday afternoon in comparison to recent results and performances, particularly off the back of such an emphatic 5-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers in midweek. Huddersfield had more shots (13 to City’s nine) and did well to hit the Reds on the counter-attack, which is subsequently from where their goal was sourced.
“Really good, really organised,” Breitenreiter said. “We pressed at the right moments, and you heard the crowd at half time, they weren’t satisfied with the performance of Bristol City. We did it really well and we started again aggressive and as a unit and the second half. We deserved to go into the lead and then we defended well.
“They worked hard, they also played good football. Maybe we should score a second goal.”
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