VAR luck for Dortmund against St Pauli? Kovac gives his view | OneFootball

After a late VAR intervention, a penalty decides the game in favor of BVB. St. Pauli struggles with the decision, while Niko Kovac shows understanding for the frustration.

A late VAR intervention, a penalty in stoppage time, and much frustration for the loser. Borussia Dortmund's 3-2 victory against FC St. Pauli has sparked an intense debate. The central question was whether the decisive contact at the edge of the penalty area actually occurred within the box. Additionally, there was discussion about whether BVB was ultimately favored by the decision.

The trigger was a scene in the fourth minute of stoppage time. After a duel between Ricky-Jade Jones and Maximilian Beier, referee Harm Osmers awarded a penalty following a VAR review. Emre Can took responsibility and confidently converted to make it 3-2 – his penalty marked the late decision.

At St. Pauli, frustration prevailed afterward. Coach Alexander Blessin clearly criticized the evidence from the video footage: “I haven’t seen any camera angle that can prove it,” he said at the press conference, openly questioning the millimeter decision. Despite the late equalizer to 2-2, his team ended up “with zero points” – bitter considering their performance.

BVB Coach Kovac Assesses Controversial Scene

A second scene also sparked discussions. In the early phase, Dortmund's central defender Nico Schlotterbeck intervened robustly at the sideline. Blessin spoke of a foul “ankle-high” and saw the criteria for a dismissal fulfilled – a decision that, in his view, additionally influenced the course of the game.

BVB coach Niko Kovac defused the debate and showed understanding for the visitors' displeasure. “I am the happy one, he is the sad one. I can totally understand that,” Kovac explained, while also emphasizing how difficult it was to assess the scene from his own position. He did not question the contact, but rather the exact classification: “Whether it was inside or outside, I cannot judge.”

In the end, it was a spectacular Bundesliga evening with many emotions and a decision that will likely be discussed for some time. While Dortmund collected important points and looked forward, St. Pauli left the pitch feeling disadvantaged at the crucial moment.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.