Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
In a 1986 World Cup quarterfinal match, Argentina defeated England, 2-1, thanks to a pair of Diego Maradona tallies, including his now infamous "Hand of God Goal." Twenty-three years later, we may have seen the Hand of God Goal II.
In today's World Cup qualifier between Ireland and France, William Gallas scored the match's equalizer in the 104th minute, which gave The Blues their ticket to South Africa. But was it a legal goal? Um, no. Gallas only got the ball after Thierry Henry blatantly stopped it from going over the touch line with his hand.
Pretty obvious, no? Apparently not to the referee. (And we haven't even mentioned the possible offsides call.) What are others saying? Let's check out Twitter, the voice of the the fan.
Don't call it a "controversial goal." It was a visibly illegitimate goal. Controversy implies a second possible interpretation.
Just saw clip of T Henry's disgraceful handball here on plane. Replay game?
BBC live "The Republic of Ireland have been robbed here. Robbed." a goal with 2 offsides and a hand ball... did the Ref cave in?
8 comments
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I mean, that really couldn’t be more obvious. How did the ref miss it?
by Ryan Hudson on Nov 18, 2009 5:53 PM EST reply actions
FIFA Referee Fail
Three people in the whole world missed that handball and all of three of them were part of the refereeing crew. AND two guys offsides. Terrible.
Is Grant Wahl’s proposal of a replay game allowed? Can’t be, right?
"It was almost like if Harry didn't call it, it wasn't real." - Jayson Stark
by Chris Haines on Nov 18, 2009 6:09 PM EST reply actions
I would imagine not
Best we can hope for is FIFA acknowledging they made a mistake I’m guessing.
by Ryan Hudson on Nov 18, 2009 6:15 PM EST up reply actions
Four years ago...
FIFA forced a replay between Uzbekistan and Bahrain in a World Cup play-off for a mistake made on a penalty kick, so it is possible.
Visit bloggingthebracket.com, SBNation's bracketology/CBB rambling site!
by Chris Dobbertean on Nov 18, 2009 6:24 PM EST up reply actions
I can't get over this
I’m really pissed about it for some reason. Awful.
"It was almost like if Harry didn't call it, it wasn't real." - Jayson Stark
by Chris Haines on Nov 18, 2009 6:29 PM EST reply actions
If they hadn't changed the rules of the play-off midstream...
it probably wouldn’t bother me as much. But to decide to seed the teams at nearly the last possible moment makes me think the fix was in early on.
Visit bloggingthebracket.com, SBNation's bracketology/CBB rambling site!
by Chris Dobbertean on Nov 18, 2009 6:31 PM EST up reply actions
Henry is a world class player
I just knew he would have a hand in putting France through to the World Cup finals…
by Pablo Mercado on Nov 18, 2009 7:26 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I see what you did there ...
“… he would have a hand in putting France through …”
Sneaky.
by Ryan Hudson on Nov 18, 2009 8:18 PM EST up reply actions
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