Hands Up

[sierra_le_oli]

Outrage on Twitter over Thierry Henry's handball during extra time in France vs Ireland last night, which knocked Ireland out of the men's football World Cup. It made me have a look at the video and I must admit I wasn't expecting anything quite so blatant.

The French captain owned up to the handball after the match but said he's not the ref. [

Comments

[bellinghman]

I expect it's something that will be remembered for a very long time, like the 'hand of Diego' which similarly did for England many years ago.

Sadly for Ireland, they really went out because they had lost at home, at Croke Park. If they had kept a clean sheet there, then they'd deservedly have got the tie on away goals.

[hobnobs]

Umm, gotta disagree here. Losing at home isn't what put them out. Ireland *wouldn't* have got the tie on away goals if they'd kept a clean sheet in France. (At least, not only that. They needed another goal.)

Until France scored the match was going to penalties. If Ireland had been knocked out in a shootout then there wouldn't be this whole furore. But to be eliminated in the way they were, with one of the worst acts of cheating I've seen since the previously mentioned "Hand of God", means that the victory for France will be forever tarnished, as will the reputation of Henry.

[sierra_le_oli]

I agree that the home loss was not responsible for Ireland's going out.

There's also the little detail of Fifa's, ahem, surprisingly late announcement of the seeding system which put Ireland against France in the first place.

[hobnobs]

There's also the little detail of Fifa's, ahem, surprisingly late announcement of the seeding system which put Ireland against France in the first place.

I try not to think of that, nor of the way it paints FIFA. Really doesn't make anyone responsible for the decision look good.