In the wake of the controversy that trailed England’s 1-0 win against the co-host, Ukraine, the introduction of goal-line technology has appeared on the front burner. The debate is underway, as many a pundit is calling for the introduction of goal-line technology as a panacea to this human recurring error. KINGSLEY OPURUM takes a look at the prospect.
Soccer refereeing has long relied on just three on-field officials—a referee and two assistants, one on each side line. For decades, this structure, though riddled with flaws, appeared to keep the peace.
In 2010, and in response to technology confirming a slew of missed calls at or near the goal line, the UEFA Executive Committee approved a proposal to add two assistant referees to either goal line, effectively giving the sport two goal judges authorized to rule handballs, penalties and other issues of play involving the scoring of a goal.
Since the two-year trial was adopted following UEFA’s proposal to FIFA, five on-field officials (one referee and four assistants) have become a welcome sight on European football pitches, with the fourth and fifth goal officials added to the 2012 UEFA Euros qualifying phase and final tournament.
Yet, in opting for additional on-field officials at the expense of incorporating instant replay technology, UEFA has maintained the status quo of the human element, a fate that significantly factored into play during last Tuesday’s England-Ukraine Group D match.
With England at a one goal advantage and the Ukraine needing a win to remain alive in Euro 2012 tournament play, the Ukraine found themselves with an opportunity to equalize in the 62nd minute. At 61:40, an attempted score appeared to fully cross the goal line before being kicked out by English defender John Terry.
Had goal opportunities been subject to instant replay review? There is little doubt that video evidence would have overturned this call. Nonetheless, the goal line official positioned several yards from the near post ruled the ball never fully crossed the goal line, preserving England’s 1-0 lead.
Conversely, the side-line assistant referee failed to call a proper offside against Ukraine several seconds earlier, raising the total to two missed calls on the attack, one adversely affecting either squad.
In this case, the fact of the uncalled offside infraction may just make that missed goal call a little easier to swallow for the Ukraine, while England may point to the earlier no-call as evidence that two wrongs may indeed make a right.
As for UEFA, FIFA and other governing bodies looking to get the call right, perhaps England-Ukraine is yet another nail in the proverbial coffin in keeping overt video technology out of the world’s game.
In 2010, the association opted to fix the problem by adding a fourth and fifth referee. In 2012, given evidence of the ineffectiveness of those two added goal judges, how will football solve the quandary of human error in its officiating mechanics?
Perhaps it is time to go the way of baseball, basketball, football and hockey in authorizing certain plays, such as scoring chances, to undergo instant replay analysis and review.
Meanwhile, this on-going debate on whether soccer needs technology for questionable decisions was given new impetus after Ukraine striker Marko Devic was denied what should be a goal against England at Euro 2012 last Tuesday.
His effort in the 62nd minute was hooked away by defender John Terry, although TV replays suggested the ball had crossed the line. England ultimately advanced to the quarterfinals as winners of Group D after a 1-0 victory.
The man with probably the best view, UEFA’s fifth official was less than 10 metres away but did not award a goal. “There are five referees on the pitch and the ball is 50 centimetres behind the goal-line,” Ukraine coach, Oleg Blokhin said. “Why do we need five referees on the pitch? I don’t want to talk about the referees, we lost the game. I don’t want to put everything on the referees,” he added.
Ukraine captain Andriy Shevchenko, who was warming up at the side-line when it happened, said the incident did influence the game. “The goal that wasn’t given really changed our plan because if it was given, I think the whole game could have looked another way,” said Shevchenko, who replaced Devic eight minutes later for his last competitive appearance for Ukraine.
Defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy added that “Marko Devic thought it was a goal. I think the referee made lots of mistakes. It’s a very bad result for us. We regret we weren’t able to achieve a good result.” The incident revived the debate about the use of technology to decide whether a ball crosses the line, rather than to rely on the human eye.
UEFA is using Euro 2012 to trial the five-official system promoted by its president Michel Platini as his preferred alternative to goal-line technology. Referees at the tournament are being helped by two lines-men and two additional assistants, who stay close to each goal to help decide if the ball crosses the line and to spot possible fouls.
FIFA will decide on July 5 whether to approve the five-official system and two goal-line technology systems currently being tested in England and Denmark.
England coach Roy Hodgson said he wasn’t sure if it was a goal – and that even technology would probably not have solved the issue this time. “Terry did so well to hook the ball off the line,” Hodgson said. “Even with technology you would not be completely sure. But if it was a goal, then that was a slice of luck.”
Soccer fans will never get tired of debating goal-line controversies. Here are four of the most infamous: England vs. West Germany, World Cup final, 1966
At Wembley Stadium, the host nation and West Germany were locked at 2-2 in extra time. England forward Geoff Hurst fired a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar, bounced down on – or over – the goal-line and out. Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst consulted his Azerbaijani linesman and a goal was given. England went on to win 4-2.
Liverpool VS Chelsea, Champions League semi-final, second leg, 2005. In the fourth minute, Liverpool’s Luis Garcia clipped the ball over Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and as it bounced toward the net, defender William Gallas hooked it clear. Referee Lubos Michel awarded a goal, and it would be the decider that took Liverpool to the final of the world’s biggest club competition, and ultimately victory over AC Milan.
England VS Germany, World Cup 2nd round, 2010. Trailing 2-1, England’s Frank Lampard thought he had equalized with a shot from distance that bounced down clearly behind goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s line before spinning back out. Referee Jorge Larrionda allowed play to continue. England lost 4-1.
Chelsea VS Tottenham, FA Cup semi-final, 2012. Juan Mata’s shot looked like it had been forced off the goal-line by Tottenham’s Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Ledley King, but ref Martin Atkinson awarded a goal. Chelsea won 5-1.
Sadly, goal-line technology is coming soon but not soon enough for UEFA Euro 2012™ co-hosts Ukraine who were left with a bitter taste in their mouths last Tuesday after being denied a possible equaliser in a 1-0 defeat by England which ended their hopes.
Needing a win to go through, Ukraine appeared to have equalised just past the hour mark when Marco Devic’s shot was half saved by England keeper Joe Hart and as the ball looped goal wards it was hacked clear by John Terry.
Ironically, it is the English FA which has been one of the strongest supporters of the introduction of goal-line technology which is expected to be formally introduced by the International Football Association Board on July 5. Hungarian Viktor Kassai, the referee on Tuesday as Ukraine’s hopes ebbed away, will not be quite as popular on the streets of Kiev, Lviv and Donetsk, although by the time the World Cup kicks off in Brazil, he may have cameras to help him and his four assistants.
The UEFA president Michel Platini has been doggedly resistant to its introduction, and has put his faith in additional assistant referees. The proof that those assistants cannot be trusted to make goal-line decisions was there for all to see in the Donbass Arena.
Consequently, Platini can now the fundamental reason goal-line technology should be introduced to finally solve this human error in the world of football.