VAR drama is never far from football, and it was on full display yesterday as Bodø/Glimt secured a 2-0 victory over Sandefjord in the Eliteserien.
Bodø is making a determined effort to return to the top of the league standings, and a win against Sandefjord was a necessary step toward achieving that goal. As one of the leading clubs in Norwegian football, expectations were high for a dominant performance, and they did not disappoint in terms of overall control and attacking intensity.
VAR Interruptions Dominate First Half
Bodø had the ball in the back of the net as early as the twelfth minute, when Kasper Høgh thought he had opened the scoring. However, VAR intervened, and the goal was ruled out for offside. Just before half time, Høgh once again found the net, only for the effort to be ruled out following another VAR review for offside.
The interruptions did not end there. Between those two disallowed goals, Høgh managed to score twice more, and incredibly, both of those goals were also ruled out for offside. That meant the Danish forward saw four goals disallowed by VAR in the first half alone, an unusually high number in any professional fixture.
These repeated interventions turned what should have been a routine first half for Bodø into a contentious and unusual one, highlighting just how influential the video review system has become in modern football. While VAR is intended to ensure fairness, it also adds a level of frustration and unpredictability to the match.
Bodø Seals Win Despite Early Frustrations
Despite the setbacks, Bodø remained focused and eventually found a breakthrough in the second half. They managed to score twice without further controversy, securing a deserved victory and maintaining momentum in their campaign to return to the summit of the Eliteserien.
After the match, Høgh addressed the unusual series of events in an interview with TV2, stating:
“It’s just funny, but it’s only fair with VAR, they judge offside, that’s how it is. The first two I was frustrated with, then I had to pull myself together. Fortunately, it’s not offside on a penalty.”
The match may have ended in victory, but it will be remembered most for the sheer volume of disallowed goals and the increasing presence of VAR in shaping key moments of the game.
