Germany benefited from referee error: expert cannot understand why VAR did not intervene

Germany suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in the World Cup, but the match was marred by a questionable opening goal for Germany.

Leroy Sane scored for Germany in the second minute, but the goal was preceded by a clear foul on an Ecuadorian player, according to referee expert Jan-Peter Aravirta. Aleksandar Pavlovic of Germany struck Ecuador's Pedro Vite in the head while attempting to control the ball. The referee missed the foul, and no free kick was awarded.

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I would at least see that as a clear foul. Even if the German player plays the ball first, he must also consider the opposing player. You can't just play any way.

"I would at least see that as a clear foul. Even if the German player plays the ball first, he must also consider the opposing player. You can't just play any way," Aravirta stated. "But the fact that VAR did not intervene is really difficult to understand. He has clear evidence that the foot hit the head. It's hard to find anyone who thinks it wasn't a foul. Maybe someone in Germany does."

Ecuador ultimately secured a 2-1 victory, positioning themselves to compete for a spot in the knockout stages. This incident adds to ongoing discussions about the consistency of VAR decisions during the tournament, with Aravirta noting a high threshold for intervention in similar situations, citing a previous instance involving France's Kylian Mbappe.

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But the fact that VAR did not intervene is really difficult to understand. He has clear evidence that the foot hit the head. It's hard to find anyone who thinks it wasn't a foul. Maybe someone in Germany does.