Germany thought they had snatched an extra-time winner against Paraguay – until VAR intervened to disallow Jonathan Tah's goal for a hotly disputed foul.
With the match locked in a tense knockout tie, Tah powered the ball into the net only for the video assistant referee to pull play back. The official ruled that Germany's Waldemar Anton had fouled Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill in the build-up, sparking fury among the German players and coaches.
“VAR disallows Jonathan Tah's extra-time goal for Germany against Paraguay due to a contentious foul call.”
Replays showed minimal contact between Anton and Gill, leading to accusations that the decision was overly harsh. Germany’s bench reacted with disbelief as the goal was chalked off, forcing the match into a penalty shootout or further extra time.
The incident has reignited debate about the use of VAR in football, with critics arguing that such marginal calls are destroying the flow of the game. For Paraguay, the reprieve was a lifeline – but for Germany, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
As the whistle blew for the restart, the score remained level, leaving both teams to fight for a place in the next round. The controversy will linger long after the final result.