Chelsea boss Emma Hayes demands VAR in WSL after 3-2 Arsenal loss

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes demands VAR in WSL and says lack of technology makes them ‘feel like second class citizens’ after one of Arsenal’s goals was ‘a yard offside’ in 3-2 win for Gunners

  • Chelsea women’s boss Emma Hayes has slammed WSL’s lack of VAR technology
  • The Blues lost 3-2 to Arsenal after Beth Mead was offside scoring the winner 
  • Hayes denounced feeling like ‘second class citizens’ in the WSL without VAR
  • Matches involving Manchester United and City have seen official controversies 

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes says women’s football should be ‘demanding’ the introduction of goal-line technology and VAR after a controversial goal was scored in the Blues 3-2 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. 

The Blues were beaten by the Gunners in the opening game of the Women’s Super League season on Sunday, but replays showed Beth Mead was in an offside position before she scored the third and crucial goal.

After a weekend of widespread coverage on Sky Sports and the BBC, Hayes said the absence of technology makes the women’s game feel like ‘second class citizens’.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes has slammed the lack of VAR and goal-line technology in the WSL 

Chelsea lost 3-2 to Arsenal after Beth Mead (left) scored the winner from an offside position

‘It’s a yard offside. The positive is there’s goals for fans and a brilliant weekend for women’s football, there’s been good attendances,’ Hayes said.

‘The negative is that by putting our product in such a brilliant place with Sky in particular, it means everybody’s asking the question: “well why don’t we have goal-line technology and why don’t we have VAR?”.

‘I heard before the game that there was conversations around it and that it’s not a priority because it’s really, really expensive and I think we sell our game short.

‘We’ve got used to the idea of VAR and goal-line technology so I feel like not having it in the women’s game feels like we’re second class citizens.’

Hayes praised the new elevated TV status of the WSL and said attendances have been good

Hayes also told Sky Sports after the game: ‘We should be demanding (VAR). We shouldn’t accept lower standards for women’s football, we should expect that VAR and goal-line technology is a part of our sport as soon as possible.’

In the season opener on Friday, Reading could have had an equaliser against Manchester United, with replays showing Brook Chaplen’s shot had probably crossed the line. Instead, the score remained 1-0 and United went down the other end and netted a second five minutes later.

Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor also noted the absence of technology in the women’s game after his side’s 4-0 victory over Everton.

‘We’ve made big steps but we are still dragging our heels on a number of things. Goal-line technology, how hard is that to achieve?’ 

Manchester City Women’s boss Gareth Taylor also hit out at the lack of VAR in the WSL




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