NEW DELHI: Cricket fans are used to seeing the famous ‘Snicko’ technology helping umpires determine whether a batter has edged the ball. But on Monday, a similar piece of technology made an appearance during a FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Sweden and Tunisia at the Stadio Monterrey.While Sweden’s dominant 5-1 victory grabbed headlines, it was a lengthy video review involving a goal by substitute Mattias Svanberg that caught the attention of fans around the world. The incident took place in the 84th minute when Svanberg found the back of the net just 18 seconds after coming on as a substitute. However, the assistant referee flagged for offside, ruling out the goal.The decision sparked protests from the Swedish bench, with players and staff arguing that the ball had touched Alexander Isak before reaching Svanberg.To verify the sequence, officials turned to a ball-contact technology that closely resembles cricket’s Snicko. The system showed a clear spike as the ball passed Isak, confirming a touch and changing the interpretation of the play.Following the review, the goal was awarded, much to the delight of the Swedish players and supporters.Sweden went on to register a convincing 5-1 victory in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener. Yasin Ayari scored twice, while Victor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak and Svanberg added a goal each.For Tunisia, it was a difficult start to the tournament. Head coach Sabri Lamouchi expressed his disappointment after the match.“It’s a difficult loss. It’s painful. Starting the competition with this bad of a loss is indeed difficult,” Lamouchi said, according to Reuters.He also pointed to his side’s errors on the field, adding: “We made way too many mistakes.”The defeat leaves Tunisia under pressure ahead of their next match against Japan, while Sweden will look to build on their strong start when they take on the Netherlands on June 20.
