The move has been blocked in the past by Fifa president Sepp Blatter, but he was under pressure last night to reverse his position as officials had to leave the stadium under a police guard following their blunder .
Even German leader Angela Merkel conceded to PM David Cameron that Lampard’s stolen goal should have counted.
The Chancellor, who watched the second half with the Prime Minister at the G20 Summit in Toronto, said she was sorry the goal was disallowed.
Television pictures clearly showed Lampard’s shot crossed the goal line. But to the horror of England fans Uruguyan assistant referee Mauricio Espinosa and ref Jorge Larrionda somehow missed it.
England boss Fabio Capello was seen on TV replays turning away celebrating, convinced the goal had been given.
Mrs Merkel turned to Mr Cameron to admit the ref had made a mistake, before reportedly saying: “Bad luck.”
The Prime Minister missed the first half because he was involved in an economic session at the gathering of world leaders.
Mrs Merkel kept him up to date with the score during the meeting. The two leaders then watched the rest of the match together with officials from their represective delegations.
A Downing Street official said Mr Cameron then congratulated Mrs Merkel at the end of the game, but said: “The country will wonder ‘what if?’ (but) at least we were all spared the agony of penalties.”
The shamed ref and his assistant were under police guard as they left the Free State Stadium, officials confirmed last night.
South African Police said their officers would ensure no member of the public could get close to match referee Jorge Larrionda and his blundering assistant Mauricio Espinosa.
They were loudly booed by angry England fans as they left the pitch at half time after the shocking touch line decision which saw Frank Lampard’s goal disallowed.
Police spokesman Vishnu Naidoo said: “The officials will be protected by a team of elite close protection officers. Nobody will be allowed to get anywhere near them.”
Video technology has been in place for years at top level football matches and other major sporting events.
It takes a matter of seconds to judge whether a ball has crossed the goal line or not.
But Fifa, and President Sepp Blatter, have steadfastly refused to introduce it for key matches.
Blatter, the most vocal defender of keeping the game ‘pure’ sat in the stands as Frank Lampard’s shot crossed the line, and heard the boos from fans at half time.
He shut the door on goal-line technology and effectively ended any chance of video replays coming into the game.
Top level referees already wear a mike and ear piece to communicate with their assistant referees over off sides and key decisions.
Replays of Lampard’s 38-minute strike were shown on TV screens inside the Bloemfontein Free State stadium within seconds.
It showed the ball bouncing back off the bar and down, around a yard over the goal line.
HawkEye technology spotted the ball was over the line and is already used successfully in cricket and tennis.
Other suggestions are the use of an extra referee behind the byline and the use of a chip inside the ball which signal to the referee when it had crossed the line.
But in March this year, Fifa refused to back any reform.
“The door is closed. The decision was not to use technology at all,” said Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke in March, shortly after Thierry Henry’s hand ball secured France an equaliser against the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifier.
“Technology should not enter into the game, it was a clear statement made by the majority of the IFAB,” added Valcke. “Let’s keep the game of football as it is.”
Fans reacted angrily to the blunder. Cabbie Tim Cunningham, 34, of Lytham St Anne’s, Lancs, was among those in the crowd dumbfounded by the decision
He said: “It’s so frustrating, and dare I say typical bad luck for England.
“The ball was well inside the goal. I saw it from my seat.
“How linesmen and a ref could make such a catastrophic error I just don’t know.
“In this day and age Fifa should wake up and allow technology just like in tennis and cricket. It’s an injustice.”
Croupier Ian Mead slammed Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who was in the stands, for his repeated refusal to allow a TV referee.
Ian, 45, of London, said: “Blatter’s living in the dark ages and until he dies we’ll continue to see this sort of fiasco.
“England deserve better than this. They did amazingly well to bounce back from Germany’s two goals, but it takes a superhuman strength to carry on playing well when you feel the odds are stacked against you.”
Capello slammed the referee and his officials for disallowing Lampard’s goal.
“It was the most important moment of the game,” he said. “Where is the technology? Instead we are talking about goal or no goal.”
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said: “It was an absolutely disgraceful decision. They are going to have to change the laws of the game now, it is as simple as that.”
Source: Mirror Football
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