Giordania vs Argentina

In the 28th minute with Argentina leading Jordan 1-0, the referee awarded Jordan a penalty for a high foot in the box and confirmed it after a VAR on-field review. The decision is correct. The key distinction in Law 12: a high foot near an opponent with NO contact is "playing in a dangerous manner" — punished only by an indirect free kick, never a penalty. But the moment the raised boot makes CONTACT with an opponent, it stops being dangerous play and becomes a kicking offence, which is a direct-free-kick foul — and a penalty kick when it happens inside the penalty area. Here the Argentine defender's boot caught a Jordan player who was contesting the ball, so the contact is what elevates it from a dangerous-play indirect free kick to a genuine penalty. The very fact a penalty (not an indirect free kick) was awarded reflects that the officials judged real contact, and the high, studs-up nature of the challenge makes it at least reckless. CORRECT DECISION, HIGH confidence — penalty correctly given, and the VAR/OFR mechanism was used exactly as intended.