VAR overturns Sabadell penalty, but Baena double seals 2-1 win

Sabadell won their match 2-1 thanks to a Baena brace, despite the cancellation of a penalty that prompted controversy. The explanation centred on the point of contact with the hand, which was judged to be in an area where handball is not punishable.

After a Baena cross, Olatz Rivera awarded Sabadell a penalty for a handball by Carlos Hernández inside the area. VAR then asked the referee to review the incident, and the penalty was eventually overturned. The decision came with the score at 0-0, after just ten minutes of play.

In the exchange between Olatz Rivera and the video room, VAR explained its intervention: “The point of impact is in a non-punishable area.” Rule 12.1 of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) says that, to clearly establish a handball offence, “the upper limit of the arm coincides with the bottom of the armpit”.

The overturned penalty did not stop Sabadell from taking all three points: Baena scored twice in the 2-1 win.