Hand of Henry goal makes strong case for video evidence
November 19, 2009
France’s decisive goal against Ireland in their World Cup play-off will only add further weight to the case for using a video ref, or extra goal-line officials, at least in the biggest matches.
The controversial extra-time strike from William Gallas took France through to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, while leaving the Irish barely able to contain a sense of frustration and injustice.
It was goal which should not have stood, as TV pictures made plain. French captain Thierry Henry clearly handled the ball, not once, but twice before crossing for Gallas to score from close range.
Once again, fans are wondering how a mistake of such magnitude, in such a high-stakes game, could be allowed to happen.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini both disagree with the use of video referees but their case would have been a hard one to make in front of Irish fans on Wednesday. Soccer’s top officials say a video referee will only slow down the game. True enough, but would it not be better to stop the game and get the right decision rather than continue and see a faulty decision stand?
Platini, for his part, has managed to push through the idea of an extra official behind both goals with an eye on spotting such infringements. Currently the idea is being piloted in UEFA’s second-tier Europa League, but it may now be time to take the brave decision to introduce this across the board.
If we see another “Hand of God” moment in South Africa, perhaps one that decides the final, will football’s reputation survive it?
TO: France’s team captain Thierry Henry reacts in their World Cup qualifying playoff return leg match against Ireland at the Stade de France stadium in Saint Denis near Paris November 18, 2009. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Aquilani keen on Reds start
November 19, 2009
Alberto Aquilani wait for his first start for Liverpool could be prolonged, after his summer move from AS Roma.
The Merseyside outfit’s boss Rafael Benitez has played down claims the Italy international will start Saturday’s home match with Manchester City.
Aquilani has now recovered from ankle surgery but has so far managed one 15-minute spell in a reserve match and two similar cameo roles in senior matches with Arsenal and Birmingham.
But although Liverpool are still suffering from injury problems ahead of the crunch match with City, Benitez is worried about pushing the Italian too hard who faced six months on the sidelines due to injury problems.
He said: “Alberto wants to play for us and he is so desperate to be involved as quickly as he can but he understands the reasons he cannot start yet.
“He wants to keep improving his condition and now it is just a matter of him keeping calm as it will not be long before he is there. He is pushing us all the time.
“He is very positive and wants to help the team now but you must remember that we have a responsibility to him, and we will not take any risks at this stage.
“We have got to keep analysing the situation and watching him in every training session but we know that the right time is nearly here. He has a very good mentality.”
The 25 year-old is now likely to be named on the bench, with Benitez saying: “You can see in everything he does that he has got quality.
“He knows when to pass at the right time and to the right players, he makes good decisions on the pitch.
“Alberto is training really well and he is doing extra work to make sure he is in the best possible condition; I spoke with him in the gym this week and he is very positive, his spirits are good.
“We have meetings every day with our medical staff to see how much we can keep pushing him and when the time is right to increase the levels of his work.
“He is a player who can pass the ball and we have seen that in the games he has played so far, even though he has not had too much time on the pitch.”
Liverpool expect to have Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger fit to play, although despite doing some light training this week, Fernando Torres is unlikely to be involved.
Fabio Aurelio is still ruled out with a calf injury that robbed him of his first cap for Brazil during the international break, while young striker David Ngog, despite breaking his nose while training with the French Under-21 side, will be in the squad.
Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera, who are believed to both have had treatment in Belgrade this week with physiotherapist Mariana Kovacevic, could also be involved despite expecting to be out for a month with hamstring injuries.
Kovacevic has come to prominence recently following treatment for Arsenal’s Robin van Persie that involves the use of placenta cells.
Jamie Carragher still has two matches of his three-game suspension to serve, but can be involved in Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Budapest to face Debrecen.
Abhimanyu Rajput
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Bayern’s moment of truth
November 19, 2009
Bavaria based Bundesliga giants FC Bayern Munich host league leaders Bayer Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena on Sunday, in what is being touted as the “game of the season” by their general manager Uli Hoeness.
Bayern, eighth in the league, will have to go all guns blazing knowing that only a win could redeem their faltering start to the season.
Meanwhile, their opponents are rolling on at full throttle as they remain undefeated in the league, being three points clear at the top, six points ahead of Bayern and have the best defensive record – having conceded only eight goals in 12 rounds.
Even if the FCB manage to win on Sunday, it would only reduce the arrears at the top to just three points and a possible second position in the table if results elsewhere go their way.
And stand-in goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt admits his side cannot afford to slip up again.
“There can be no excuses – Leverkusen is a direct rival, we are playing at home and we have got to win,” the former Leverkusen player told his club’s website.
Leverkusen have not managed to get the better of Bayern since 1989 and Butt knows exactly how that feels as he was in their goal for six years, but he claims to have no more real ties with his former club.
“I think back to my time with Leverkusen fondly, but Sunday’s game is no longer all that important for me,” he added.
“There are no longer many players there from my time.”
However, Leverkusen’s new coach Jupp Heynckes feels his team can secure all three points as they travel to Munich in confident mood.
“Why shouldn’t we win in Munich?” he asked.
The arrival of Henyckes and former Liverpool defender Sami Hyppia, has seen the side turn into a team who can genuinely aim for the title this season.
A win in Munich, would further consolidate the title credentials of the Leverkusen-based side who have yet to lift league title.
Abhimanyu Rajput
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Chiellini: “I didn’t hurt Van Persie”
November 19, 2009
Italian international Giorgio Chiellini denies he hurt Robin van Persie. A challenge by Chiellini led to torn ankle ligaments that will keep the Arsenal man sidelined for several months.
“Some people tried to stir up trouble to distract attention from the performance,” Chiellini said after the friendly match against Sweden (1-0 win) on Wednesday night. “I have never gone into a tackle to hurt anyone in my entire life and Van Persie said the same thing.
“If you look at the footage it’s clear it was not a nasty challenge. I was the first to be upset about Van Persie and hope he’ll recover as soon as possible. I was actually surprised he was injured from that situation,” the Juventus defender said.
Chiellini scored the winner against Sweden. It was his second goal in 27 internationals for Italy.
Paul Haring
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Keane, Doyle hit out at Platini and Blatter
November 19, 2009
Ireland will be absolutely mad for a few days considering the way they were dumped out of the World Cup. William Gallas’ decisive goal was set up by Thierry Henry who handled the ball twice before crossing it to Gallas. The Irish players were devastated, with Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle blasting the Fifa and Uefa presidents claiming they would be “delighted” with France reaching the World Cup.
“They’re all probably clapping hands, Platini sitting up there on the phone to Sepp Blatter, probably texting each other, delighted with the result,” Keane told BBC Radio Five Live.
His teammate Doyle agreed with the Tottenham Hotspur striker. “It was clearly a handball. If we would’ve handled the ball, I’m sure it would have been seen by the referee or the linesman. It is difficult. We are playing in Paris in front of a big French crowd. The president of Uefa (Michel Platini) is here and it is just difficult for us to get. ”
Keane also criticised the late decision to seed the play-off ties when it emerged that established football powers such as France, Portugal and at one stage Germany could be involved.
“Germany had a chance of being in the (play-offs) as well. With two massive countries there’s no way in a million years that there’s going to be a fair draw.”
Paul Haring
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MLS Cup contenders Galaxy cancel German tour
November 19, 2009
The Los Angeles Galaxy cancelled their planned post-season German tour, citing organizational hitches and a need to focus on their upcoming Major League Soccer championship clash with Real Salt Lake.
Galaxy were scheduled to face FC Kaiserslautern on Thursday, November 26, and a second opponent the following Tuesday in Germany.
“We are very disappointed to announce the cancellation of our 2009 Postseason Tour due to a lack of communication and performance by the tour’s organizer and promoter IMC Group, Incorporated,” Galaxy President of Business Operations Tom Payne said in a statement released Wednesday night.
“Unfortunately, IMC Group has not performed their obligations of the agreement thus far, nor do we have faith that they will be able to do so in the future.
“With MLS Cup 2009 this weekend in Seattle, we feel that it is important to make this decision now and remove the potential distractions to our team, rather than continue to hold out hope that the tour will indeed take place.”
A Galaxy side featuring England midfielder David Beckham and US standout Landon Donovan captured MLS’s Western Conference title last Friday to book their spot in the title game against Eastern Conference champions Salt Lake, to be played Sunday in Seattle.
LOS ANGELES (AFP)
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Uruguay qualify for World Cup
November 19, 2009
Uruguay qualified for the 2010 World Cup with a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica.
South America’s Uruguay won the two-legged playoff tie against North and Central America’s Costa Rica 2-1 on aggregate.
Sebastian Abreu opened the scoring for Uruguay in the 70th minute. Walter Centeno got the equalizer in the 74th.
Uruguay, winner of the title in 1930 and 1950, had put themselves on the road to South Africa with a 1-0 victory in Costa Rica on Saturday. They return to the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
MONTEVIDEO (AFP)
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Henry handball ends Irish World Cup hopes
November 19, 2009
A “saddened” Giovanni Trapattoni hit out at match officials but refused to blame Thierry Henry for the handball which helped France controversially dump the Republic of Ireland out of World Cup qualifying here on Wednesday.
Trapattoni’s Irish squad had forced the second leg of their playoff to extra time at the Stade de France after Robbie Keane’s 32nd minute opener levelled the tie after France’s 1-0 win in Dublin last Saturday.
But despite an overall dominant display by the visitors their hopes were crushed when defender William Gallas scored from close range in the eighth minute of the first extra-time period to level the scores and send France on their way to South Africa.
The decisive pass had come from Henry, who had blatantly handled the ball a fraction of a second earlier to the right of Shay Given’s goal as the Irish fought to clear the ball.
Immediate Irish protests were waved away by Swedish referee Martin Hansson, and after the match a relieved France coach Raymond Domenech would not get drawn on the issue.
Domenech’s “congratulations” to the spirited Irish team rung hollow as he said: “I haven’t had the benefit of seeing the replay, all I know is the referee gave the goal and we have qualified.”
Trapattoni directed his ire not at Henry but at the officials who he believes had the power to decide whether the goal was valid or not.
“I’m not only disappointed, I’m also saddened,” said Trapattoni, who after the second period of extra time went on to the park to talk to the referee.
“I told him that I’d known many Swedish players and I know the Swedish people, but that it’s possible you’ve made a great mistake.
“I think he should have at least consulted with the linesman.
“I don’t want to say it’s Henry’s fault. It’s all about the notion of fair play.
“But I’m sure if the referee had asked, Henry would have admitted it was a handball.”
Later, Henry did admit the handball mistake.
“Yes, I handled the ball but I’m not the referee,” said Henry.
It was a sad end to a promising night for the Irish, who to ran the 1998 World Cup winners over the park and had at least two good chances after Keane’s opener to score the second goal that would have virtually secured their qualification.
In the end, the first period of extra time — and an opportunity to turn their own fortunes around — ended Irish hopes of making it back to football’s biggest stage since their second round showing at the 2002 World Cup.
Domenech paid tribute to the visitors from the Emerald Isle but was unrepentant for Henry’s blatant handball or the referee’s mistake.
“I want to pay tribute to the Irish team and their fans, what they did over two matches – they gave us a lot of problems and I want to congratulate them,” added the Frenchman.
“I’m disappointed for them and their public. But bravo to them.
“Ireland really stepped up and forced us into a situation, and that meant we had to play them at their own game.
“I knew what Ireland were capable of. I knew that trailing by a goal they would come at us with everything they had. And that’s just what they did.”
When pressed, Domenech swerved deflty around the handball issue.
“Sometimes things that go around come around in football. Against Serbia (earlier in qualifying) we had our goalkeeper red carded for nothing and we were unlucky but didn’t go making a big meal of it.
“Football’s like that.
“We’ve qualified because we’ve achieved our objective. I’m happy to have qualified, the past two months we’ve been hanging on, been criticised and gone through a lot of tough times. Now, we’ve made it.
“My job is to qualify the France team, they’ve done the job on the pitch, they worked hard, they suffered and I just want to savour that if I can.”
PARIS (AFP)
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Uruguay denies Costa Rica World Cup trip with 1-1 draw
November 19, 2009
Uruguay held Costa Rica to a 1-1 draw Wednesday night, claiming the last berth in the 32-team World Cup field and denying the Ticos a third straight trip to the quadrennial championship.
Uruguay enjoyed the majority of possession and chances and advanced with a 2-1 aggregate victory in the two-leg playoff.
Sebastian Abreu put Uruguay ahead with his 28th career international goal in the 70th, but Walter Centeno restored the Ticos’ hopes only four minutes later.
Costa Rica, which led the United States by two goals with 18 minutes remaining on October 14 in a match where a victory would have earned it a fourth appearance at the World Cup, was 30 seconds from a berth but surrendered a goal 4½ minutes into injury time to settle for a 2-2 draw.
The result finished Costa Rica behind the United States, Mexico and Honduras in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Wednesday’s result extended Costa Rica’s winless streak against Uruguay to eight with only its second draw.
Uruguay dominated with Nacional midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, whose two goals helped his country into the second round at last month’s Under-20 World Cup in Egypt.
Lodeiro started in the fourth minute, bending a free kick from 35 yards that bounced just wide of the post, and twice more driving down the middle of the field setting up chances for Luis Suarez in the 34th and one of his own a minute later.
Uruguay’s best chance before Abreu’s goal came in a blast from distance by Diego Forlan that had to be tipped over the bar by Costa Rican keeper Keilor Navas in the seventh minute. Cristian Bolanos had a similar chance for Costa Rica in the 36th that forced goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to dive to his right to push it around the post.
Abreu, who replaced Suarez only five minutes earlier, put Uruguay ahead by out-leaping his marker at the edge of the six-yard box and driving Andres Scotti’s cross past Navas. Centeno finished his chance from just inside the area in the 74th to quiet the crowd at Estadio Centenario.
Alvaro Saborio had a chance in the 87th to give Costa Rica the lead, but his left-footer from inside the area struck the near-side netting.
Uruguay, which lost in a World Cup qualifying playoff four years ago to Australia, will be making its first appearance in the championship since 2002.
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay
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Costa Rica drops third straight at Beach Soccer World Cup
November 19, 2009
Richard Sterling scored Costa Rica’s second goal of the tournament but Italy overwhelmed the Ticos 3-1 on Wednesday and sent them home from the Beach Soccer World Cup with a third straight loss.
Costa Rica was joined by CONCACAF champion Honduras, which was beaten 7-2 by Japan and also returned home with a third loss.
Sterling equalized at 8:41 of the first period after Simone Feudi put Ialy ahead a little more than a minute earlier. Pasquale Corotenuto restored Italy’s lead by converting a penalty with 2:08 remaining in the first and Paolo Palmacci added an insurance goal with a minute and a half to play.
The result finished Italy in second place in Group C and sent it to the quarterfinals while Costa Rica completed its stay in Dubai having been outscored 14-2.
El Salvador, which jumped ahead in its first two games before allowing its opponents to rally, fell behind early and was overwhelmed the Asian champion.
Japan scored four times in the first eight minutes and cruised past los Catrachos, who already had been eliminated from quarterfinal contention before the match. Second-period goals by Masakiyo Maezono, his second of the game, and another by Hiofumi Oda extended the lead to 6-0 before El Salvador’s Tomas Hernandez scored his third goal of the tournament with 2:25 remaining in the period.
After Japan restored the six-goal advantage, Walter Torres scored his second of the tournament with five seconds remaining to complete the scoring.
Dubai United Arab Emirates
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