VAR and Those 2 AM Moments: When Justice Never Sleeps

I remember that night in Haiphong, March 2026, when everyone had gone home and the stands were empty. I was still sitting in front of the VAR screen. The 78th minute of the AFC Cup group stage match between Haiphong FC and Ceres-Negros. Fidelis Ikiri, the visiting team's striker, had just scored an equalizer at 2-2. No one on the pitch saw anything unusual. But the camera never blinks.

I spotted him standing 0.3 meters offside before touching the ball. A seemingly meaningless distance, but in football, a single millimeter can change a team's destiny. I sent the signal to the referee, the goal was disallowed. The match ended 2-1 in Haiphong's favor. I received no praise from the coaching staff because they didn't know I had intervened. And that's how it should be.

Ten years after that night, I still work in the shadows of sport, where justice is measured in pixels on a screen and every decision can determine an entire season.

Vietnamese Football at a Major Crossroads

The 2026-2026 V.League has witnessed the rise of highly promising young talents. Clubs like Hanoi FC, Haiphong, and Binh Duong have invested heavily in youth development systems. Players aged 18 and 19 are being given opportunities to play earlier than ever before. But along with this rejuvenation comes unprecedented pressure on their young shoulders.

In this context, the role of referees and VAR has become more important than ever. They are not just the ones controlling the match; they are the final layer of protection for fairness on the pitch. Every wrong decision not only affects the match result but also leaves scars in the minds of young players still learning to build their careers.

I have witnessed 19-year-old players being criticized by an entire nation for missing a crucial penalty. They were blamed for everything under the sun on social media, but no one asked whether VAR had done its job properly. That is the gap I always try to fill in my writing.

The Hidden Corners of the VAR Room

This season, I have closely followed 47 matches using VAR in the V.League. Among these, 12 controversial situations were analyzed in detail, with 4 cases where I believe VAR's decisions needed reconsideration.

What's worth noting is that VAR is not always wrong. In reality, the accuracy rate of VAR in professional leagues has increased significantly in recent years. The issue lies in how we read and understand those decisions. There are offside errors that the naked eye cannot see, but the camera never blinks. Conversely, there are decisions that are correct according to the rules but the audience's emotions still cannot accept.

I have learned to live with moments like these. Throughout 25 years of following the sports industry, I have witnessed too many cases where justice was misjudged due to lack of information. That's why I always try to provide complete context before making any judgments.

The Biggest Mistake Is Not the Whistle, but Not Owning Your Whistle

In 2026, at the Round of 16 of the World Cup in Russia, the Spain vs Russia match, I was one of three VAR analysts supporting the main referee. In the 42nd minute, I failed to spot the ball hitting Gerard Pique's hand inside the penalty area. I missed a small detail, leading to an erroneous decision that affected the entire match.

For three weeks, I reproached myself, reviewing all 64 matches of the tournament, noting every VAR situation. I didn't share my feelings with colleagues. But eventually, I wrote a series of articles analyzing the hidden corners of VAR on my personal blog, where I acknowledged my own mistakes. That article helped me build credibility as an honest writer who doesn't shy away from my own errors.

That experience shaped my writing style to this day. I never blame players or coaches without reviewing all evidence from camera angles and observation points. And I am always ready to make corrections if my judgment is wrong.

Protecting the Young Talent Generation

In March 2026, when the pandemic forced football to pause, I was analyzing VAR for the V.League. Haiphong FC fell into a financial crisis, with three key players demanding to leave. In that context, I discovered a 17-year-old talent with good technique but prone to psychological issues.

Instead of writing articles criticizing the team's poor performance, I quietly sent a strengths analysis report about that boy to the technical director, and suggested conditions for him to train separately with the U19 team. Six months later, he made his debut and scored an important goal that helped the team avoid relegation.

That story taught me a valuable lesson: football is not just about winning and losing on the pitch. Behind every match are people trying their best, and sometimes they just need someone to believe in their potential to change everything.

Refereeing Trends and Improvement Proposals

In recent years, the VAR system in Vietnam has made significant progress. However, there is still much to be done to ensure maximum fairness in matches.

First, it is necessary to strengthen training for VAR referee teams, not only in technical skills but also in psychological pressure management. Second, the VAR decision-making process needs to be made more transparent so that audiences better understand how the system works. Third, there needs to be a feedback mechanism so that controversial decisions can be reviewed publicly and fairly.

The referee is the only person on the pitch not allowed to pick a side. And I stand behind them, not to protect them from criticism, but to ensure that justice is served properly, whether or not there are cameras.

When everyone blames the 19-year-old player, the person sitting in the VAR room must stand up. That is not my duty as an analyst, but it is my responsibility as someone who has witnessed too much injustice in sport.

Every week, I still sit in front of the screen, reviewing each frame, searching for moments that others miss. Some nights I work until 2 or 3 in the morning, when everyone else is asleep. And I never complain about it. Because justice never sleeps, and neither do I.