Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic criticizes the use of VAR after his team lose 2-1 to Portugal in a World Cup match on Thursday. Dalic says the video assistant referee is “taking the joy out of football,” pointing to a stoppage-time equaliser that Croatia believed they had scored. Multiple reports describe how Croatia’s players thought the goal would level the match, but it is ruled out for offside after VAR review.
Croatia’s complaint is focused on the emotional impact of VAR decisions and the way they remove what players see as decisive moments from the game. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez, by contrast, says there is no debate about the disallowed goal, indicating he believes the offside call is correct and not subject to dispute.
The reports agree that the match result stands and that the late goal is disallowed for offside following a VAR check, leading to Dalic’s public remarks about the technology’s role in football decisions.
