Super sub! Manolo Gabbiadini is awarded a goal AFTER he has been subbed off the pitch thanks to lengthy VAR intervention in Sampdoria’s 3-1 win over rivals Genoa
- Manolo Gabbiadini is awarded a goal for Sampdoria after he was substituted
- The striker scored but a VAR decision over offside took an extremely long time
- During the review Gabbiadini was subbed, and then the goal was given to him
Scoring a goal after you have been substituted used to be an impossibility in football. That is, until Manolo Gabbiadini managed it for Sampdoria.
The former Southampton striker created his own piece of somewhat farcical history on Friday night as Sampdoria beat local rivals Genoa 3-1, when he was awarded a goal after he had left the pitch thanks to a VAR intervention that took an age.
Sampdoria were already 2-0 ahead – with Gabbiadini registering the opening goal – when a long through ball was played over the top to forward Francesco Caputo.
Manolo Gabbiadini was awarded a goal after being subbed in Sampdoria’s 3-1 win over Genoa
Gabbiadini (centre) waited for a lengthy VAR review to end before celebrating on the sidelines
He carried the ball and drove towards the box, before pulling back for Gabbiadini to hit a shot on target that was cruelly deflected past Genoa goal-keeper Salvatore Sirigui.
However, the goal was ruled out for offside against the initial pass to Caputo, and the VAR officials took several minutes to assess the situation. In that time, Gabbiadini was substituted immediately after putting the ball in the back of the net.
With his replacement Valerio Verre on the pitch, Gabbiadini was stood waiting on the sidelines when the VAR overturned the original decision and the referee awarded the goal to the 30-year-old.
Gabbiadini also scored the opener in Sampdoria’s convincing win over their bitter local rivals
When the television replays showed the VAR decision, Caputo looked quite clearly onside, leading to questions as to why the VAR review had taken so long.
That unsurprisingly became a secondary concern to Sampdoria fans and players, who celebrated wildly with a pleased but slightly bemused Gabbiadini.
The win moves Sampdoria into 14th place in Serie A, while Genoa remain in trouble just one place above rock bottom.