Japan’s second goal against Spain caused much controversy after the ball appeared to cross the corner line before Tanaka’s cross was scored in the 51st minute.
This goal was a sensation because it first beat Spain (2010 world champion) 2-1 and knocked Germany (4-time world champion) out of the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar, despite their 4-1 victory over Costa Rica. . 2.
Spain’s loss to Japan tied it with Germany on points (4 points), with Spain in second place behind Japan due to the difference in goals scored in the first round (6 for Spain and 1 for Germany).
And pictures of the Japanese ball showed it no longer actually touched the corner line, leading some to believe that the goal should be cancelled.
However, FIFA football laws in such a case do not take into account the ball’s contact with the corner line to determine if the ball has gone out of bounds, but rather consider the circumference of the ball to be out. completely outside the corner line.
In other words, the ball must be viewed from above. If the tip of the ball in the upper position covers the corner line by at least a few millimeters, the ball is considered inside the field, and any goal coming from following it is considered correct.
That is, images in which the ball is completely separated from the corner line do not mean that the ball is out of play under the laws of FIFA, but rather the ball must be viewed from above to determine the location of its circumference relative to the corner line.
And this video, posted by British sportswriter James Sharp, shows how football law decides whether a ball is dropped or not.
On this basis, VAR video technology cameras in a stadium overlooking Japan and Spain revealed that the circumference of the ball did not extend completely out of bounds and that the tip of the ball, as viewed from above, slightly touched the corner line. .
After the match, shots of the ball from above showed that its circumference still covered the corner line by a few centimeters, and therefore the ball did not come out.
The same law applies in goal scoring, as a goal is not legal unless the ball crosses the entire circumference of the goal line. Inside the goal, advanced Goal Line technology is used, which sends a notification to the referee’s watch when the entire circumference of the ball crosses the goal line.
However, this technology is currently being used inside the goal only to monitor the goal and has not yet been used outside the goal to determine if the ball is going to the corner line or not, and are instead resorting to VAR cameras and an assistant referee.
