New Delhi: Croatia’s impressive stop against Portugal in 2026 FIFA World Cup it was ruled out after a lengthy VAR review, a decision that ultimately ensured their disappointing exit from the competition.The clash took place in the 103rd minute of the Round of 32 match in Toronto. Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol thought he had saved Croatia when he slotted in from behind to make it 2-2, sparking wild celebrations among players and fans alike.However, the celebrations did not last long.Norwegian referee Espen Eskas was instructed to review the goal after VAR detected a potential foul at kick-off. The most important question was whether Croatian striker Igor Matanovic made contact with the ball before it reached Mario Pasalic, who was standing on the sidelines.
Why Croatia’s equalizing goal in the 103rd minute against Portugal has not been confirmed
After reviewing the footage and analyzing the information from the football sensor technology, the officials determined that Matanovic had a slight touch on the crossbar. Since Pasalic was in a hidden position at the time of Matanovic’s touch, his involvement in setting up Gvardiol’s goal was deemed illegal under the Laws of the Game.The Premier League’s deputy referee, Darren Cann, explained his actions on BBC Sport, saying: “He was offside when the ball was played last by a team-mate and the ball was deflected by a defender and he didn’t play it on purpose, so offside stands.”Cann also mentioned the use of “Snicko” technology, a waveform embedded inside the match ball that can detect even the slightest contact, adding: “Snicko, that 100% proves that he caught it just by looking.”The decision sparked outrage among Croatian players and supporters, many of whom believed that Matanovic had not touched the ball. Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic questioned the decision after the match, saying the incident needed to be reviewed and clarified.In the end, the combination of VAR video and ball sensor technology proved decisive, denying Croatia an equalizer and sending Portugal through to the last 16.
