Euro 2012 Day 12 Wrap: Controversy in Donetsk as England, France Advance
Can two wrongs make one right? Your answer might vary depending on which team you support at Euro 2012.
Day 12 at Euro 2012 brought controversy to Europe's premier international competition. When the dust settled, another co-host had bowed out and England had won Group D ahead of France.
The hot topic of the day, of course, will be goal-line technology.
Ukraine's Marko Devic should have been awarded a goal when his shot crossed England's goal line in the 62nd minute of the two teams' Group D match in Donetsk. England's John Terry hacked the ball away with a last-gasp clearance, and the goal-line official ruled that the ball had not crossed the line.
Replays later showed the official was wrong, but the call stood.
England eventually won the match 1-0 and Ukraine crashed out of the tournament, joining fellow co-hosts Poland as casualties of the group stage. Roy Hodgson's England, meanwhile, finished atop Group D and France also advanced in second place despite a disappointing 2-0 loss to Sweden.
All the details from an eventful—and controversial—day await inside.
The Controversy
1 of 9Goal-line technology had already become a hot topic before Euro 2012 started. After years of opposing it, FIFA president Sepp Blatter reversed his stance recently (via The Sporting News).
After Tuesday's latest controversy, it's becoming increasingly likely that Euro 2012 will be the last major international tournament without it.
The incident in question appears in the video at left. In it, Ukraine's Marko Devic hits a shot off England goalkeeper Joe Hart and over the goal line. England defender John Terry clears the ball desperately, but as replays later showed, he was fractionally late.
England fans immediately pointed out two facts.
First, Ukraine's "goal" had a strong hint of offside during its buildup.
Second, the same thing happened to England two years ago at the World Cup.
UEFA president Michel Platini remains opposed (via Reuters) to goal-line technology, which would give officials nearly instantaneous help determining whether shots cross the line.
But as the Sporting News article indicates, FIFA's Sepp Blatter has come out in support of it.
The World Cup will probably feature goal-line technology. After Tuesday's fiasco, UEFA surely must be reconsidering.
Welcome Back, Roo
2 of 9Wayne Rooney returned to the England lineup Tuesday after serving a two-match suspension. He wasted a clear chance in the first half but scored the winner for England in the 48th minute.
England captain Steven Gerrard crossed from the right, and the ball took two deflections in the Ukraine box before Rooney ran in unmarked and headed home at the far post.
The goal ended Rooney's 673-minute scoring drought in major international tournaments.
Swedes Sink France
3 of 9France entered the final round of matches as the favorites to top Group D, but a 2-0 loss to already eliminated Sweden doomed Laurent Blanc's team to second place.
The result means Les Bleus must face defending World Cup and European champions Spain in the quarterfinals.
Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring nine minutes into the second half with an acrobatic volley that really must be seen. Watch it here.
Sebastian Larsson added Sweden's second in the 90th minute.
Goals, Goals, Goals
4 of 9Both of Tuesday's games featured goals, meaning no group game at Euro 2012 finished in a scoreless draw.
That had never happened in the group stage of the European Championship.
Through 24 matches, 60 goals have been scored at Euro 2012. That works out to 2.5 per match.
Co-Hosts Gone
5 of 9Poland and Ukraine, the co-hosts of Euro 2012, have been eliminated.
Poland finished fourth in Group A with two points, and Ukraine finished third in Group D with three.
This is the second consecutive European Championship in which the co-hosts have been eliminated before the knockout stage.
At Euro 2008, Switzerland and Austria both bowed out at the group stage.
Group D Table
6 of 9England finish atop the Group D table with seven points from three matches. Roy Hodgson's team will play Group C runners-up Italy in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
France take second place with four points and will play Group C winners Spain in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
The top two teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinals.
Ukraine and Sweden have been eliminated.
Quote of the Day
7 of 9Ukraine manager Oleh Blokhin is always good for a quote, and a bit of goal-line controversy wasn't about to change that.
Here's what Blokhin had to say after the England match (via the BBC):
"There are five referees on the pitch and the ball is 50 centimetres behind the goal-line. Write what you want. You've seen it.
"
He wasn't done:
"You should respect that I played football. Did you play football? Respect my job and me. I won't allow anyone to criticise my team, about [Oleh] Gusev or [Andriy] Shevchenko. If you're a man, go with me. One on one.
"
Can we see that? Please?
Up Next
8 of 9Euro 2012 takes its first day off Wednesday. Then the quarterfinals begin.
The first quarterfinal, between Group A winners Czech Republic and Group B runners-up Portugal, is set for Thursday.
Kickoff is 2:45 p.m. ET in Warsaw.
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