Brazil’s first use of VAR sees red card cancelled

SAO PAULO (AP) Brazil's first official use of video assistant refereeing ended in a cancelled red card in a Brazilian Cup quarterfinal.

The match between Bahia and Palmeiras ended 0-0 on Thursday, with VAR making an impact after 75 minutes.

Referee Anderson Daronco sent off Bahia midfielder Gregore after he pushed Palmeiras striker Arthur in the penalty box in their first-leg match in Salvador.

Warned by VAR officials that Arthur did not have full control of the ball, Daronco reviewed the incident and changed the red card to yellow. The stoppage lasted six minutes.

''If it weren't for VAR I would not go to Sao Paulo for the second leg,'' Gregore said.

Palmeiras' Bruno Henrique missed the penalty.

Daronco issued another red card in the 90th, after using VAR to confirm Palmeiras' Deyverson elbowed Bahia's Eugenio Mena in the face.

''I jumped to head the ball and didn't see him,'' Deyverson said. ''My elbow touches his face, but it wasn't intentional. I apologized. But it is a fact VAR can't see our intentions.''

VAR was also used in three other quarterfinals with no major reviews.

The Brazilian Football Confederation is using up to 16 cameras to help VAR officials. World Cup matches in Russia counted on twice as many.

VAR will be used in all remaining matches of the Brazilian Cup.