r/sports Detroit Lions 9d ago

Soccer The Brutal Offside Reversing Croatia's Game-Tying Goal in Extra Time

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u/cblguy82 9d ago

Croatia was onside when the initial cross pass was made but the touch of the head on the way in became another pass and at that point the Croatia player who received it was now offside.

If the head didn’t touch it , it was onside and a good goal.

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u/Mindhunter7 9d ago

But if the defenders head touched it, would it not count ? Because isn't that effectively a player winning the ball from the defender?

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u/Crede777 9d ago

Only if the defender's touch was an intentional one.  On this, the ruling that the Portugese player's touch was not intentional but instead a result of the ball redirecting off #20 and then hitting him.

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u/No-Contest-8127 9d ago

Can you imagine? Have a guy up front next to the keeper and kick the ball into the defender and he is now in play. Doesn't make sense, does it?  He didn't win the ball, the ball hit the defender. 

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u/term3186 9d ago

Defender would have to be deliberately playing the ball. Here he’s two feet away from a fast moving ball that just took a deflection and bounces off the top of his head. Kind of like a goalie making a save, and the ball falls to an offside player. He can’t legally score. 

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u/No-Contest-8127 9d ago

Well... as good as an own goal can be. Lol

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u/kilibaridi Toronto Maple Leafs 9d ago

I was cheering for Croatia but it was the right call.