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VAR enjoys smooth debut in FA Cup as lack of drama shows system’s benefits | Amy Lawrence

Glenn Murray’s late goal was reviewed by the VAR in a quick and accurate fashion as the technology enjoyed a low-key, trouble free first match on English soilFor the grand arrival of VAR in English domestic football there ought to have been a fanfare of whistles, a cheerleading display of referee’s assistants waving flags and the two groups of players drawing rectangles instead of the pre-match handshake. As it turned out the handy monitor on the touchline waited, tucked on its stand, quietly inactive, like an unplugged robot, a few yards to the left of the managers’ technical areas. But if that is the glitzy side of VAR, the drama for all to see if and when a referee chooses...

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Video assistant referees: everything you need to know

VARs have been used in major European football leagues and international tournaments as part of an ongoing trial, but some players remain unconvincedA video assistant referees, or VAR, is set to feature in an official game in the United Kingdom for the first time on Friday, as England host Germany in a friendly at Wembley. The system is already used in several high-profile leagues, but the ongoing trial has not gone totally smoothly. Here is the lowdown on football’s next big technological step: Related: The Recap: sign up for the best of the Guardian's sport coverage Related: The Fiver | Another major triumph for masculinity in 2017 Continue reading...

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