Tom Wood
A new angle has emerged that seems to prove that Japan’s goal last night against Spain was – in fact – still in the field of play.
It’s a goal that is set to become one of the biggest talking points of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and one that people in Germany will surely be talking about for decades.
Japan ended up winning the match 2-1, meaning they progressed from group E in top spot, with their opponents Spain going through in second place as well.
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For Germany, despite a 4-2 win over Costa Rica – who finished bottom – they end their campaign in Qatar at the group stages, hurt by a draw against Spain and a shock defeat against the Japanese team.
However, it’s Japan’s second goal that has become the most controversial moment – on the pitch at least – of this unusual winter world cup.
Moments after Ritsu Doan had scored an equaliser for the Samurai Blue following Spain’s opener through Alvaro Morata, substitute Kaoru Mitoma managed to get the ball to the byline just left of the Spain goal, pulling a cross back to Ao Tanaka, who bundled the ball home.
Initially, the goal was ruled out by the assistant referee on the far side, awarding a goal kick and claiming that the ball had gone out of play.
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However, this is a world cup that has the video assistant referee (VAR).
After checking the footage from many different angles, they decided the ball had not gone out of play, meaning that the goal stood.
Since then, fans and pundits alike have been poring over every single scrap of video and photographic evidence to figure out whether the ball was in or out.
The rules state that even if some of the ball is still overhanging – not touching, but overhanging – the line then it is still in play.
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Basically, if you could shine a light down above the ball and put some of the goal line in shadow, the ball is still in the field of play.
In other World Cup news, a time traveller claims to know which teams will make it to the final - and both have now made it through the qualifiers:
There are angles to support both hypotheses, and this is definitely not the last we’ll hear of it, but – as the old adage goes – it’s in the papers now.
That means that the Germans who were winners of the tournament back in 2014, are on their way home at the first opportunity.
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Despite heading home in such controversial fashion, they really only have themselves to blame, given that they lost against this Japan side in their opening match.
Then, in their second match against Spain they were largely second best throughout, but still created chances to win the game in a tense final period.
Japan will now face Croatia in the round of 16, whilst Spain will face another shock group winner in Morocco.