Offside Fury
Controversial Offside Call in World Cup Match Propels Portugal, Inciting Croatian Fan Outcry
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A would-be tying goal for Croatia was ruled offside in the dying seconds of their World Cup match against Portugal, sending Portugal through to the Round of 16 and sparking fury among Croatian fans, according to National Post. Josko Gvardiol appeared to score the equalizer deep in second-half added time, only for FIFA officials to overturn the goal.
The controversial decision triggered angry protests in the stands, with several bottles of beer thrown and heated exchanges from fans who felt cheated by the call, Vancouver Sun reported.
How the Offside Call Was Made and Why It Stood
The ruling hinged on technology built into the match ball itself. FIFA uses chips embedded inside World Cup balls to track every touch in real time. Portugal's coach Roberto Martinez said the chip data showed that Croatian striker Igor Matanovic made contact with the ball before Gvardiol's goal, according to National Post. That contact put Matanovic in an offside position and made the goal illegal.
Martinez acknowledged the call was correct. He said the chip data "indicated contact," which was the key piece of evidence referees used to make their decision. Most soccer experts agreed the call followed the rules, even if it was a painful one for Croatia.
Croatian Fans and Players React With Fury
The ruling set off an immediate and angry response in the stadium. Croatian supporters erupted, with some throwing beer bottles in protest, The Province reported. The mood among fans was one of disbelief — many felt the goal should have counted and that Matanovic had not touched the ball in any meaningful way.
Portugal players also got caught up in the tension, with angry exchanges breaking out on the pitch after the final whistle. The atmosphere turned sour quickly as the full weight of the decision sank in for Croatia's players and supporters alike.
Portugal Advances as Croatia's World Cup Run Ends
The ruling sealed a Portugal victory and sent them into the Round of 16 of the tournament. Croatia, a team that reached the World Cup final in 2018, was eliminated in the Round of 32, according to PR Record Gazette. It was a bitter exit for a squad that had pushed Portugal to the final moments of the match.
Gvardiol's disallowed goal came in second-half added time, meaning Croatia was just seconds away from forcing extra time. The margin between advancement and elimination could not have been thinner — and the technology inside the ball made the final call.
Ball-Chip Technology Puts FIFA at the Center of Debate
The incident has renewed debate about how technology is reshaping soccer officiating. FIFA introduced connected ball technology at this World Cup to help referees catch exactly these kinds of split-second touches. The chips send data fast enough to give officials a clear picture of what happened, Vancouver Sun reported.
But for Croatian fans, the technology felt like the enemy rather than a tool for fairness. When a match turns on a chip inside a ball that no one in the stands could see, it is hard to accept — even when the call is technically correct. That tension between accuracy and emotion is now front and center in World Cup discussions.
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