BREAKING NEWS: FULL TIME 2-1,FIFA finally award Kieran Tierney goal as Error was made in the VAR review – Congratulations Arsenal fans

Arsenal celebrated taking the lead against Brentford on Saturday night thanks to Kieran Tierney – but their joy was short-lived as the new semi-automated offside system finally adopted by the Premier League this week made its presence felt at the Emirates Stadium

Tierney looked rather sheepish as he found the net following Ethan Nwaneri’s delicious cross, a sign that the Scotland international knew he was perhaps in an offside position. However, the on-field officials initially allowed the effort to stand.

However, when VAR got involved, making use of the newly-adopted technology, Tierney’s effort was swiftly cancelled out. Arsenal fans made their feelings on the decision known, jeering as it was ruled out – despite it being correct.

A statement from the Premier League Match Centre on social media declared: “VAR checked the referee’s call of goal – and established that Tierney was in an offside position and recommended that the goal was disallowed.”

The Premier League announced in the build up to the weekend’s fixtures that it would finally be making the move to using semi-automated offsides.

The technology, which was originally intended to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks in October or November, eventually made its debut in English football in seven of the eight fifth-round FA Cup ties at the start of March.
Following additional non-live testing in the Premier League, SAOT, using virtual offside lines and graphics along with optical player tracking for those watching at home or in a stadium, has now made its way to the top division in England.

Using 30 cameras around a stadium, the technology is set to be used in close offside decisions and, like VAR, will help confirm or suggest a change to the on-field decision made by the referee.

The Premier League has worked with Professional Game Match Officials Ltd and Genius Sports to develop the technology. Speaking in February, Premier League chief football officer Tony Scholes said the system was “the most accurate and the most future-proof” available.
The introduction of the **Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT)** into the Premier League has already made an impact—most notably in the Arsenal vs. Brentford match, where **Kieran Tierney’s goal** was ruled out after a VAR review confirmed he was offside.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what happened and what it means going forward:

### **What happened in the match?**
– **Ethan Nwaneri** provided a great cross, which **Tierney finished**, putting Arsenal briefly ahead.
– Although the goal stood initially, **Tierney himself looked unsure**, hinting he might have been offside.
– **VAR intervened**, and with the help of **SAOT**, confirmed the offside.
– The goal was disallowed, prompting **frustration from Arsenal fans**, though the decision was **correct** based on the data.

### **What is SAOT?**
– SAOT uses **30 cameras** to track players and the ball with **precise optical technology**.
– It generates **virtual offside lines** in real time, with **automated alerts** sent to the VAR team when a player is offside.
– Graphics are provided for **TV audiences and stadium screens**, improving transparency.
– It reduces **VAR delay times** and increases **accuracy**, especially in marginal offside calls.

### **Why now?**
– The tech was initially tested in **FA Cup fifth-round ties** and had **non-live tests** in Premier League stadiums.
– Following successful trials, it has now been **officially adopted**.
– The Premier League teamed up with **PGMOL and Genius Sports** to develop and roll out the system.

### **What does it mean for fans and players?**
– Expect **quicker, more accurate offside decisions**.
– There may still be **controversy**—as seen at the Emirates—but the **margin for human error is reduced**.
– The game experience will slowly adapt, just like it did with traditional VAR.

It’s a big step forward for officiating in English football, even if it takes some getting used to. Would you want to see this tech expanded further—for handball, fouls, etc.?