FIFA Defends VAR Ruling That Cancelled Germany's Extra-Time Goal in World Cup Exit

ATLANTA (AP) — Football's world governing body moved on Tuesday to clarify the refereeing standards behind one of the tournament's most disputed calls, after Germany's World Cup campaign ended with a late goal thrown out and a shootout defeat.

Defender Jonathan Tah appeared to put the four-time champions ahead in extra time during Monday's round-of-32 meeting with Paraguay. Video review officials overturned the header, however, ruling that Germany's Waldemar Anton had fouled goalkeeper Orlando Gill before the ball reached Tah.

Broadcast replays showed Anton shoving Gill to the ground. The contact looked slight, and the decision drew sharp criticism from observers who felt the punishment did not fit the incident.

Germany still had to decide the tie from the penalty spot after the sides remained level. Tah took what could have been the winning kick but fired over the bar, completing a shootout loss that sent the Germans home.

Pierluigi Collina, FIFA's head of refereeing, said match officials had been directed to punish situations in which players try to block opponents while making no real attempt to play the ball, with particular attention to actions near goalkeepers.

"Although keeping a position is not a foul per se, when an attacking player is not interested in the ball and deliberately moves, even marginally, with the clear intention of obstructing opponents' movement and prevents him from defending, then referees, and VAR when needed, should carefully analyze the incident and intervene," Collina said. "This is especially the case when the tactic aims to prevent the opposing goalkeeper from being able to defend the goal."

He added that coaches and players were told about the approach beforehand, so the enforcement should not have come as a shock.

Collina also said efforts to cut down on time-wasting at the tournament have worked. Officials now apply time limits to goal kicks, throw-ins and substitutions, and injured players must leave the pitch for one minute before returning.

"These measures have all been very effective and unanimously considered as very positive innovations," Collina said.