World Cup 2018: 5 key takeaways from the Mundial so far

#2 Impact of VAR

VAR has made an immediate impact on play

The use of VAR was a much-debated topic going into the World Cup and the opening week has done little to quell those doubters with plenty of controversial decisions which proved to be game-changing questioning the need for such a system.

France owed both their goals in the 2-1 win against the Socceroos to technology with Griezmann awarded the first ever penalty at a WC via VAR which polarized fans and pundits.

The impact of VAR can be judged on the fact that a total of 10 penalties have been awarded in the opening week, most of them via VAR with the all-time record of 18 set to be broken in the coming weeks.

Penalties awarded to Egypt's Mo Salah, France's Antoine Griezmann and Peru's Christian Cueva, both clear penalties but not picked up by the referees served as proof of the system's efficiency.

Consistency has been the biggest issue with fouls inside the penalty box reportedly going unpunished in England's opener against Tunisia when Kane was wrestled to the ground twice by Tunisians.

Portugal and Brazil claimed fouls on their defenders, Pepe and Miranda in the build-up to the goals which were not heeded. What is clear that though VAR has reduced the margin of error, though it has also polarized fans and pundits with its usage.