Japan made Germany’s elimination from the preliminary round possible with the surprising 2-1 win over Spain on Thursday evening. The winning goal in the 54th minute was controversial.
Because: Before Ao Tanaka, who plays in the second division for Fortuna Düsseldorf, the ball was already behind the goal line when Kaoru Mitoma crossed. At least that’s what referee Victor Gomes from South Africa decided after his assistant had raised the flag.
Gomes had the video assistant check the situation for a few minutes, didn’t watch the scene himself – then the whistle sounded: goal! The television images did not show a camera setting that gave 100% information.
However, still images indicate that the ball was out of bounds. For the question of whether the ball is outside the field of play, however, what is relevant is not its contact area, but that it has completely crossed the line. The principle is that if the opposite cannot be proved, the ball is considered in play.
No technical aid at the goal line
Unlike the goal line, there is no automatic technical aid for the outer goal line. It was therefore one of the longest video reviews at this tournament.
Japan’s goalscorer Tanaka hadn’t seen for himself whether the ball was out of bounds before his header. He honestly admitted after the game: “So I wouldn’t have been disappointed if the goal hadn’t been awarded.”
Spain coach Luis Enrique was downright irritated by the images circulating on the internet. “I saw a picture that must have been manipulated. This cannot be the real picture. It must have been manipulated,” said Enrique on Thursday evening.
“It’s a millimeter decision. If I see it that way, I would say that’s okay,” said TV expert Almuth Schult in the evening on ARD. (with dpa)
To home page
Source: Tagesspiegel
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
