Euro 2024: Why was the Oyarzabal goal given in England vs Spain UEFA European Championships?

Mikel Oyarzabal gave Spain the lead after coming off the bench when he scored a late goal against England in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday.

Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal celebrates scoring their second goal in the Euro 2024 final in Germany. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Mikel Oyarzabal gave Spain the lead after coming off the bench when he scored a late goal against England in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday.

Marc Cucurella delivered a low cross from the left in the 86th minute, which was guided into the net by the Real Sociedad player, as the Spanish fans jumped in jubilation. But moments after the celebration, there were doubts on field, especially in the England camp whether the goal was legal.

However, the referee Francois Letexier, after consulting the Video Assistant Referees, allowed the goal to stand, which ultimately proved to be the winning goal as Spain won the match 2-1.

WHY WAS THE OYARZABAL GOAL ALLOWED?

The doubts about Oyarzabal’s goal had risen because Oyarazbal looked off-side in real time, when received the cross, past Marc Guehi. If he would have been actually been so (offside), the goal would not have stood.

This is because according to the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which determines the rules of the game, if there is a foul (in this context, an off-side) in the build-up, any significant development in the game (goal) would be chalked out.

Using Semi-Automated Off-side technology (SAOT), it was concluded that Guehi’s knee was just past Oyarzabal, keeping him within the red line of off-side, and thus the goal was allowed to stand.

This edition of the European Championship has seen the introduction of several new technologies, such as Snicko and the SAOT, with the latter being used at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.