A failure of the SAOT system in VAR proved decisive in Getafe's 1-0 win over Malaga this Sunday at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. The technology, which automatically draws offside lines, malfunctioned during a review of a disallowed goal for the Andalusian side before halftime, forcing match officials to perform the line-drawing manually and prolonging the wait.
The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) confirmed the incident in an official statement. The body explained that, after a goal by the Andalusian team disallowed for offside in the latter stage of the first half, it was necessary to draw the lines manually due to a dysfunction in the SAOT system. The CTA stated that, despite the delay, the validation procedure was correct and the final decision to disallow the goal for an offside position was right.
The play happened with the score still 0-0. A cross from Salinas found Dotor, whose shot ended up in David Soria's net. The offside review was activated immediately, but the automated system failed just as it was about to draw the definitive lines. This setback caused an unusually long pause in the match, keeping the blue-clad fans in the Coliseum stands on edge.
The manual VAR intervention confirmed the offside and the goal was not given. This episode proved key, as shortly after, in the 85th minute, Iván Azón, with an assist from Martin Satriano, scored the only goal of the game. The three points lift Getafe to 17th place in LaLiga EA Sports, with five points from six matches.
The victory provides a breather for José Bordalás's team, ending a run of two league games without a win. The win against Malaga comes at a delicate time, with the team having scored only three goals and conceded seven so far this season. Attention now turns to a monumental challenge: the next fixture away at the league leaders, Barcelona, on October 10th. All information on the Azulones' schedule is available in our fixtures section.
More detail at Mundo Deportivo
