Brighton fans were left furious after VAR ruled out Kaoru Mitoma’s goal against Tottenham in their recent match. The Japanese winger had scored a crucial goal in the 16th minute of the game, which would have brought Brighton level with Tottenham after Son Heung-min’s brilliant strike in the 10th minute. However, VAR ruled out Mitoma’s goal, as he was judged to have controlled the ball with his arm. Fans of the South Coast side were outraged at the decision, arguing that replays suggested the ball hit Mitoma’s chest rather than his arm.
Some fans even argued that Brighton should have been awarded a penalty, as Cristian Romero had shoved Mitoma before he got to the ball. One fan tweeted, “Wonderful goal from Mitoma ruled out for handball, outrageous decision to rule it out.” Another commented, “This is outrageous… Romero pushed Mitoma and you can argue it was more chest than arm + the missed handball from earlier.” A third fan wrote, “It’s a penalty if not a goal, Romero clearly pushed Mitoma lol.” Another fan said, “Mitoma goal should’ve stood btw.”
Brighton did manage to get back level as defender Lewis Dunk headed home after being left unmarked during a corner. However, in the second half, Danny Welbeck had a goal ruled out for handball by VAR. To make matters worse for Brighton, Harry Kane scored the winning goal for Spurs in the 79th minute.
The game’s start was delayed due to a technical problem, and while this was going on, the two opposing managers, Roberto De Zerbi and Cristian Stellini, also seemed to row on the touchline before the match kicked off.
Overall, Brighton fans were left feeling robbed of a crucial goal and potentially even a penalty. The use of VAR continues to be a contentious issue in football, with many arguing that it disrupts the flow of the game and can lead to unfair decisions.