European soccer weekend roundup: VAR takes center stage in the Premier League as title race heats up

This weekend in European soccer saw VAR take center stage, especially in the Premier League, as Liverpool maintained a narrow lead over Manchester City in the title race. Both teams emerged victorious, with hard-fought 2-1 wins that underscored the intensity of their competition.

Manchester City faced a challenging match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium. The game took an unexpected turn when Jørgen Strand Larsen put Wolves ahead just seven minutes into the match. City, however, quickly responded; defender Joško Gvardiol leveled the score with a stunning strike into the top corner just after the 30-minute mark.

Despite relentless pressure from City, Wolves seemed poised to hold on for a vital point. However, in dramatic fashion, John Stones scored the winning goal in the 95th minute, converting a corner from Phil Foden. Initially, the goal was ruled out for offside against Bernardo Silva, who was deemed to be obstructing Wolves goalkeeper José Sá. Yet, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was awarded, as replays showed Silva was out of Sá’s line of sight when Stones made contact.

Stones defended the decision, stating it was “the right call,” while manager Pep Guardiola expressed confusion over the initial offside ruling. In contrast, Wolves’ manager Gary O’Neil voiced his frustration, recalling a similar incident from last season where a goal was disallowed against West Ham under comparable circumstances. “I would rather not discuss it because it will still sound like I am making excuses,” O’Neil said. “But it did feel like a harsh one.”

With City’s victory putting pressure back on Liverpool, the Reds faced a resilient Chelsea at Anfield. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with a penalty just before the half-hour mark after Levi Colwill fouled Curtis Jones in the box. Referee John Brooks awarded Liverpool a second penalty just before halftime, this time after Jones was brought down by Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Robert Sánchez. However, this decision was overturned following a VAR review, which showed Sánchez had touched the ball.

Chelsea equalized shortly after the break, with Nicolas Jackson finding the net just three minutes into the second half. His initial goal was disallowed for offside, but VAR confirmed its validity, keeping the match level. Liverpool responded swiftly, regaining the lead just three minutes later. Jones showcased his skills, controlling a cross from Salah and sliding the ball past the advancing Sánchez, igniting celebrations at Anfield.

In La Liga, Barcelona maintained its lead at the top of the table with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Sevilla. Goals from Robert Lewandowski and young star Pablo Torre, along with a strike from Pedri, pushed Barça’s tally to 33 goals in just 10 league matches this season. Their fierce rivals, Real Madrid, faced a tougher challenge against Celta Vigo, where Vinícius Jr. netted a late winner in a 2-1 victory after Celta had equalized following Kylian Mbappé’s opening goal.

In the Netherlands, Ajax had a rollercoaster of a match against Heracles, ultimately winning 4-3. The game featured one of the season’s most stunning goals, with Heracles forward Mario Engels lobbing Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer from well inside his own half after capitalizing on a misplaced pass. Despite the highlight-reel goal, Ajax secured the win thanks to Wout Weghorst, who converted a penalty eight minutes before the final whistle.

As the European soccer season progresses, the stakes are rising. The drama surrounding VAR decisions and the ongoing battle for league supremacy highlights the competitive nature of these leagues. With Liverpool and City neck-and-neck, and Barcelona looking strong in La Liga, fans can expect more thrilling matches in the weeks to come.