The Japan Football Association's referee committee said Friday there was no decisive footage available for video assistant referees to rule out Vissel Kobe's late winner for offside against Urawa Reds on Nov. 12.
The eventual J-League first-division champions Kobe won the away game 2-1 to stay two points clear at the top with two matches to go, while they would have been level on points with second-placed Yokohama F Marinos had the match ended in a draw.
None of the 12 cameras used for the VAR at Saitama Stadium on the day had an image of Kobe forward Yuya Osako standing in an offside position when a long ball was delivered by keeper Daiya Maekawa on a counter in the second-half stoppage time.
Osako went on to score, and the winner stood as the assistant referee failed to flag for offside, and the VAR could not confirm it. Footage released later with a wider view, not used during the match, appeared to show Osako was offside.
Kobe won their next match to secure their first J1 title as Marinos drew.
