Not everything that feels wrong is incorrect according to the Laws of the Game. To be fair, that tackle looked messy in real time, but the key facts make the referee's call (and VAR's non-intervention) defensible. The first contact was outside the box, so it simply couldn't be a penalty even if there was contact.
The initial contact is what matters
People focus on the trailing leg and the moment Moore went down, but the rules look at the sequence. If the defender's first contact was a foul and that contact was clearly outside the penalty area, then we're not talking about a spot-kick. You can see why fans get frustrated — it feels like a foul — but location matters. Referees and VAR have to be sure it was inside the box to award a penalty. If there's any doubt or the footage is inconclusive, the benefit of that doubt goes the other way.
VAR limitations and double jeopardy
VAR isn't some catch-all. It only intervenes for clear and obvious errors on certain match-changing incidents, and it won't upgrade an incident to a penalty if the initial contact was outside the box. Also, a player who makes a genuine attempt to play the ball isn't automatically sent off because of the double jeopardy principle. You can foul and concede a penalty, but if the tackle was an attempt to play the ball and not reckless violent conduct, the red card can't simply be handed out on that basis.
Clear goal-scoring opportunity and context
There’s always the question of denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, but context matters. In this case there was a defender closing in from the left and the shot was from the edge of the box. A strike from that distance with another defender getting tight is often judged a low-probability chance. Players aren’t sent off every time someone is fouled while shooting from distance. So, as much as it rankles, the officials seem to have applied the laws consistently.
I didn’t like the outcome either, but you can see why the referee and VAR stayed where they did. The decision sits within the Laws of the Game, even if it leaves a sour taste for supporters.
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