Anorthosis has reacted strongly to the refereeing and the use of VAR in yesterday’s (September 5) 3-1 loss to Apollon, as part of the second matchday of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan. In an official statement, the Famagusta-based team highlighted three incidents which, it claims, directly influenced the course and final outcome of the match.
“Kyriá” refers to decisions that raised reasonable and serious questions. At the same time, it announced that it will submit specific details regarding the events to the relevant bodies of the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), requesting appropriate explanations.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In detail: “The three plays that determined the outcome of the match cannot go unnoticed.
In the lead-up to Apollon’s second goal, the dangerous tackle on our player, Andreas Chrysostomou, was not deemed a foul by the referee or the VAR. In contrast, on the goal scored by our team’s player, Alesio Da Cruz, even though the referee did not rule that a foul had occurred at the start of the play, VAR intervened, ruling that a blatant error had been made, and called on the referee to review the play. This discrepancy in judgment raises legitimate questions.
Similar concerns arise regarding the penalty kick awarded to the opposing team. Contacts of this kind occur frequently during a match. Here, however, the foul was called with remarkable ease and absolute certainty.
These were three decisions that directly and decisively influenced the course and final outcome of the match.
The overall management of the match by the referee and VAR did not rise to the occasion. The differing assessments of similar or critical plays, all of which had a decisive impact to the detriment of our team, raises reasonable and serious questions, to which we expect clear answers from the relevant authorities.
To date, we have consciously chosen the path of seriousness and responsibility, with our primary concern being the protection of the sport and the maintenance of a healthy soccer environment.
Anorthosis will present the facts of what occurred to the relevant bodies of the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), backed by concrete evidence, and will demand appropriate explanations.
From now on, we will exhaust every means at our disposal to defend the team and its interests, with zero tolerance for decisions that do it an injustice.”
