'Uzbekistan Robbed': Why Did VAR Rule Out G'aniev's Stunning Goal Against Portugal In FIFA World Cup 2026?

· Free Press Journal

Uzbekistan thought they had pulled off one of the goals of the tournament when G'aniev unleashed a stunning long-range strike into the top corner against Portugal. However, celebrations were cut short after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened to rule the goal out.

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While the goal initially stood, VAR immediately reviewed the buildup to determine whether Cancelo had been fouled before losing possession. Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was visibly unhappy with the challenge and appealed to the referee as the review took place.

The incident began moments before G'aniev's spectacular effort. Portugal defender João Cancelo was caught in possession near the edge of his own penalty area after coming under pressure from an Uzbekistan player. The loose ball was quickly worked to G'aniev, who wasted no time in firing an unstoppable shot from well outside the box into the top corner.

After examining the replays, the officials concluded that Cancelo had indeed been fouled on the edge of the penalty area before Uzbekistan regained possession. As a result, the referee disallowed G'aniev's goal and awarded Portugal a free-kick instead.

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The decision proved to be a major setback for Uzbekistan. Instead of reducing the deficit with a memorable strike, they remained two goals behind as Portugal retained control of the match.

Although G'aniev's effort showcased exceptional technique and power, the laws of the game state that a goal cannot stand if it originates from a foul in the attacking phase of play. VAR's intervention ensured that the infringement on Cancelo was correctly identified before the goal was allowed to count.

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