Referee forced to receive police escort after controversial VAR call in Asian Champions League

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Martin Macdonald | Writer

Content writer covering football, formula 1 and movies

An Asian Champions League match descended into chaos on the pitch after a controversial VAR call from the referee led to the official having to receive a police escort off the pitch.

The match in question was the semi-final between Japanese side Machida Zelvia and Dubai-based outfit Shabab Al-Ahli.

Machida Zelvia were leading 1-0 heading into the dying minutes only for Al-Ahli to score a dramatic equaliser, or at least they thought.

A wonderful goal from Guilherme Bala catalysed huge celebrations as they kept their Champions League hopes alive, but those hopes were soon dashed after VAR ruled it out.

In the opinion of the Video Assistant Referee and then the main official, the goal was scored after Al-Ahli restarted the game via throw-in while Machida Zelvia were in the middle of making a substitution.

A melee ensued with Al-Ahli players surrounding the referee. Goalkeeper Hamad Al-Meqbaali was sent off and head coach Paulo Sousa charged down the tunnel in a rage before the final whistle sounded.

Sousa said post-match:

"There was a goal that was scored and then it was cancelled - this is a very technical mistake by the referee.

"Unfortunately, this is what is turning football into rubble. It was a big mistake to choose this referee for this match.

"We deserved to be in the final and we deserve to play this important game."

The referee, Shaun Evans of Australia, had to be escorted off the pitch by police as missiles were thrown from the crowd.

Machida have never played in the competition before 2025/26 and now find themselves in the final, where they will play defending Asian Champions League champions Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia).

Al-Ahli reached the final after beating Vissel Kobe, with Ivan Toney scoring the winner.

75% of fans don't want VAR

According to a survey by the Football Supporters Association in England, 75.5% of fans answered "No" when asked, "When taking all things into consideration, do you support the use of VAR in football?"

Eighty-six per cent expressed concerns about VAR's powers being increased further.

The FSA found that:

- More than nine in ten fans (91.7%) said VAR had removed the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations.

- Only 3.3% of fans stated that the matchgoing experience is better with VAR.

- The majority (58%) of fans wanted to retain the in-stadium announcements from referees.

- A hypothetical challenge system, whereby VAR interventions would be limited per game, had the support of almost half (47.2%) of supporters.

- Only one in five fans (20.8%) said they backed the expansion of VAR to check if corners had been correctly awarded.

“These findings back up the FSA’s previous survey in 2021, where fans expressed misgivings about the introduction of VAR," The FSA’s Premier League network manager Thomas Concannon said.

“The vast majority are reporting the same concerns five years on – the loss of spontaneity when celebrating goals, and an overall worsening of the matchgoing experience.

“We have shared the survey results with the Premier League and PGMO, and look forward to discussing its findings with them.”

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