Why Jonathan Tah's go-ahead goal for Germany was taken back by VAR

Why Jonathan Tah’s go-ahead goal for Germany was taken back by VAR originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Germany got all it could handle in the form of Paraguay, the Group D third-place finisher hailing from central South America.

Los Guaranies put forth a famous display atop the Gillette Stadium pasture, with Julio Enciso flicking the ball beyond Manuel Neuer to give the country its first-ever knockout stage goal. The Germans responded with a goal of their own, but were held quiet for the duration of regulation, prompting an extra frame to settle things.

Germany thought it had found a potential winner towards the end of the first-half of extra time, wheeling off in celebration after Jonathan Tah found the back of the net. That joy would be short-lived, however, interrupted by a referee’s whistle and three famous — or rather, infamous — letters: VAR.

Here’s what you need to know about Tah’s goal that wasn’t.

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Why Jonathan Tah’s go-ahead goal for Germany was taken back by VAR

Tah looked to have found the go-ahead strike in the 105th minute, leaping high to connect with a deft Nathaniel Brown corner kick to the back post. Tah’s header flashed beyond a despondent Orlando Gill, sending the Paraguay goalkeeper — and many of his teammates — sinking into the grass.

NO GOAL FOR GERMANY

After VAR, a foul was called and the goal is disallowed. pic.twitter.com/nBZ2iGbfQV

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 29, 2026

The pomp and circumstance of the goal wore off after shortly after Tah’s teammates swarmed him. As they traipsed back to their usual positions, they were stopped in their tracks by referee Jalal Jayed.

Jayed, instructed by video assistant referees to review an incident involving Gill before the ball burst into the net, ambled to the on-field screen to have a look at what happened. Replay review indicated that Gill was impeded by German defender Waldemar Anton, who crashed into the Paraguayan shot-stopper illegally.

Jayed wasted no time making the call, wiping away the score on account of Anton’s foul. 

A closer look at the foul that negated Germany’s goal in extra time pic.twitter.com/JsUdxf36EQ

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 29, 2026

The goal was chalked off, keeping the score level at one apiece and breathing life into a weary Paraguayan defense.