10 Talking Points From The First Round Of World Cup 2018 Group Games

There was a lot of talk about the inclusion of video assistant referees in this summer's tournament, with many fans and analysts fearful that the new technology could slow down the pace of the games, confuse the spectators, and hamper the atmosphere of matches.

Fortunately, VAR hasn't really caused any of those issues just yet. In fact, it's mostly been a great addition to the tournament, helping to overturn some bad decisions and award a few penalties that might not otherwise have been given, like in the Group F clash between Sweden and South Korea.

When it has been used, VAR hasn't slowed down the games too much at all, and it provides a bit of peace of mind to spectators to know that each decision is being double and triple-checked to ensure that the games remain relatively fair.

However, the system can't escape criticism entirely. The first penalty to be awarded with VAR, for France against Australia, was a real close one to call, and some decisions have been highly controversial. In England's game with Tunisia for example, Harry Kane was hauled to the ground in the box twice and no calls were made for the referee to award a penalty.