AMSTERDAM: Anouar Kali, the Willem II midfielder, has made history as the first footballer sent off on the corrective advice of a video referee.

At first the 25-year-old had been shown a yellow card by referee Danny Makkelie for kicking Ajax’s Lasse Schone in the ankle in the 60th minute.

However the decision was changed within seconds into a red after intervention from Pol Van Boekel, the appointed VAR (video assistant referee). Ajax, one of Kali’s former clubs, went on to win the first round cup-tie 5-0.

This was the first time the system had been brought into practical, ‘live’ action in a series of tests and trials being conducted worldwide under the supervision of the law-making International Football Association Board.

Van Boekel followed the game from a van with six TV screens in the parking sector of the Amsterdam ArenA, communifcating with Makkelie via a headset.

However communication fell down because the intervention was not announced to the crowd.

The two referees will swap roles on Thursday for the Dutch Cup match between Feyenoord and FC Oss as the system is further tested.

Last month, video technology was used as France beat Italy in a friendly international in Bari, although it did not involve stopping the action to study replays.

The VAR can review an incident when asked by the match referee as well as advise officials on the field about incidents they may have missed.

IFAB is expected to decide in 2018 whether to authorise the use of video technology and include it in the laws.

###########