Have just been to the France vs Ireland Game? Does anybody else think that France clearly cheated ROI out of a place in the finals?

For anyone who doesn’t quite know what the OP is talking about, here is a replay of the incident on YouTube at the very end of the France-Ireland football game today. Personally, I think both Henry and Gallas (the French players) should accept responsibility for this, and fair play would have suggested they tell the referee what happened. However, competitive sports are like this sometimes, and at the level they play at, and the stakes, I can see where a tight-lipped approach is chosen.

As far as the specific play, Henry appeared to be surprised by the ball hitting his hand (didn’t seem deliberate to me), but he most certainly benefited as the ball would have otherwise skipped out of bounds harmlessly instead of falling in his lap for him to pass to Gallas. Of course, this is not nearly as bad as the Diego Maradona deliberate handball to defeat England during the World Cup quarterfinals, but that does not mitigate the circumstances.

Finally, as far as the result goes, there is no way to know what would have happened even if the goal had been disallowed. The cumulative result of the tie would have been 1–1, with both teams scoring an away goal. Thus, extra time ± penalties would have been required, and France might still have won the game.

Edit: The more I watch the replay, the more I think he did stick his hand out to stop the ball. Maybe it is as bad as Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal.

Question: Do European referees have access to instant replay monitors and do they take that into account in their decision making process. In American football (the pigskin kind) that has made a significant difference in the game.
PS- I didn’t see the game

Hand of God.

@OreetCooker; Congratulations on getting this question past the mods. Note how Shilolo clarified the question for those among us who have no idea what you are talking about.

Firstly, that is irriting, it is time to get out of the dark ages and check the video as an aid to crucial decision making. I like the Republic of Ireland and they will be sorely missed. Secondly americans should get with the program, soccer is the international sport, they have this entrenched parochial attitude toward their own football which is insular and stubborn, and frankly, annoying. Thirdly i just had a dream about Beckham, i was trying to convince the selectors to take him to the world cup on the basis of experience and his ability to strike a dead ball better than any other player on earth.

@mammal Maybe you should get with the program and realize that categorizing every American into one group is completely idiotic.

@DrasticDreamer Yeah, I’m American, and look what a parochial comment I made about the Henry affair.

I’m always amused by the European and South American attitude towards Americans and football (soccer). When I lived in NYC, I played on several all-American teams against a hodgepodge of European and South American players. They almost always assumed that somehow their “heritage” with the sport would trump skill, but we consistently ran them off the pitch. Same thing now on the West Coast. The teams composed of Mexican players think that they’ll cruise by the American teams, but they frequently and regularly do not.

@shilolo that’s because you’ve blinded them with science.

@mammal being of European descent and having both Mexican and American citizenship i can tell you i have a great appreciation for both styles of football (I even like Australian rules football) and am constantly amazed by the following football (soccer) has in the US. Some of my most stimulating conversations on the subject have been with american friends (the bet i had with @shilolo over the Mexican national team beating the US national team was not only fun… it was based on real stats and a historical sense ofthe game).

I believe your point of view is a bit skewed. Europeans and South Americans assume that Americans have no appreciation for the sport and have no knowledge or passion for it. May I remind you that no one complained during the 1994 World Cup (opening ceremony held in Soldier Field in Chicago, games in Pasadena, Stanford, Detroit, Orlando, Chicago, Dallas, Washington DC and even Foxborough where the Patriots play) of the US not appreciating football, considering the vast majority of fans and attendees were locals. I think the rest of the world needs to get with the program and stop making assumptions based on cultural misconceptions perpetrated and prolonged through ignorance and bias.

BTW… @OreetCocker I am in no way surprised that this Q got past the mods… it’s not only ot hard to understand and well written.. all but one person in this thread knew exactly what you were talking about and most likely decided to answer based on that knowledge.

IMHO Henry should have stepped up and admitted the handball.. whether it was intentional or not it changed the outcome of the game and had a finality to it that cannot be reversed since instant replay is not used and the results of games are final regardless of officiating reviews. Sucks to be Ireland right now and the most certainly deserved the win.

@Dr_C I agree he should have “manned-up” and stated that the ball was handled. Irrespective of that, Ireland didn’t do themselves any service by missing golden chances in regular time to end the contest. They also failed to score during the rest of extra time (which would have ended the contest too, since they would have won on the away goals rule). Essentially, the Henry handball deprived them of the opportunity of a PK shoot-out. With Shay Given in net, the Irish stood a real chance, though France had Henry, Anelka, Gallas, etc. as PK takers.

@shilolo very very true.. Ireland had some very near misses and some real wasted opportunities. But my beef is mostly with the outcome of a game being decided on a call that is questionable at best. Remember when referee Ed Hochuli cost the Chargers a win against denver by blowing an obvious fumble and calling it an incomplete pass… he was crucified in the media afterward but the ruling stood. This situation cost Ireland a chance at a shoot-out, but one that they had a legitimate chance of winning.

Yes, they cheated and got away with it.

While Henry’s actions are deplorable, they are consistent with the way games are generally played. How many times is a glaring mistake made on a ball going out of bounds and the players do not correct the referee or linesman? Many times a game. How many times are fouls embellished or simulated in order to win a foul or penalty? Quite frequently. Competitive players are always looking for an edge, whether it be something small, like a “free” throw-in or free-kick, or something large like an ill-gotten goal.

Wow. Didn’t know I’d create such a shit storm.
I just asked a question about video. and have yet to get an answer

But since it’s out there, if anyone’s a little obsessed about a sport, you’d be hard pressed to argue against European soccer fans.
Total mayhem quite frequenty, police using water cannons, tear gas to quell rioting fans often ending in multiple deaths.
Jeez our greatest issues at a football game are burnt sausage at the tailgate party, bad makeup/paint jobs and the occasional fisticuffs. But I say whatever we all play, it’s just a game after all.
Unless you ask these guys
and before you jump on me..I’m half Scottish

@gailcalled. I knew I should have read all the instructions first :-). Have had some great direction though and now I think I have it sussed!

@shilolo. Man you did that far better than me :-) thanks!

@Dr C. Thanks for that, think it was a case of 3rd time
lucky, and now at least I know for next time :-)

@OreetCocker
DO THE REFEREES HAVE ACCESS TO INSTANT REPLAY VIDEO FEEDS?

@SeventhSense. No, unfortunately they don’t. It is used in Rugby games a lot but never in football. How crazy is that!?!

Well it took us a while to implement it as well. Silly traditions.