Kelechi Iheanacho makes history with first Video Assistant Referee goal in FA Cup

Kelechi Iheanacho became the first player to score a goal decided by video assistant referee in the FA cup third round replay.

Iheanacho opened the scoring, with a beautiful strike from Islam Slimani’s pass. The main talking point of the game came when the Leicester city striker initially had a goal disallowed for offside from Riyad Mahrez’s through ball. Referee Jonathan Moss consulted with video official Mike Jones, who told him that the defender had a trailing foot kept Iheanacho onside, and the goal was awarded 67 seconds after the consultation. The score ended 2-0 and earned a brace for Iheanacho, and a tie at Peterborough in the next round.

VAR first Major Test

That was the third time the video assistant referee has been used as a trial in English football this month, after Brighton v Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and Chelsea v Arsenal in the Carabao Cup. In both games, VAR was used. January 16 2018 has become a landmark date for English football like the first penalty shootout, or first substitute.

 

Iheanacho makes the difference.

Nigeria striker Iheanacho, 21, has not been given the chance to prove his £25 m summer move from Manchester City. He has only played a total of 403 minutes before the game against Fleetwood, but has impressed during his little cameos.

Prior to his two goals against Fleetwood, he had scored one goal against Leeds in the English Football League Cup in October.He did a great job in the match against Fleetwood, opening the scoring with their first shot after converting a pass from Algerian Slimani. He then played in Slimani with a great ball over the top, but the Algerian put the effort wide. Iheanacho did well for his land marking and historic goal, when he ran on to Mahrez’s through ball before cheeping the ball over keeper Chris Neal. Fleetwood were dangerous in some spells, but in the end the quality of Iheanacho was too much for them.