HÀ NỘI — Referee Nguyễn Đức Vũ has been suspended from the second round of V.League after he allegedly made two serious mistakes against Quảng Ninh Coal on Sunday.

Vũ ignored two penalty shootouts for Quảng Ninh Coal, who were leading 2-3, in a match against Hà Nội FC at the Hàng Đẫy Stadium.

In the first instance, the game was in the 89th minute when Jardel Capistrano was faulted in the box. Vũ pointed to give a penalty to Quảng Ninh Coal but then changed his mind and let the game continue.

Three minutes later, during extra time, Quách Tân went down in the same area, but Vũ did nothing.

Quảng Ninh Coal lost the game, and its president Phạm Thanh Hùng made a formal  complaint to the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) and the Việt Nam Professional Football Company, co-organisers of the tournament.

The referee stole not only goals but also the season’s first win from his team, Hùng said.

VFF said Vũ, who has a FIFA certificate, would be banned from the next round, while he waits for the federation’s final decision.

This is not the first time that Vũ has taken wrong decisions. In the 2011 season, he recognised a goal for Long An team but under heavy pressure from SHB Đà Nẵng’s players and fans, he changed his mind.

In 2014, he did not take suitable action though players of Hải Phòng and FLC Thanh Hóa almost came to blows on the field.

Last year, Vũ is said to have sworn at and threatened Hoàng Anh Gia Lai players in a match against FLC Thanh Hóa.

Now, Vũ has set a record as the first referee to be suspended at such an early round this season. — VNS