‘Football has gone mad’ – Fans fume as VAR helps award dramatic late penalty in Portugal draw with Iran

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Portugal were penalised late on against Iran and were held to a 1-1 draw, allowing Spain to top Group B and face Russia in the last 16.

Fernando Santos saw his men take the lead through a brilliant strike from Ricardo Quaresma in the first half, and they looked set to secure all three points.

SEE MORE: Video: Cristiano Ronaldo joins Lionel Messi as Real Madrid star bags unwanted feat with missed penalty in vital clash against Iran

However, in the final minutes of the game, Cedric Soares was adjudged to have committed a handball in the box despite the fact that it didn’t look deliberate in the slightest, leading to a furious reaction from BBC pundits Alan Shearer and Pablo Zabaleta over the decision and the referee.

Nevertheless, the spot-kick was awarded and Iran made the most of the opportunity while threatening late on to score a winner and send Portugal out of the tournament.

The European champions held on for a draw which saw them finish second in Group B behind Spain, and they’ll now face Uruguay in the next round.

As noted in the comments below on Twitter though, fans were fuming with the referee and VAR for the incorrect decision, and it will naturally raise question marks over both moving forward for the duration of the World Cup.

Fortunately from a Portuguese perspective, it didn’t cost them their place in the next round, but having now drawn Uruguay next instead of Russia, arguably the tougher assignment, it remains to be seen whether or not it will haunt them.

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