Germany’s potential game-winning goal was disallowed in their Round of 32 match against Paraguay — and now they’re heading home.
Jonathan Tah fired a header past Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, but the goal was quickly called back in the 101st minute of their eventual penalty shootout loss at Gillette Stadium on Monday.
After the celebrations by German players, officials informed them that the goal was being reviewed by VAR (Video Assistant Referee). Referee Jalal Jayed of Morocco went to the monitor to check.
Upon review, the goal was called back due to defender Waldemar Anton being judged to have blocked the goalkeeper from getting to the ball, constituting a foul on the defender. In simple terms, Anton blocked Gill as Tah headed the ball in on a corner kick.
It was a devastating moment for Germany, which could have wrapped up the match with the goal and advanced in the tournament
BBC referee analyst Darren Cann was surprised by the callback. He said there was “hardly anything” justifying it. His co-commentator Alan Shearer agreed, saying the goal should have stood.
Shearer, the former England captain, called the foul “very, very soft.”
“He falls to the ground far too easy,” Shearer continued. “Yes, there’s contact, but it’s a contact sport.”
The score remained knotted at 1 after the call. The match, which Paraguay led 1-0 at halftime, concluded in a penalty shootout, where Paraguay prevailed 4-3 to knock Germany out of the World Cup in a massive upset. Tah would shoot his penalty kick well over the net for the miss that led to Germany going home.
It’s safe to say Tah and the German national team will be thinking about that called-back goal for some time.