CROATIA DENIED EQUALISER AFTER VAR RULES GVARDIOL OFFSIDE

Josko Gvardiol's goal in the 13th minute of stoppage time was ruled out for offside following a VAR review during Croatia's World Cup knockout match against Portugal in Toronto. The decision denied Croatia an equaliser in the fixture. VAR officials conducted a review of the goal before the decision was communicated to the match officials on the pitch.

The match took place during the knockout stages of the World Cup. Gvardiol scored in the late stages of the second half, but the VAR check determined that the Croatian player was in an offside position at the moment the ball was played to him. The technology used to assess the offside decision formed part of the VAR review process, which included examination of the precise positioning of players at the moment of play.

The incident exemplified the role of VAR in World Cup football, where video review of contentious decisions has become standard practice. The decision to rule out Gvardiol's goal was final, with no further review available to either team. The match continued following the VAR determination that the goal should not stand.