Igor Matanovic has spoken about Croatia’s disallowed equaliser (Image: Getty)
Croatia’s Igor Matanovic has conceded that he made ‘slight contact’ with the ball after his nation saw a last-gasp equaliser against Portugal disallowed. Croatia believed they had snatched a dramatic leveller in the 13th minute of added time in the World Cup round of 32 clash through Josko Gvardiol, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside. A VAR review revealed that Matanovic had touched the ball in the build-up to the goal, with technology similar to that used in cricket employed to reach the verdict.
Speaking after the match, via A Bola, Matanovic said: “Honestly, I think I felt a slight contact with my hair. I asked the referee, I wasn’t 100 per cent sure if I had touched him. He told me that they have a chip in the ball, that there was a slight contact and that, therefore, it was offside. It’s difficult to find the right words after the game.
“We played very well in the second half and deserved more. I haven’t seen the penalty yet, but if this is given… Three goals, offside, a post… I have no words, we were very unlucky today.”
In clarifying the ruling, FIFA confirmed the deployment of ball technology to detect the minimal contact. “According to the data provided by Connected Ball Technology housed within the @adidasfootball Trionda, the official match ball of the @FIFAWorldCup, it was proven that contact was made by Croatia’s #20 Igor Matanović in the build up to the goal against Portugal, allowing the referee to correctly determine offside and disallow the goal,” they wrote on X.
“IMU sensors housed within the Trionda ball are capable of determining any slight contact, displayed to viewers in the broadcast as a ‘heartbeat graphic’, and allowing officials an unprecedented level of data to make fast, accurate decisions.”
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The ruling meant Croatia suffered a 2-1 defeat, with Portugal securing their spot in the last-16. They are set to face reigning European champions Spain in Dallas on Monday evening. Following the final whistle, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic was scathing in his assessment of the referee’s display.
“It was very bad refereeing,” he said, adding that his team “should have been given more free kicks.” He did, however, concede: “But Croatia lost. I’m not going to find any excuses. We could have won this earlier.”
Croatia saw their equaliser against Portugal disallowed (Image: Getty)
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez backed the call to rule out the goal. “This is one of those examples that technology helps the game because it was offside. There is not a subjective opinion, ‘I think, you think’, no, it’s offside,” he told reporters in his post-match press conference.
“It’s offside Why? Because the chip of the ball showed that there is Matanovic’s touch and then Renato Veiga’s touch. And when it happens, the cross from Perisic, he’s onside, Pasalic, Matanovic touched the ball he’s offside, so the technology helps. I feel the decisions today in the technology, they were all correct.
“It’s a shame that one of the two teams had to lose today, but there is no bad decision or unlucky call. Today was clear cut, technology helped and it shows that today we were fortunate to be there with the moment, but it was a clear moment.”
Croatia skipper Luka Modric remained unconvinced that VAR made the right calls throughout the match, taking particular issue with the penalty awarded to Portugal that allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to level the scores in the second half.
“VAR should intervene if it’s 200 per cent a mistake, but if it’s not,” he said. “If it’s in the grey zone, you have no say in it. There’s no point in calling VAR. This is no penalty. Both teams are replaying, pushing, Vlašić didn’t pull it, he held it, and both of them fell. That’s why you can’t judge a penalty like that in a game like this.”
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