LONDON: In a first for English football, a goal was awarded thanks to the intervention of a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) as Leicester City advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Tuesday.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s deft finish was ruled out by the assistant referee for offside against the Leicester striker in the 77th minute, only for the decision to be overturned and the goal given by the on-field referee about 70 seconds later on the advice of the VAR.

That second goal for Iheanacho when he deftly chipped the ball over the keeper into the net clinched a 2-0 win for Leicester over third-tier Fleetwood Town at King Power Stadium, in one of five third-round replays.

The use of VARs is being trialed in England in the two cup competitions the FA Cup and the League Cup this season, but not yet in the Premier League.

“For this decision, I like [the use of] technology, of course,” Leicester manager Claude Puel said, laughing. “It’s a good thing ... the time was not so long to take the video and take the decision. That was the good thing.”

Former Manchester City youngster Iheanacho had already put Leicester ahead in the 43rd minute at the King Power Stadium, running onto Islam Slimani’s pass and firing home.

Leicester’s reward for a comfortable win against their third tier opponents is a trip to Peterborough, also of League One, in the fourth round.

Premier League side West Ham United needed extra time to see off third-tier Shrewsbury Town 1-0 at home, with 21-year-old Reece Burke smashing a shot in off the crossbar in the 112th minute.

It took more than three hours for West Ham to score against Shrewsbury, with the original match finishing 0-0.

In other results, second-tier Cardiff City earned the right to host Premier League leaders Manchester City in the fourth round after beating fourth-tier Mansfield Town 4-1. Sheffield Wednesday beat Carlisle United 2-0 and will next play Reading, which won 3-0 at home to Stevenage.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2018