From the top angle, the ball seems to stay inside the lines, but the reality is different from another angle.
The goal that propelled Japan to first place in the group and into the playoffs on Thursday will go down in history as one of the questionable World Cup decisions. Fans on social media were eager to show how the pictures of the ball taken from the side view angle are getting worse.
In the Japan-Spain match before Ao Tanaka 2-1 goal, the ball was close to going over the end line. VAR looked at the situation again and concluded that the ball did not go completely over the line.
Japan’s goal was allowed, which ultimately meant Germany’s elimination from the starting group.
– I am grateful that my legs are long. I prayed the ball was in, and it felt like it. It was really lucky, saving the ball from the end line Kaoru Mitoma told the media.
Still images it seems that the situation was really tight. Instead of a game of centimeters, a game of millimeters was played in the VAR booth.
Spain coach Luis Enrique claimed to have seen the pictures taken by VAR and denied their authenticity. Fifa did not comment or show any evidence on the basis of which VAR had made its decision.
On social media, fans immediately started making their own demonstrations of how the ball actually stayed within the lines. The top angle shows that a small part of the ball stayed over the line. On the other hand, when viewed from another angle, the ball is clearly over the line.
You can see the examples below as well from here and from here.
Kaoru Mitoma is now a hero of Japan. EPA / AOP