Recaps of Sunday's Games

        The first game on Sunday was between the two favorites of Group A: Portugal and Mexico. In the first 15 minutes, Mexico was on the front foot, possessing the ball more than Portugal and attempting to create chances. However, Portugal found the back of the net, until, for the first time ever in soccer, technology helped referees disallow the goal. In the 21st minute, after a Cristiano Ronaldo free kick blocked and his second chance effort hit the bar, an Andre Gomes shot deflected in by Pepe after the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) team ruled that Pepe was offside. Portugal would score without debate in the 34th when Ronaldo set up an unmanned Ricardo Quaresma, who juked past Mexico's keeper Guillermo Ochoa and tapped the ball into an open net. Mexico would respond quickly in the 42nd when Carlos Vela hooked a ball from just outside the box to Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez to head in to level the score.
         In the second half, not much offensive occured until the last five minutes. In the 85th minute, Gomes sent a cross in from the far left to Andre Silva, whose headed attempt was saved by a diving Ochoa. Seconds later, it looked like Cedric scored the game winner when his point blanked attempt was deflected by Mexico's Hector Herrera into the far post. However, Mexico would steal a point as Hector Moreno played his headed attempt, off a corner, perfectly, which hit the far post and in. Even with a Portuguese player's hand on his head, Moreno still managed to get the ball on target to get his team a point.

        The later game was the first Group B match-up between Cameroon and Chile. Chile nearly scored in the first minute when Eduardo Vargas' shot hit the post and off Cameroon keeper Fabrice Ondoa. Ondoa made a fine low save in the 3rd minute, stopping Jose Pedro Fuenzalida's shot. In the 11th minute, Vincent Aboubakar had a shot saved by Chile's net-minder, but nearly scored when Gonzalo Jaro accidental attempt went over the bar. It looked like Cameroon scored in the 15th off a Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui header from a free kick, but a foul from Aboubakar on Chile's Arturo Vidal referred the goal. Chile scored in the lone minute of first half injury time, when Vidal played a through ball to Vargas, who easily got it past Ondoa; however, VAR denied another goal. Replays showed Vargas was just fractions offside, causing complaints to the ref from Chilean players.
        Once again, the second half did have any great offensive scoring chances until the final 10 minutes. Sub Alexis Sanchez served up two assists, the first in the 81st being the game-winner. The first goal had Sanchez cross a ball to Vidal, who headed inside the right post. The 2nd came in the first minute of second half injury time, when a through ball reached Sanchez, whose initial shot was blocked. Vargas got the rebound and scored, and with VAR assistance, got the goal, after the sideline ref incorrectly ruled Sanchez offside. Still, both games showed reasons against the use of VARs, causing frustrations to two elite soccer teams.
 

Chile's goal that was disallowed because of the offsides from Vargas.