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History Made As Referee Shows WHITE Card During Benfica Vs Sporting Lisbon

A referee in Portugal made history at the weekend by showing the first ever white card during a Women's Cup game between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.

Yellow and red cards have been used to punish players for decades but the Portuguese soccer federation recently introduced a white card to give referees the option to reward acts of fair play and ethical actions.

Towards the end of the first half in Saturday's game, with Benfica leading 3-0, someone in the dugout area fell ill.

Medical staff from both clubs rushed to provide aid and it was this act that saw the referee show a white card to both teams.

The response from the medical staff and the referee's decision to reward them with a white card drew applause from fans at the Estadio da Luz.

Benfica won the match 5-0.

A referee pictured showing a white card during a Women's Cup game between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon in January 2023

A referee pictured showing a white card during a Women's Cup game between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon