Aston Villa were left fuming after a controversial VAR decision ruled out what seemed like an equalizing goal for Donyell Malen during their match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.
Villa were trailing 1-0 when Malen, a £21.5million signing from Borussia Dortmund, scored a low tap-in after a brilliant cross from John McGinn. However, the linesman immediately flagged for offside, and despite protests, VAR upheld the decision, much to the frustration of Villa players and staff.
The disallowed goal came in the second half when Villa’s midfielder Morgan Rogers was judged to be in an offside position and interfering with play. The key moment was Rogers’ proximity to Wolves’ defender Nelson Semedo, as his position prevented Semedo from challenging McGinn’s cross. The Premier League later clarified the decision through a statement on social media, which explained that Rogers’ positioning impacted Semedo’s ability to defend against the cross.
The controversial decision left Villa set-piece coach Austin MacPhee visibly agitated. He and the team were left wondering whether the offside interference was substantial enough to warrant the goal being disallowed. As the Premier League’s statement outlined, “Rogers was in an offside position and deemed to be impacting the ability of Semedo to play or challenge for the ball.” Many felt the decision was harsh, especially considering the fine margins involved.
Advertisement
Latest Press Conference
We’re on Social Media
The incident began with Leon Bailey playing a short free-kick to McGinn, who found Rogers in space. Rogers made a run into the penalty area, where he came into contact with Semedo. With Semedo distracted by Rogers’ positioning, McGinn was able to pull the ball back for Malen, who was in the right place at the right time to finish. However, the joy was short-lived, and Villa’s hopes of a comeback were dashed.
The debate over the decision continued, with former Manchester City midfielder discussing the impact of Rogers’ run on BBC Radio 5 Live. He questioned whether Rogers had blocked Semedo enough to warrant the offside call, suggesting that Villa’s move was a clever one. Similarly, Sky Sports commentator Don Goodman expressed surprise at the decision, stating that he didn’t believe Rogers’ interference was significant enough to disallow the goal and felt the referee should have been sent to the monitor to review the situation.
Malen Involved in Another Accident
Just five minutes later, Malen found himself at the center of another incident when Wolves’ Toti Gomes went down in the penalty area under challenge from the Dutch forward. VAR checked the incident but upheld referee Andy Madley’s on-field decision of no foul. Wolves eventually sealed a 2-0 victory in stoppage time, with Matheus Cunha scoring a second goal, while Jean-Ricner Bellegarde had opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half.
The game’s outcome and the disallowed goal left Villa fans and players frustrated, with many feeling that the decision went against them. As the Premier League continues to implement VAR, the incident has reignited debates about the consistency and interpretation of offside rulings, especially in crucial moments like this one.
