Since the debut of Video Review in MLS there have been three goals disallowed after the head referee has had a chance to consult the video replays.
Two of the three goals called back were scored by FC Dallas.
And for the second straight weekend, it was FC Dallas forward Maxi Urruti who saw a goal taken off the board, this time in a 0-0 draw against the Colorado Rapids.
One week after a foul by fellow forward Cristian Colmancancelled out his goal against Philadelphia, on Saturday it was another foul by a teammate that erased a potential Urruti goal as FC Dallas saw their winless streak reach three matches.
“This is very subjective,” FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja said when asked about the goal called back. “It’s happened twice already to us. I said last week, and I say it today. We have to buy into it. What I want is to make things clear.”
Following the Video Review by referee Alan Kelly in first-half stoppage time, it was deemed that FC Dallas defender Atiba Harris committed a foul on Colorado Rapids forward Dominique Badji during the attacking phase of play leading up to Urruti’s goal, thus negating the goal.
The foul was not originally called during the run of play and the ball reached FC Dallas forward Colman in the center circle. Seconds later he served it up to Urruti, who beat Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard. When Video Review determined there was a foul in the attacking phase of play, the goal was erased.
"It looked like a blatant foul from our point of view,” Rapids defender Jared Watts said postgame.
Colorado Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni felt the foul “was called correctly” to disallow the FC Dallas goal, but he also indicated that he would have liked to see Video Review used in a second instance during the first half.
In the 31st minute the Rapids' Badji fell in the box after another challenge from Harris. And while all potential penalty kicks are checked, that specific play did not earn a recommendation for a Video Review for a potential clear and obvious error committed by the referee.
“There was a penalty kick that didn’t get reviewed,” Mastroeni said about the play. “Without a shadow of a doubt, it was a penalty kick on Badji in the box."
The fact that neither side could break the deadlock in the second half meant that Video Review later became a talking point in both locker rooms following the match.
“It’s difficult,” FC Dallas midfielder Mauro Diaz said. “That’s the second goal [Video Review has] taken away from us. But those are the rules of the game. Each game is more technologically advanced and reviewed. There aren’t any more barriers, no more mischief. So we have to get used to today’s rules.”
