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Leicester make history by scoring first VAR-awarded goal in English football

Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho made history on Tuesday night by scoring the first goal to be awarded by a video assistant referee (VAR) in English football.

With Leicester 1-0 up in the FA Cup third-round replay against Fleetwood Town at the King Power Stadium, former Manchester City forward Iheanacho finished following a pass from Riyad Mahrez with 13 minutes left on the clock.

The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but replays showed that Iheanacho was in fact being played onside.

Referee Jon Moss consulted video assistant referee Mike Jones, who confirmed that the goal should have stood, and Moss duly awarded Leicester their second strike of the night.

"I didn't know if I was onside or offside but I agree totally now that I was onside," Iheanacho told BT Sport.

"I was concentrating on the goal, I didn't think if I was onside or offside but Riyad (Mahrez) told me that I was onside.

"We just waited to see what the decision was."

VAR can be used by referees for match-changing decisions relating to the awarding of goals, penalties, red cards and for cases of mistaken identity.

Referees chief Mike Riley believes the VAR experiment in English football has begun well and can add value to the game.

It was used by Martin Atkinson for two Chelsea penalty appeals during last week's EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

VAR was also used in the FA Cup third-round tie between Brighton and Crystal Palace and Riley, general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOB), is encouraged by the early stages of the trial.

"It has gone very well in the first few games," Riley told BBC Radio 5 Live. "We've had the opportunity to use it, it has been used very effectively and we've come out with the right outcomes.

"The whole idea of the protocol is to have minimum interference on the game but get the right decisions to have the maximum impact."

Additional reporting by the Press Association.