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With England falling behind DR Congo in the opening half of Wednesday's World Cup last-32 fixture, Harry Kane believed he had won his side a penalty to level the scores.
The England skipper slipped the ball beyond Congolese shot-stopper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau and hit the ground following contact with his legs.
Referee Adham Makhadmeh blew his whistle, but instead of pointing to the spot, he awarded a free kick to DR Congo. Kane escaped a yellow card for what appeared to be simulation, yet was furious and insisted he had been brought down by Mpasi-Nzau.
A VAR check followed, but no penalty was given. England supporters jeered in response. Meanwhile, notably biased pundits for BBC Sport in the UK were baffled and couldn't move past the fact that there was physical contact between Kane and the goalkeeper without a penalty being awarded. "They have got that so wrong," former England No. 1 Paul Robinson exclaimed.
Alan Shearer, who captained England at the 1998 World Cup, argued that Kane had "every right" to initiate that contact and go to ground. "There is contact, there is no doubt. For me that is a penalty."
Kane 'Jumps into the Goalkeeper'
There is little question that Mpasi-Nzau made contact with Kane and sent him to the turf. However, there was more to the incident than that alone. The England forward had already begun to lose his footing before reaching the oncoming goalkeeper, a result of his forward momentum at speed.
Kane's right toe had caught the ground, causing that initial stumble. He may have recognized in that instant that the ball was escaping him and, spotting Mpasi-Nzau charging toward him, chose to position his legs where the goalkeeper would unavoidably make contact.
By the time Mpasi-Nzau, who appeared to tuck his hands into his body, arrived, Kane was already arching his back to remain stationary and ensure he would be 'fouled.'
Wayne Rooney, Kane's predecessor as both England captain and all-time leading scorer, was unconvinced. Also appearing on the BBC broadcast in the UK, Rooney stated: "He trips himself and jumps into the goalkeeper."
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To shed further light on why the officials chose not to refer the decision to VAR, a high threshold and precedent has been established throughout the tournament. Very few interventions have been made concerning minimal physical exchanges, as the on-field call going one way or the other is not considered a "clear and obvious error."
One area that has undergone notable change is the granting of free kicks for goalkeepers who are jostled or put under pressure at set pieces. Germany discovered this the hard way when Jonathan Tah's goal was disallowed — a moment that ultimately contributed to the four-time champions' exit at the hands of Paraguay.