Morocco manager Chamed Ouahbi made history during his side’s dramatic U-20 World Cup semi-final victory over France, becoming one of the first coaches to use FIFA’s new “review request card” system.
The North Africans secured their spot in the final after a tense penalty shoot-out, with third-choice goalkeeper Abdelhakim El Mesbahi emerging as the hero. El Mesbahi, who had not featured earlier in the tournament, used a water bottle marked with details of France’s penalty takers, a tactic that paid off spectacularly.
But one of the major talking points came during normal time when Ouahbi produced a purple review card after his side’s penalty appeal was waved away by referee Gustavo Tejera. The coach challenged the decision using the new Football Video Support (FVS) system, a simplified alternative to VAR designed for competitions with limited resources.
According to FIFA, FVS aims “to democratise football by making video review technology available” at all levels. The system allows only head coaches to request reviews in specific situations, such as penalty calls or red cards.
FIFA’s refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina said: “FVS is a tool to support referees in competitions with fewer resources and cameras. It should not be seen as VAR or as a modified version of it.”
Following its successful test in Italy’s Serie C, the FVS technology is now on trial in international youth tournaments. Morocco will face Argentina in the U-20 World Cup final on October 19.