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VAR Overturns Maddison Goal, Spurs Draw 1-1

5/12/2026

48 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

VAR intervened twice, disallowing James Maddison’s goal and awarding Dominic Calvert-Lwin a penalty.
Mathys Tel opened scoring for Tottenham, and his subsequent clearance struck Ethan Ampadu, prompting the penalty.
Referee Jarred Gillett used the pitch-side monitor to confirm the penalty for Leeds United.
The 1-1 draw on 11 May 2026 left Tottenham two points above West Ham with two games left, giving the Hammers a chance to escape the bottom three.

History

Historical Context

In March 2018 FIFA Council in Bogotá approved VAR for the Russia World Cup, the first tournament with video review. The World Cup checked 335 incidents in the group stage and overturned 14 decisions, cementing VAR as a core tool. That precedent led the Premier League to adopt VAR in 2019-20, and ongoing controversies now drive calls for tighter protocols.

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Story summary

VAR intervened twice, disallowing James Maddison’s goal and awarding Dominic Calvert-Lwin a penalty.
Mathys Tel opened scoring for Tottenham, and his subsequent clearance struck Ethan Ampadu, prompting the penalty.
Referee Jarred Gillett used the pitch-side monitor to confirm the penalty for Leeds United.
The 1-1 draw on 11 May 2026 left Tottenham two points above West Ham with two games left, giving the Hammers a chance to escape the bottom three.

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