Question Number: 35990

Mechanics 8/21/2025

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

Hello

I have a potential DOGSO situation, please.

Video time 1:50 (Malmö vs. Olomouc)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAXtq65Lyao

The referee is called to the video. VAR probably recommends DOGSO and a red card. The referee then decides that it is not a foul.

Q1: Do you think this is a DOGSO situation?
(In case the contact is judged as a foul.) I'm definitely not sure. The attacker is staggering there, it's not at all clear to me whether he would go straight at the goalkeeper alone. The defender actually overtakes him and at the moment of contact he is closer to the goal than the ball. :-)

Q2: Or simply if it's 1 on 1 and the defender is the last player, is it a clear DOGSO if there's a foul?

Q3: Hypothetically based on this situation. Let's say the VAR recommends DOGSO and RC. The referee decides from the video that it's just SPA. Does he proceed with a free kick and a yellow card?

Thank you very much!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
Unfortunately the video is geo restricted and we can’t find another source.
Looking at the UEFA site there is no record of a red card in the game.
So really the only question I can answer is 3
Based on a VAR review it is determined is is not a DOGSO red card without all the conditions being met, the red is rescinded and it is replaced with a caution

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Petr,
it's getting harder and harder for countries to observe
video from other countries they act as if it is classified! sigh
As an armchair referee it's difficult to second guess the 0n-field referee in real time, but since we have no idea what the situation actually involves we're just going on the supposition of the information you've given us.

So your question 1. is we don't know

Based on the information you gave in Question 1. and what you've asked in Qquestion 2. you know yourself what the criteria are correct? You can look that up in the Laws of the Game they are as follows

https://www.refrsports.com/blog/what-is-dogso-in-soccer-denial-of-a-goal-scoring-opportunity-explained


Referees evaluates 4. key factors when considering the criteria for denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity

Distance to Goal

The closer the attacker is to the goal, the more likely the opportunity is considered “obvious.”

Direction of Play

The attacker must be moving toward the goal. If they're heading sideways or away, DOGSO is less likely.

Control of the Ball

The attacker must be in control of the ball or very likely to gain control. A loose or miscontrolled ball may not qualify.

Number and Position of Defenders

If no other defenders are in a position to challenge or block the shot, the opportunity is considered more obvious.

Consequences
Outside the Penalty Area: A DOGSO foul typically results in a red card.

Inside the Penalty Area:

If the defender makes a genuine attempt to play the ball, the referee may issue a yellow card instead of red — this is to avoid the “double jeopardy” of both a penalty and a sending-off.

The referee had to determine if all those are are applicable and that there was an actual foul be it careless or reckless. If it was excessive then DOGSO wouldn't be the issue it would be the violence.

If you're asking is it always red card for DOGSO because there's a foul created by the last defender the answer could be no, even if most likely. You apply the criteria and judge accordingly.

For VAR to intervene it has to see something that it needs the referee to look at, it wouldn't do it otherwise. VAR doesn't usually recommend per say, it let's the On field referee choose based on what the video is showing. If the referee had stopped play awarded a free kick for the foul and showed a red card as play has not yet restarted he still has time to change his mind. VAR doesn't usually interfere in a clear cut situation, it is only when it's ambiguous will the referee decide to have another look at something that he may have missed.

Upon review the referee thinks, "Hmm that is not what I thought it was?", they may change their mind. if he's already shown the red card he may well rescind the red card and proceed with a free kick and show a yellow card for possibly breaking up the attack. Up until the restart occurs he still has the ability to alter a decision but the VAR's job is to ensure the referee has the correct information to make a decision, not to tell the referee what decision he must make.
cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 35991