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VAR Controversy: Leeds United's Penalty Denied, Sunderland Awarded

3/17/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel concluded that referee Stuart Attwell erred by not awarding a penalty when Luke O'Nien held back Pascal Struijk, and that Video Assistant Referee should have intervened.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke questioned why VAR did not review the incident.
The match ended with a VAR-awarded Sunderland penalty after Ampadu's handball, a decision the KMI Panel deemed correct, marking Leeds United's first VAR error.

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Story summary

The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel concluded that referee Stuart Attwell erred by not awarding a penalty when Luke O'Nien held back Pascal Struijk, and that Video Assistant Referee should have intervened.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke questioned why VAR did not review the incident.
The match ended with a VAR-awarded Sunderland penalty after Ampadu's handball, a decision the KMI Panel deemed correct, marking Leeds United's first VAR error.