VAR intervention overturns penalty decision in Karmiotissa vs Omonia match

During the 5th round of the Cypriot championship match held on October 9, 2026, at the Stelios Kyriakidis Stadium, a significant officiating decision occurred during the game between Karmiotissa and Omonia.

In the early stages of the match, referee Antonis Konstantinidis initially awarded a penalty kick in favor of Omonia following a challenge by Garcia on Tankovic inside the penalty area. However, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team, led by Marios Antoniou, intervened to review the sequence of play. It was determined that a handball by Omonia player Montnor had occurred prior to the foul. Following an on-field review at the monitor in the 13th minute, the referee overturned his original decision, canceling the penalty and awarding a foul against Omonia instead.

This incident highlights the application of the VAR protocol in the Cypriot league to address missed infractions. The match continued following the restart, with the officiating team adhering to the ruling that an offensive handball negates the subsequent foul.