One day in June at the World Cup

Sunday 27th June, the day that will be forever remembered as 'Lack of technology in football day'.


The day started with old enemies Germany and England squaring off in what was looking like a colossal battle of big name players. Germany had been playing well, but the efficiency that always goes hand in hand with the German national squad had hit a bump when they lost in the group stages to Serbia.

England on the other hand had struggled throughout the group stages, only progressing in the last match with an unconvincing win against Slovenia but there was history between these two side with many instances of penalty shootouts deciding the victor in recent World Cups.


The England players had been struggling to find form and the strong looking German team had oodles of confidence going into this match and it only took 20 minutes for the 3 time winners to take the lead when route one football lead to Klose sliding the ball wide of an onrushing David James an into the back of the net.

Die Nationalelf only had to waited another 17 minutes to add another when they broke from their own penalty area up the field with a great multi passing move and ended with a perfectly weighted pass from Muller for Podolsky, who fired in from a tight angle at James' near post.

It was looking easy for the Germans at this point but 5 minutes later England pulled one back when defender Matthew Upson rose above the German defence and headed into the goal. It was the goal-non goal less than 60 seconds that has caused all the controversy though when Lampard hit a lob shot from the edge of the box which hit the crossbar, then the ground, then the crossbar and finally ended in the German keepers hands. The referee and linesman adjudged the ball not to have went over the line but they appeared to be the only people on the planet that thought that. It hurts me to say this as a Scotsman but that ball was in, by a mile, but that's Karma baby, big style.


The English were on the ascendancy and started the 2nd half strongly and the more likely to score again but the Germans counter attacking proved to be Englands undoing. Yet again the German defence broke up field after another failed England attack and moving quickly played in Muller who thumped the ball past James for Gemanys third goal.

The game was wrapped up 3 minutes later when the England defence was once again shown up as being slow and out of touch when the speed of Ozil left Gareth Barry stranded on the left hand side, Ozil played the ball over to Muller who coolly side footed home for the Deutscheland sides 4th goal.

Germany progress to the 1/4 finals and England go home to the clamour for Capellos head but the biggest talking point has to be the Lampard shot that crossed the line. Goal line technology will now be on the agenda in certain FA headquarters across the world, but FIFA chairman Sepp Blatter has made it clear it is NOT on the agenda. 

The day wasn't over as there was to be another incident in the later match that day between Argentina and Mexico that further strengthens the call for TV evidence to be used but that's a different story.