Toronto, Jul 3 (V7N) — A controversial VAR decision in the dying moments of Portugal's dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup became the biggest talking point of the match, denying Croatia a last-gasp equalizer and ending their hopes of forcing extra time.

The incident occurred in the 13th minute of stoppage time after Ivan Perišić delivered a cross into the box. Joško Gvardiol headed the ball into the net, sparking celebrations among Croatian players and supporters. However, following a VAR review, the goal was ruled out for offside.

According to the review, the ball made slight contact with the head of Croatia forward Igor Matanović before reaching the back post. At that moment, Mario Pašalić was in an offside position and subsequently played the ball to Gvardiol, resulting in the goal being disallowed.

In a statement after the match, FIFA said the offside decision was confirmed using the official Adidas match ball's Connected Ball Technology and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors. The technology transmits hundreds of data points per second, enabling VAR officials to make faster and more accurate decisions.

Croatian players, however, strongly questioned the decision. Midfielder Petar Sučić said the referee explained that the verdict was based on data collected by the ball's sensors. Nevertheless, Sučić argued that television replays did not clearly show any contact from Matanović and insisted such crucial decisions should receive more thorough review.

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalić also criticized the growing influence of VAR, saying it is diminishing the emotional essence of football and taking away the game's natural flow.

Croatia had taken the lead in the 53rd minute through Ivan Perišić before Portugal responded. Cristiano Ronaldo converted a VAR-awarded penalty to score his first goal of the tournament's knockout stage. Gonzalo Ramos then netted the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, sealing Portugal's place in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 victory.

END/SMA/AJ