Spain unhappy about absence of VAR in World Cup qualifier draw against Greece

Luis Enrique's team held 1-1 in Granada after contentious penalty

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  Spanish striker Alvaro Morata reacts at the end of their World Cup 2022 qualifier against Greece at Los Carmenes Stadium in Granada on Thursday. EPA

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  Alvaro Morata of Spain celebrates scoring against Greece. Getty

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  Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simon concedes the equaliser against Greece at Los Carmenes Stadium in Granada. EPA

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  Carlos Zeca, Giorgos Tzavellas and Giorgos Kiriakopoulos of Greece celebrate after their draw against Spain. Getty

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  Spain's midfielder Pedro Gonzalez during the World Cup 2022 qualifier against Greece. EPA

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  Greek head coach John van't Schip celebrates with Jose Carlos. EPA

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  Rodri Hernandez of Spain competes for the ball with Anastasios Bakasetas of Greece. Getty

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  Italian referee Marco Guida shows the yellow card to Spain's defender Inigo Martinez. EPA

Former champions Spain were held to a 1-1 draw by Greece in their opening 2022 World Cup qualifier on Thursday with the visitors earning a point from a disputed penalty as manager Luis Enrique insisted his side deserved to have been winners.

Spain dominated the first half in Granada with Juventus striker Alvaro Morata scoring with a left-foot drive on 33 minutes.

At the interval, veteran defender and skipper Sergio Ramos was replaced by Inigo Martinez but the Athletic Bilbao player was at fault for the equaliser just before the hour mark.

However, he can count himself unlucky to have been penalised by Italian referee Marco Guida when his sliding tackle caught Giorgos Masouras.

Greece captain Anastasios Bakaseta confidently buried the spot kick to secure a hard-earned point in the Group B tie.

"We did not expect this result, we did not deserve it. A fair result would have been the one that was on the scoreboard before Greece's goal," said Luis Enrique.

"We deserved another result, although we did not create the flow of opportunities or have the finesse to score goals against a team as organised as Greece."

Spain were mainly angry about the absence of a Video Assistant Referee (VAR). While most major European leagues and competitions have VAR at all games, the European World Cup qualifiers are being played without the additional technology.

"Obviously, I'm really angry. It's a moment that they make you pay for. We're not happy with the draw and with VAR it would've been a different story," Martinez said.

"It's a 50-50 challenge and I get there. I can't stop myself. I pull my leg away and I don't mean to do any damage [to Masouras[.

"He was clever and stayed down, and it's strange the referee took so long to blow for it, too. It was the key moment in the game."

Team mate Marcos Llorente was also unhappy with the decision.

"It didn't look like a penalty to me on the pitch," he said. "With VAR that's never, ever getting given."