Soccer
Cesar Peixoto laments lack of Championship VAR after Birmingham goal controversy
Wolves head coach Cesar Peixoto lamented the absence of VAR in the Sky Bet Championship after Jay Stansfield’s goal for Birmingham in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at St Andrew’s.
Replays suggested Stansfield may have controlled the ball with his arm before rifling into the roof of the net to make it 1-1 midway through the first half.
Peixoto said: “I don’t blame the referees because they don’t always see, but VAR is very important to be more fair in the game.
“We don’t have VAR in the Championship but I think it’s very important to help referees make the best decisions.
“I saw a handball and on the screen I saw handball, but the referee didn’t whistle and that’s it.”
Wolves right-back Jackson Tchatchoua’s own goal will live long in the memory after he hooked past goalkeeper Jose Sa to make it 2-2.
But Peixoto, who confirmed the arrival of free agent winger Bertrand Traore, defended the Cameroon international, saying: “I don’t want these kind of mistakes, but Jackson didn’t do it on purpose.
“We have to stay together to help him improve because he has done a great job in the last few games.
“Today he made a mistake but his team-mates helped him and fought for him and the dressing room stayed with him.
“I will never put the blame on one player. It can happen – in the same way Adam Armstrong missed in the box.”
Birmingham manager Chris Davies disagreed with Peixoto over the handball controversy.
He said: “I thought it was Jay’s side that controlled the ball.
“I’m not a fan of VAR, but it’s for offsides and goal-line technology.”
West Brom striker Aune Heggebo was suspended for two matches for “deceiving a match official” after handling when scoring against Norwich last month, but Davies insists no retrospective action should be considered against Stansfield.
“No, I don’t think so,” he added. “I think this is a really different situation. I don’t know if it is handball. That would be unnecessary.
“The game’s the game and, if anything, we should have won it.
“I said to the players, I will always be content with that spirit. I will be astonished if Wolves aren’t in the top four with their quality.”
Unbeaten Blues had owner Tom Wagner back in the directors’ box for the first time since he had a stroke in February.
Davies said: “He has been through an awful lot but his recovery is progressing well and it was a case of us taking a lot from him being here today.”
Wolves led in the third minute when Fer Lopez tapped home Rodrigo Gomes’ cross, before Stansfield thundered home the equaliser in the 22nd minute following Patrick Roberts’ chip.
The visitors regained the lead in the 31st minute when Ladislav Krejci headed home after Andre flicked on Hugo Bueno’s corner, only for
Tchatchoua’s mistake to gift Blues an equaliser on 36 minutes.
Both sides also hit the bar before Wolves’ Adam Armstrong missed a sitter to win it.
