VAR Disallows Stoppage-Time Equalizer
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic expressed strong criticism of VAR after his team had a stoppage-time equalizer disallowed in a 2-1 World Cup defeat to Portugal on Thursday in Toronto. The controversial decision came when Josko Gvardiol prodded the ball into the net in the 13th minute of stoppage time, but VAR overturned the goal following a review.
The chip embedded in the match ball detected that the ball had brushed Croatia striker Igor Matanovic while Mario Pasalic was in an offside position in the build-up. This technology, known as the "connected ball," was used to determine that Matanovic had touched the ball, making Pasalic offside.
Dalic: Technology Kills Emotions
Asked if technology and VAR had gone too far, Dalic agreed, saying: "You were able to see to what extent emotions have been literally killed, and altogether these decisions take you back and actually take the joy out of football." Speaking through a FIFA interpreter, Dalic added: "I'm not saying that 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."
The Croatian players had believed they had secured an incredible equalizer, but the technology overruled their celebrations.
Previous Use of Ball-Chip Technology
The connected ball technology had already been deployed earlier in the tournament during Sweden's group game against Tunisia. In that instance, Mattias Svanberg saw a goal ruled out for offside before VAR overturned the decision after determining the ball had taken a slight touch from teammate Alexander Isak, which played him onside.
This inconsistency in outcomes has fueled debate about the role of technology in football.
Portugal Coach Defends Decision
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez defended the decision, stating there was no debate. "The message is very clear: The balls now they have a chip, and it's very clear and that's why the VAR intervened," Martinez said. "There is no subjective opinion — the chip of the ball shows there is a touch from Matanovic, and that when it happens, Pasalic is offside."
Martinez acknowledged the disappointment for Croatia but emphasized the clarity of the technology: "It's a shame that one of the teams had to lose today, but there was no bad decision, no unlucky call today, it was clear-cut and technology helped. We were fortunate with a moment but it was a clear moment."
Impact on the Game
The defeat eliminates Croatia from the World Cup, while Portugal advances to the next round. The match highlighted the growing influence of technology in football, with Dalic's comments reflecting a broader sentiment among some players and coaches who feel that VAR and ball-chip technology are diminishing the spontaneous joy of the sport.
