Croatia believed they had snatched a dramatic late equaliser against Portugal after trailing 2-1 in a thrilling and chaotic second half, with Josko Gvardiol poking the ball into the net from close range in the 13th minute of stoppage time.
The Croatian players erupted in celebration, while Cristiano Ronaldo who had earlier netted his first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout goal for Portugal before being substituted watched from the bench in disbelief. With the score seemingly level, extra time appeared inevitable.
However, the celebrations were cut short when the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), overseen by Premier League official Jarred Gillett, initiated an offside review.
The crucial question centred on whether Croatia’s Igor Matanovic had made contact with the ball during the build-up. If he had flicked it on with his head, Gvardiol would be offside. If there was no touch, the goal would stand.
A lengthy review followed as Norwegian referee Espen Eskas examined multiple replays, with television footage offering no clear answer. Eventually, Snickometer-style technology detected a slight touch by Matanovic, prompting the officials to disallow the goal. It proved to be virtually the final action of the match.
The verdict sparked angry scenes inside the stadium, with frustrated Croatia supporters throwing plastic bottles onto the pitch as their World Cup hopes were dashed in heartbreaking fashion.
The defeat is expected to mark the end of 40-year-old Luka Modric’s World Cup journey, while Ronaldo’s quest for glory continues just hours after his sister described the tournament as his “last dance.”
The contest had all the ingredients of a classic, featuring disallowed goals, a contentious penalty decision, Ronaldo’s milestone, and a dramatic VAR intervention that ultimately decided the outcome.
