In a dramatic World Cup 2026 knockout match on Friday, Croatia's late equaliser against Portugal was disallowed following a VAR review. The decision came as Croatia sought to level the score in added time during their round-of-32 match held in Toronto.
Croatia's Disallowed Goal Sparks Controversy
The match erupted in tension when Croatia's Josko Gvardiol appeared to score in the 103rd minute, seemingly sending the Croatian fans into raptures. However, the goal was immediately sent for a VAR review by referee Jarred Gillett. The review led to the goal being chalked off for offside, much to the dismay of the Croatian squad.
Referee Espen Eskas confirmed that the disallowed goal stemmed from a slight infraction during the build-up. As replays showed, the infraction occurred when Mario Pasalic received the ball due to a deflection off the head of Igor Matanovic.
Match Highlights and Key Moments
The match was filled with key moments that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Here are some highlights:
- First Half: Cristiano Ronaldo had a strike disallowed.
- Penalty: Ronaldo later scored from the penalty spot after a foul on Renato Veiga.
- Late Drama: Gvardiol's disallowed goal in the 103rd minute.
Reactions to the VAR Decision
Following the match, Croatia's head coach Zlatko Dalic expressed frustration over the VAR intervention, stating, "Sometimes VAR can't be of help, but it kills the emotions, it kills everything within you, it kills what you are experiencing and it's not easy to deal with all of this." His sentiments reflect the ongoing debate about the impact of technology on the game.
The decision has reignited discussions about the efficacy of VAR in critical match moments, especially in high-stakes tournaments like the World Cup.
🤖 This article was rewritten by Feed and Figures' editorial AI from a report originally published by FourFourTwo. Facts and quotes are preserved from the original; the rewrite focuses on clarity and structure. For the unedited original, see the source link below.
