The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) confirmed today that the controversial penalty awarded late in last Saturday’s CITY–Vancouver match was given incorrectly. On-field referee Fotis Bazakos initially allowed play to continue after contact between Mykhi Joyner and Mathias Laborda. However, VAR official Kevin Terry Jr. intervened, recommending a review that led to a penalty call—ultimately converted by Thomas Müller for a decisive moment - a moment MLS eagerly exploited on social media and during their broadcast after the 3-2 win by the Whitecaps.
In their weekly feature, The Definitive Angle, PRO stated:
“The contact was incidental. This did not rise to the level of a clear and obvious error, and an on-field review should not have been recommended.”
As of now, MLS has not announced any disciplinary action for Bazakos or Terry Jr. Meanwhile, CITY fans are left questioning why Terry Jr. pushed so aggressively for a reversal - despite PRO’s own admission that there was no clear and obvious error. The motivation behind his insistence has yet to be determined.
