VAR Overrules Twice, Disallows Jazira's Goal Against Al Ain

A rare refereeing incident unfolded during Saturday's Al Ain vs Al Jazira match when Spanish referee Gil Manzano had to review the same play twice using VAR technology before ultimately canceling Al Jazira's potential winning goal. The match ended 1-1 at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, with Al Ain maintaining their league lead despite the dramatic finish.

The controversy erupted in the 87th minute when Al Jazira thought they had scored a 2-1 winner through striker Simon Banza after a collision with substitute goalkeeper Hassan Sani. Manzano first consulted VAR and awarded the goal after his initial review. But less than 30 seconds later, before play could resume, the referee returned to the monitor to check for a foul at the start of the attacking move. This time, he reversed his decision and canceled the goal.

This marked the second time in the match that Banza had a goal ruled out by VAR. His first strike came in the 45+2 minute of the first half, only to be disallowed after video review. The double VAR review of the same incident represents an unprecedented situation in the UAE Pro League.

The match drew approximately 10,000 spectators for the eighth round fixture of the ADNOC Pro League. Al Ain opened the scoring in the 20th minute through Matias Palacios with a powerful shot from outside the box. Al Jazira equalized in the 36th minute via Bruno de Oliveira.

The first half's closing minutes provided plenty of drama beyond Banza's disallowed goal. Goalkeeper Khalid Eisa saved a penalty that was awarded after VAR review, denying Ibrahim Adel's spot kick in the 45+1 minute.

The result keeps Al Ain at the top of the table with 20 points, maintaining a two-point advantage over Al Wahda, who drew 1-1 with Dibba on Friday. Al Jazira moved to 14 points in fifth place. Both teams exchanged attacks throughout the second half, but the scoreline remained unchanged after Manzano's controversial double review.

The incident highlights the growing influence of video technology in football, though the referee's unprecedented need to review the same play twice raises questions about the clarity of VAR protocols in complex situations.