Refereeing Department: 'Debast deserved second yellow'

OTHER The Professional Refereeing Department discusses three phases from Anderlecht's match against Zulte Waregem in its analysis of the 13th matchday. According to the Refereeing Department, both Timothy Derijck and Zeno Debast should have been given a red.


The first phase he discussed is the phase around the penalty kick that Fabio Silva converted. The Refereeing Department argues that Silva's goal was first rightly disallowed for offside and that it was correct to then give Anderlecht a penalty kick for an earlier foul by Derijck. However, the latter had to be red for serious foul play.

The second phase to be addressed was the withdrawn red card for Debast in the added time of the first half. "The Professional Refereeing Department agrees not to give a red card for this contact, but does expect a yellow card for the Anderlecht player for reckless arm contact," it reads. That would have been Debast's second yellow of the match. So really it was supposed to be ten against ten at half-time.

Finally, the Professional Refereeing Department shed light on Kristian Arnstad's exclusion. "Tambedou holds Arnstad, who responds by hitting the Zulte Waregem player's face with his left arm," it reads. "The referee decides to give a red card to the Anderlecht player for violent behaviour. This is a correct VAR intervention and final decision."