The Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hà Nội will install a video assistant referees (VAR) for upcoming matches in the final round of 2022 World Cup qualifiers. AFP/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — Video assistant referee (VAR) technology will be applied at the Mỹ Đình National Stadium for the matches of Vietnamese team during the final round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, according to the Việt Nam Football Federation.

This will be the first time, in the history of Vietnamese football, that VAR will be used domestically. 

The Việt Nam Professional Football Jointstock Company (VPF) had made efforts to apply VAR in the V.League 1, but the high cost and skills required to operate VAR have not been present in Việt Nam until now. 

At the 2019 Asian Cup finals, the Vietnamese team had the opportunity to experience VAR. In the quarter-finals against Japan, VAR helped Việt Nam avoid conceding a goal when midfielder Maya Yoshida let the ball touch his hand in the penalty area before scoring for Japan. On the flipside, however, shortly after, the VAR found midfielder Bùi Tiến Dũng had fouled Ritsu Doan in the penalty area. In the final, Việt Nam lost to Japan 0-1.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regulations state that all matches in the third and final round of World Cup qualifiers in Asia will use the VAR technology.

The installation of the system at Mỹ Đình Stadium will be supported by the AFC’s partners.

Việt Nam will play in Group B along with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and Oman who are all vying for a spot at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

If the V.League 1 continues to take place in August, the Vietnamese team will gather from August 24. If the tournament does not take place, the squad will gather earlier.

Việt Nam will meet Saudi Arabia on September 2 in the Middle East and then return home to host Australia at Mỹ Đình Stadium on September 7. It will be the first time VAR has been used in Việt Nam. — VNS