Football
ESPN staff 10y

Goal-line technology used for first time

Goal-line technology was used for the first time at a World Cup finals on Sunday when France were awarded their second goal against Honduras.

- Marcotti: The system works
- Honduras coach questions technology

Already leading 1-0 through a Karim Benzema penalty on the stroke of half-time, France's advantage was doubled when Benzema's 48th-minute shot came back off the post and rolled across the goal-line before hitting goalkeeper Noel Valladares. The Honduras No. 1 tried to claw the ball back off the line but technology indicated a goal and Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci pointed to the centre circle.

However, there was confusion in the Estadio Beira-Rio stadium when the computer generated image was displayed on the big TV screens. As the ball first came back off the inside of the post it had been on the line, so a clip was shown with a "No Goal" message, before the graphics for the ball crossing the line were shown a few seconds later.

German company GoalControl GmbH were chosen as the technology partner by FIFA ahead of the World Cup, a move which ironically came about after England's Frank Lampard was denied a clear goal against Germany in South Africa four years ago. Goal-line technology was introduced in the Premier League at the start of last season, though that system is operated by UK company Hawk-eye.

GoalControl, as described by FIFA, is "equipped with 14 high-speed cameras located around the pitch, with seven cameras focusing on each goalmouth. The ball's position is continuously and automatically captured in 3D and the indication of whether a goal has been scored is immediately confirmed within one second to a watch worn by each of the match officials."

GoalControl was first used at the FIFA Club World Cup in December.

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