Penalty Pandemonium and Politics

 

5 games into the tournament, 5 penalties awarded. Should this be a paradigm for the whole event, I would hope England have been practicing.

Of the 5 penalties awarded - one in every game so far - only 2 have been converted (Australia, Switzerland), 2 have been saved (Canada, Spain) and one missed (New Zealand). Penalties awarded, as a metric, stands at 100% (for the tournament and in matches so far) whilst conversion rate only 40%. At this rate, there will be 64 penalties - not even including post-match penalties - to which statistics suggest only 25 (approx) will be successful. 

Both host nations were awarded penalties in their opening fixtures. Most penal situations have required VAR justification to be awarded rather than being afforded by JUST the gaze of the referee. If a penalty claim warrants VAR - seemingly EVERY claim - the outcome is almost inevitable. Whether righteous, contentious or soft. Perhaps this is but a sign of pressure to deliver spectacle and entertainment to the billions watching; watching the biggest Women's World Cup in the tournaments history. Regardless of the phenomenal technology available to assist judgement, dubious decisions continue to dictate.

If consistency is key - for players, staff and all - this will be a World Cup decided by penalties. Domineered by the VAR jury (of pitch-space and game-time). As to whether this trend is beneficial, and to whom exactly are the beneficiaries of VAR's authoritarian grip, remains a matter of ambivalence and ambiguity; just cause for review.