Portugal's under-19 hockey team lost the World Championship final in bizarre fashion on Saturday. In the final match of the tournament held in the Italian city of Novara, Portugal scored a goal in which the ball entered the net, but the refereeing crew did not notice. Spain then took advantage of the opportunity, and ended up winning 3-1.

It was a very balanced game, decided on set pieces. Spain opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a free kick by Paco Casas, Portugal responded in the 29th minute with another direct free kick by Fiti Oliveira, before the Spaniards used another dead ball to make it 2-1 by Jacobo Kopa, six minutes from time.

However, there came moments like this goal, a move that was cartoonish and inexplicable. Portugal captain Viti Oliveira fired a shot from mid-range into the top right corner of the goal. It turned out that the speed at which the ball was travelling, combined with a fault in the net, had contributed to the ball going through the net and hitting the backboard.

Conclusion: None of the referees noticed, the game continued, and after this move, Spain won the tenth foul which gave them a free kick, making the score 2-1.

In the final moments, Portugal risked everything, even throwing a ball into the woodwork, and when they had given up on the goalkeeper to lead 5-4, they conceded 3-1 and the goal was empty, in the last second.