England denied goal as ball crosses line

With England just having pulled a goal back after Germany had taken a two-goal lead, Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda, guided by linesman and compatriot Pablo Fandino, decreed the ball had not crossed the line.

A television replay showed it clearly had by about a metre.

Lampard had blasted the ball from about 40 metres out, beating German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. After coming down from the bar, it bounced out of the goal into Neuer’s arms.

The incident drew comparison with the third England goal from Geoff Hurst in the 1966 final against West Germany, which Germans still say never crossed the line after his shot came down off the crossbar and has been debated ever since. England went on to win 4-2.

Former German referee Helmut Krug told German TV that England were denied a goal by the referee.

‘That was an inexcusable mistake. The assistant should have seen that. It was clearly behind the line. An assistant should have seen that — without any instant replays.’

Theo Zwanziger, German FA president, added in a German TV interview at half time he could see the ball had crossed the line from his seat on the stands.

‘We’ve got to stick with the rules we’ve got. I can feel for the England fans and that they didn’t like that (goal not allowed). I could see from the stands that the ball was in the goal.’

The incident will enter the annals of the long rivalry between England and Germany. It will also add fuel to arguments that FIFA should use video technology to help referees in contested situations.