The FIFA World Cup saw the first reversal of VAR’s mistaken identity in the USA-Paraguay clash

Tim Ream of the United States (AP Photo) The United States opened their World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-1 win over Paraguay at the SoFi Stadium on Saturday, but the game will also be remembered for a ground-breaking VAR decision involving defender Tim Ream.The incident took place in the second half when Dutch referee Danny Makkelie showed Ream a yellow card after appearing to decide the 38-year-old had fouled Paraguay captain Miguel Almirón. Moments later, however, confusion spread through the stadium as VAR came into play despite the resulting free kick having already been taken.Players from both sides, match officials and spectators were left to wait as Makkelie viewed the footage on the pitch monitor. After reviewing replays, the referee overturned his initial challenge, withdrew Ream’s yellow card and instead booked Almirón for simulation.This decision marked a historic first at the FIFA World Cup. It was the first occasion that VAR was used to correct a mistaken identity booking under the tournament’s revised rules. FIFA’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, previously backed the expanded use of VAR and recommended that officials be allowed to review second yellow cards and sending offs due to mistaken identity. While second yellow cards are generally reviewable, first warnings are traditionally outside the purview of VAR.The unusual stoppage did little to affect the hosts, who produced an entertaining and dominant display under Mauricio Pochettino in front of a lively home crowd.The breakthrough came early on when Paraguayan midfielder Damian Bobadilla inadvertently turned Weston McKennie’s cut-back attempt into his own net. The Americans continued to push forward and were rewarded by Folarin Balogun who doubled the lead before adding another goal before the break.Balogun’s brace helped the United States cement a 3-0 halftime lead and also earned him a place in the record books. The forward became only the second American player to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match.With a convincing win and a memorable VAR milestone, the United States enjoyed a near-perfect start to their World Cup journey.