A-League: Video-assisted dismay as Western United end in scoreless draw with Melbourne Victory

Western United’s Besart Berisha and Dylan Pierias each had a ball in the net before both goals were deemed off-side in a draw with Melbourne Victory.

Besart Berisha, centre left, of Western United celebrates after scoring a goal only for it to be overturned by VAR during the A-League match against Melbourne Victory on Saturday. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Football is well and truly a game of inches. Western United’s scoreless draw with Melbourne Victory on Saturday proved that as, not once but twice, they were denied by VAR.

Western United’s Besart Berisha and Dylan Pierias both had the ball in the net either side of halftime but, after review, both goals were deemed off-side to cap off a frustrating afternoon at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

Victory’s makeshift attack caused issues early and they could have been ahead inside 10 minutes when Brandon Lauton’s effort rocketed off the post.

Western thought they had the lead in the 35th minute as former Victory marksman Berisha turned home Connor Pain’s cross.

However, after VAR intervention it was disallowed because of Pain being a fraction off-side.

Mark Rudan’s side continued to push in the second-half as Italian sensation Alessandro Diamanti grew into the game before a crowd of 7016.

Diamanti was supremely unlucky not to score at least once in the space of five minutes with his two efforts slamming the woodwork.

Only minutes later, his pass found substitute Pierias in behind the Victory defence who placed the ball into the net.

Once again, Western were denied by VAR (video assistant referee) after he was deemed off-side.

Against the run of the play, Victory could have had a winner of their own had it not been for Filip Kurto, whose save parried Birkan Kirdar’s goal-bound effort.

Saturday marked a special day for one of the A-League’s longest tenured players.

Western United defender Andrew Durante played his 400th Australian League game spanning a twenty-years in both the NSL and the A-League becoming the seventh player to achieve this feat.

The 38-year-old put in a trademark shift leading from the back and helped his side keep Victory at bay.

NCA NewsWire