The Big Moment that Never Was for Wolfsberger vs Tottenham

At 49:36 on the clock Carlos Vinicius was heading the ball down into the turf and into the net for Spurs second on the night against Wolfsberger. That goal capped a wild minute of end to end action that could have changed the momentum of the tie but instead sealed the visitors fate and a Tottenham Hotspur win.

One Crazy Minute for Tottenham Wolfsberger

It was 48:36 into the match and Spurs had just turned the ball over as Sissoko did not note the clues and missed that Dele was going to dummy the ball to him. As Wolfsberger countered Matt Doherty – already on a yellow – came slide in from the side.

Fortunately for both Doherty and Tottenham, the wing back got the ball and Spurs were on the run. As Erik Lamela turned the ball over in the box, just moments later, Wolfsberger were coming back at Tottenham.

The Wolfsberger center back who had dispossessed Lamela was free to dribble up the pitch from inside the penalty box to the midfield semi-circle without one Spurs player doing anything about it. as Harry Winks stood thinking about what to do, the long ball went over the top and past both Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier.

Cheikhou Dieng was behind Spurs defense and looked to be in on goal. As Dieng touched the ball and looked to cut back toward the middle of the field just above the penalty box, Dier flashed behind and down the Senegalese went at 48:51.

A different Senegalese striker might have gotten the call, but the referee was unmoved as Hart stood there as Alderweireld collected the ball and went up field.

Dieng jump up with arms held out wide as if to say what’s going on but play continued.

The referee gave no free kick, did not do the get up move as if to say it was a dive and we did not see video of the hand to the ear. As play continued Tottenham moved back up the pitch. As the announcer notes the trouble Eric Dier would have been in had a free kick been given Spurs continued to move up the pitch.

The letters VAR were never mentioned but certainly someone, somewhere at UEFA headquarters was playing the tape back to see.

There were a couple ways VAR could have or have not intervened

Since no penalty was blown and the play was outside the box, presumably VAR had no jurisdiction. Alternatively, VAR does have the ability to review conduct for potential red cards. Given this was potentially a clear goal scoring opportunity – hence would have been a red card had a foul been blown – VAR had all rights to review the play.

Regardless VAR could not stop the action for the official review, rather had to wait for a dead ball and this was to Tottenham’s advantage.

Dele got the ball out wide left and played it up to Davies. Davies played it back to Dele and then Dele played the cross over to Vinicius for the goal. It was 49:36 on the clock, less than a minute since Doherty’s questionable tackle, Lamela’s turnover, and then the subsequent whistle that wasn’t with Dier and Dieng seemingly coming together.

Now the ball was dead and Spurs had scored, for VAR to call back action at this point and take the goal away was going to set a precedent that is best left for another day.

Tottenham have to do better

Did Doherty commit a foul? No, but it was not a smart tackle and he needs to avoid dumb mistakes.

Did Dier commit a foul? Not officially but the more times you see the play the more it seems like he clipped him a little. That said, Dier is more consistent than less and has been on the tough end of a couple bad calls, so he probably was due.

Ultimately this play is like so many others that will be a forgotten moment among many in a game. While a decision in one direction could have changed the entire match with Spurs potentially a man down, no whistle led to the coffin in Wolfsberger’s nail.

Sometimes things go with you and sometimes they do not. Maybe that play was some of the luck José Mourinho was talking about recently, where on a different day with a different referee things could have gone south quickly. Instead, Spurs played on and finished the game with the ruthlessness we are all looking for. Hopefully we see a lot more of that and less moments to remember to forget.