Germany were gifted an early advantage at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, and not everyone thinks it should have stood. A high boot from midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović on Ecuador’s Pedro Vite, which went completely unpunished, directly led to Leroy Sané scoring in the second minute of the Group E clash. Former professionals watching in the studio were not impressed.
Joe Hart, Ellen White, and Lucas Leiva were unanimous: the challenge was dangerous, it violated FIFA’s Law 12, and the goal should have been ruled out. The VAR team saw it, reviewed nothing, and play moved on. Germany had their goal.
What actually happened, and why it matters
Pavlović’s boot made contact with Vite during the build-up to the goal, catching the Ecuadorian player at a height that pundits described as clearly endangering the opponent. Under FIFA’s Laws of the Game, a high boot that poses a risk to another player is classified as dangerous play, regardless of whether the intent to harm was there.
Hart, the former England and Manchester City goalkeeper, made the case plainly. White, the retired England striker and two-time Women’s Super League Golden Boot winner, agreed the contact was sufficient to warrant a foul call. Leiva, the former Liverpool and Brazil midfielder, added the perspective of someone who has been on the receiving end of exactly these kinds of challenges throughout a career in elite football.
