Sheffield United: A Disallowed Goal With Its Effects

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - MARCH 23: The Sheffield United club crest outside Bramall Lane, home of Sheffield United Football Club on March 23, 2020 in Leeds, England (Photo by Visionhaus)
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - MARCH 23: The Sheffield United club crest outside Bramall Lane, home of Sheffield United Football Club on March 23, 2020 in Leeds, England (Photo by Visionhaus)
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In Sheffield United’s match against Aston Villa, what could have been the game’s only goal was disallowed.

That disallowed goal will have a larger effect, more than people think. It was later confirmed that the goal being disallowed was a huge mistake.

Sheffield United players and fans were surprised and angered as it should have been a goal. Even Aston Villa’s players were sure it was a goal. After the match, the Premier League apologized for the mistake as this is the first time in over 9,000 matches where this has happened.

Allow me to explain what exactly happened… Oliver Norwood of Sheffield United took the free-kick. It seems to have gone over the head of Orjan Nyland, but he still caught the ball. Then Aston Villa’s player accidentally pushed Nyland into the goal with the ball in his hands.

Sheffield’s players were celebrating while Villa’s players were getting back into position for the kickoff. That’s it, the referee signals that it was not a goal. For a moment, Sheffield United’s players were enraged but quickly had to recover as Aston Villa were back on the attack. Sheffield’s players, coaches, and the manager were all arguing, but it was too late.

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What went wrong?

Well, the first flaw in this situation is not allowing VAR to make a decision. The goal-line technology is separate from VAR and apparently, it was not working. When goal-line technology is used and a goal is given, the main referee will receive a buzz on his watch, alerting him of the goal.

In this match, the referee did not get a buzz on his watch and kept play going. It was later determined that the sensors of the goal-line tech were blocked with so many players in the surrounding area. This was the first time something like this has ever happened.

The second the goal was not given, Twitter immediately blew up. Many fans watching the match were amazed at how a goal was not given. Others saying how VAR should be allowed to make a decision. This is a bad look for the Premier League as there were multiple complications.