Liga MX ask CONCACAF to analyze officiating and VAR decisions in Leagues Cup
Liga MX has released a statement asking CONCACAF to analyze the officiating and video assistant referee (VAR) procedures at the conclusion of the inaugural Leagues Cup.
The tournament is a World Cup-style competition between all 29 Major League Soccer (MLS) teams and all 18 Liga MX sides. Liga MX, along with MLS, is a tournament organizer. Leagues Cup is a CONCACAF-sanctioned competition.
The statement read: “We’ll follow the upcoming games closely, focusing on the refereeing and VAR, something that we have already brought up with the Leagues Cup Organizing Committee, before the start of the round of 16. The objective is to make CONCACAF aware and for them to undertake the necessary analysis.”
The statement did not provide an example as to why Liga MX has asked for increased scrutiny on the officiating or VAR decisions. The statement, though, was released a day after Mexican powerhouse Club America were eliminated in a round of 16 penalty shootout to Nashville SC. America had won the shootout 5-4, which led to rapturous celebrations from the America players, staff and their thousands of fans in attendance.
However, after a lengthy delay, VAR officials made the decision to replay the penalty. America goalkeeper Luis Malagon had stepped off his line with both feet to make what was thought to be the game-winning save. Nashville converted the replayed penalty and later won the shootout.
America is one of the most popular Liga MX brands in North America. They’re among the most supported clubs both in Mexico and the U.S. and were a favorite to win the Leagues Cup. Their shock elimination, and the overall perception from Mexico that the tournament has heavily favored MLS teams, prompted Liga MX president Mikel Arriola to ask for changes for next year’s edition.
In Mexico, the tournament has been criticized by fans and sectors of the Mexican press, mainly because the tournament is played entirely in the United States and Canada. No games were played in Mexico, which has given MLS clubs a competitive advantage.
“I think that will be determined during the analysis of what occurred from a sporting perspective, and what we have to do in order to have those alternatives,” Arriola told TUDN, the tournament’s Spanish-language rights holder. “We’ve been able to hear the fans who have complained about their teams playing as the visitors and they’ve complained the entire time about the refereeing and VAR. The Leagues Cup dual committee has to listen to those voices in order to represent our clubs. We’ll lean on that analysis to make modifications next year, especially so that the playing field is more even.”
On the same night that Club America were eliminated, Liga MX regional rivals CF Monterrey and Tigres UNAL played to a 0-0 draw in Houston, until a 90th-minute penalty was awarded to Monterrey. That decision also required a VAR decision. Former Real Betis playmaker Sergio Canales, Monterrey’s new star signing, converted the penalty that qualified Monterrey to the quarter-finals.
Following the match, Monterrey sporting director Jose Antonio Noriega criticized the tournament’s organizers for their decisions to force Mexican sides to travel throughout the U.S. for Leagues Cup matches.
“We are honestly very disappointed and very concerned,” Noriega told reporters after the match. “We have a lot of players with knocks. I haven’t confirmed this but I was told that Tigres and Monterrey are the two teams who have had to travel the most. Monterrey travel to Los Angeles to face defending MLS champions LAFC on Friday, a match that was originally scheduled for Saturday.
“It’ll be our fifth game while LA(FC) will be home with their players eating dinner with their families every night, going to the movies, resting,” Noriega told reporters. “So much more organization is needed. Things have to be more fair. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but if we advance after LA, I guarantee we’ll have to fly to the other side of the country. It’s crazy. There’s so much that needs to be improved and hopefully they do that, because this is not good at all.”
The Athletic has contacted CONCACAF for comment.
