Did the first Dutch penalty cross the line?

It so nearly was one of the most extraordinary goals ever scored in a penalty shootout.

After the semi-final between the Netherlands and Argentina ended goalless aftr 120 minutes, the Dutch captain Ron Vlaar stepped up to take the first spot-kick. He struck it to the goalkeeper’s left but Sergio Romero parried his shot.

What happened next was that the ball was sent spinning up into the air then rolled backwards towards the goalline, where it came to rest. Some, including Vlaar, wondered if the ball had actually crossed the line, which would have got the Dutch off to a flying start in the shootout. The referee, however, showed little interest.

There is some question as to whether the ball touched Vlaar’s shoulder on its way down – which would have invalidated any goal – but the video replays are inconclusive.

As it is, the incident served to underline how fine the line is between success and failure at this World Cup.