Ireland asks FIFA for France World Cup replay

November 20, 2009

Angry Ireland called on FIFA Thursday to allow its World Cup playoff with France to be replayed, as a dispute over Thierry Henry’s blatant handball threatened to become a diplomatic row.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said he supported the Football Association of Ireland’s request, and promised to raise the issue with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at an EU summit.

Video replays showed Henry used his hand to stop the ball going out of play in extra-time of Wednesday’s match, before he passed to William Gallas to head the goal for a 2-1 aggregate win which sent France to South Africa.

“The blatantly incorrect decision by the referee to award the goal has damaged the integrity of the sport,” the FAI said in a statement.

“We now call on FIFA, as the world governing body for our sport, to organise for this match to be replayed.”

As he arrived in Brussels for the meeting to choose two top EU jobs, Cowen said: “Our minister of sport actually will write to FIFA in support of that complaint and look for a re-match.”

He said he and Sarkozy “will probably have a chat about it away from the table,” but added that he wanted football’s authorities to resolve the row and ensure “that fair play is upheld here.”

But as the fallout intensified, the French prime minister said the Irish government should not get involved in FIFA business.

“Neither the French government nor the Irish government should interfere in the functioning of the international federation,” Francois Fillon said.

FIFA confirmed it had received a letter of complaint from the FAI, but refused to say when any decision would be made.

Ireland’s chances of forcing a replay appear slim.

The match in Paris was one of four playoffs on Wednesday which finalised the 32-nation line-up for South Africa.

The draw for next year’s finals is due to be made in Cape Town on December 4, leaving little time in a calendar already crowded by club matches.

Who’s saying what about Henry handball

The Irish football body pointed to a precedent: a FIFA decision in 2005 to invalidate the result of a World Cup qualifier between Ukbekistan and Bahrain on the basis of “a technical error by the referee of the match”.

But a FIFA spokesman said that was a “very different” case, because the referee in the match “saw the incident in question and simply failed to apply the proper rules”.

FAI chief executive John Delaney said his organisation had also written to the French Football Federation (FFF) asking for the playoff to be replayed, and urged FIFA to take action.

“If FIFA believe in fairplay and integrity… this is their opportunity to step forward,” a clearly agitated Delaney said.

“From the French FA’s point of view, they need to look at themselves and look at this situation.

“Thierry Henry’s their captain, he’s a wonderful footballer, but does he want to be remembered like Maradona was in 1986, does he want his legacy to be this handball?” he asked, referring to Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.

Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni said he did not believe FIFA would grant a replay.

“It is impossible to repeat the game,” the experienced Italian said.

He urged FIFA to explain how Swedish referee Martin Hansson, who failed to spot the incident, had been chosen for such a high-profile match, saying: “For this important game we needed a stronger referee, an important referee.”

Henry himself admitted handling, but said the responsibility for seeing the incident fell to the match official.

Trapattoni refused to blame the player, saying: “It wasn’t up to Henry to say ‘I touched it with my hand’.”

The Irish press were unanimous in their condemnation.

“We were robbed” said the Irish Star, “Le Cheat” added the Irish Mirror, while the Irish Sun splashed with the “Hand of the Frog”.

A Facebook page entitled “We Irish hate Thierry Henry (the cheat)” also drew hundreds of comments, including a call for an Irish boycott of French goods.

DUBLIN (AFP)

Tags: diplomatic row, football association of ireland, francois fillon, french president nicolas, french president nicolas sarkozy, french prime minister, incorrect decision, international federation, irish football, irish government, letter of complaint, minister of sport, nicolas sarkozy, replays, William Gallas, world governing body

Controversy as French seal World Cup spot

November 19, 2009

Former champions France flattered to deceive before securing their World Cup spot in controversial fashion here Wednesday after a dramatic 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland at the Stade de France.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s visitors, beaten 1-0 in Dublin last Saturday, had taken a shock lead in the 32nd minute through Robbie Keane and the Irish were unlucky not to score more before forcing the match to extra time.

In the first 15-minute spell France had an appeal for a penalty turned down after striker Nicolas Anelka tumbled to the turf under pressure.

Five minutes later France skipper Thierry Henry, who had moments earlier been denied a free kick after falling to the ground 25 yards out, won the match for the hosts when his angled pass amid a goalmouth scramble was met by the head of William Gallas.

Henry’s pass, however, came after the ball appeared to make contact with his hand prompting a rash of immediate protests by the Irish players to referee Martin Hansson.

Hansson waved away appeals, allowing France to qualify and thus avoid a repeat of their humiliating failure, at the hands of Bulgaria, to qualify for the 1994 World Cup finals.

Gallas was non-committal on the goal circumstances.

“It all happened so quickly. I received the ball from Thierry. It happened so quickly that I couldn’t see (if the ball hit his hand).”

A clearly relieved French coach Raymond Domenech said France had had to scrap to the end.

“It was hard, laborious and indeed miraculous,” he told French television.

“I was sure we would make it though. My forecast was 1-1!”

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger candidly told broadcaster TF1 that “France never found their game. We lacked cohesion.

“We went through thanks to a refereeing error – and thanks to poor Irish finishing!”

French President Nicolas Sarkozy saluted a “gallant Irish” team before praising his countrymen.

“It’s fabulous – we’re really glad to get through. Qualification is important as it’s a major event,” Sarkozy told TF1.

Ireland, especially captain Keane, had the lion’s share of the chances in regulation time, and they will be kicking themselves having last qualified for the 2002 World Cup where they got to the second round.

Domenech was forced to reshuffle after the first leg victory in Dublin last Saturday after injuries to midfielder Jeremy Toulalan and central defender Eric Abidal.

After just nine minutes, Abidal’s pre-match replacement, Julien Escude, came off injured to be replaced by Sebastian Squillaci.

While France looked dangerous in the opening stages, they went on to look exceedingly mediocre up against an astute Irish defence which gave keeper Shay Given plenty of protection.

Damian Duff and Liam Lawrence had already shown their ability to carve openings in the French defence and it was Duff’s cutback from deep on the left side of the French area which found Keane, who drove home first time to beat Hugo Lloris in the France goal.

In the 39th minute France striker Nicolas Anelka turned his marker nicely on the edge of the area but his shot was deflected by an Irish body and went for a corner.

A subdued Stade de France welcomed a more hopeful French team for the second half, but Ireland quickly stated their intent as Keane won a free kick on the left flank and Lawrence’s kick found John O’Shea unmarked at the back post.

But after controlling the ball the Manchester United defender’s shot was struck over the crossbar from four yards out.

Anelka, seemingly the only motivated Frenchman on the park, provided France’s first chance a minute later but his 20 yard effort shot was driven straight to Given.

Striker Andre Pierre Gignac then made way for Sidney Govou.

Just after the hour mark, Ireland were given another golden opportunity, Duff racing through only for Lloris to block his effort.

Keane, one of the survivors of the 2002 tournament, was left frustrated after he missed a golden chance to put Ireland 2-0 up when he put the ball wide from a tight angle with only Lloris to beat.

After struggling all night to overcome a packed Irish defence France’s late stroke of luck finally proved Ireland’s downfall.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: controversial fashion, french coach, french president nicolas, french president nicolas sarkozy, french television, giovanni trapattoni, goalmouth scramble, irish players, martin hansson, Nicolas Anelka, raymond domenech, Robbie Keane, s pass, stade de france, tf1, William Gallas, world cup finals

Hoarau late-show puts PSG in the driving seat

February 19, 2009

PARIS, Feb 18, 2009 (AFP) – Two late headers by striker Guillaume Hoarau earned Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 victory over German side Wolfsburg in the first leg of their UEFA Cup round of 32 tie here on Wednesday evening.

Having toiled for long periods of the match, the Parisians seemed to be heading for a disappointing stalemate until Hoarau’s intervention put them firmly in control ahead of the return leg on February 26.

"It’s a while since I was into my true rhythm, so it gives me great pleasure to grab a double this evening," said Hoarau.

"To be fair my team-mates were the providers and I was just the executioner."

In front of a less than capacity Parc des Princes crowd of around 25,000 – which included French president Nicolas Sarkozy – PSG and their opponents played out a cagey first half in which both sides struggled to create chances.

PSG top-scorer Hoarau sidefooted over just after the half hour, while Fabrice Pancrate should have done better than scuff his shot straight at visiting goalkeeper Diego Benaglio when Clement Chantome’s low centre from the left landed at his feet shortly before half-time.

The home side dominated the second period, but on 65 minutes they were given a real scare when goalkeeper Edel flapped at a cross and Yoshito Okubo flashed a close-range half-volley narrowly over the bar.

Wolfsburg, though, became increasingly penned inside their own half as Paul Le Guen’s side poured forward in search of a goal, and with just over 10 minutes remaining Hoarau rose above a flailing Benaglio to head home Jerome Rothen’s inswinging free-kick and give his side the lead.

Benaglio then had to repel a fierce strike from substitute Sebastien Sessegnon, but he was once again culpable of hesitancy when Hoarau leapt unchallenged to power a header into the net from Chantome’s left-wing corner.

Hoarau then spurned two chances to complete his hat-trick, first sending a deft lob against the base of the right-hand post before spooning a right-footed effort over the bar from Sammy Traore’s pass.

Written by: AFP