The Republic of Ireland lose their World Cup play-off 2-1 on aggregate – after the officials miss a handball by Thierry Henry in the build-up to the crucial goal.
Watch FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifier play off football match, France Vs Ireland Highlights here.
French – Commentary
I certainly don’t agree with FIFA’S decision and furthermore the FFF not to back its captains and peoples wishes. It’s very wrong what’s happening now. In this world there are allot of things wrong politically but when it comes to sport and fair play every country is united. We all want the same from sport. It’s a place were all countries come together regardless of political interests. The problem is now Football has become political i.e. Teams were seeded to begin with as FIFA wanted certain teams in the world cup and had Robbie Keane handled the ball and Kevin Doyle had scored in place of Henry and Galas respectively I will always wonder if the French were to insist on a replay with the backing of Henry, Keane and the FFF would FIFA consider the replay regardless of the wishes of the FAI on the basis that they wanted France there instead of Ireland to begin with? Everyone who loves the game knows what happened and it was very clear. How the linesman didn’t spot the double offside before the ball ever reached Henry’s hand is beyond me!! Which game was he watching? FIFA should do the right thing here otherwise they’re going to have far more cheating going on in the game from now on. We have a sport in Ireland were you can handle the ball. Maybe soccer should adapt its rules to allow for this to happen justifiably in the future of the sport. Who knows? They say that if the referee made a technical hitch there could be a basis for a replay. If players are offside and a player double handles the ball and it’s not called by two of the officials governing the game, there’s a serious technical problem as far as I can see.
bodo btul
henry go home lal…
how can like tat…tipu…
attencion!, no non nonononolullalalklsls
french commentators are rubbish. u la la , encore NO! robbie keane no no no u la lalalalula. wtf!
What a travesty!
As if it weren’t bad enough that the WC playoffs were seeded to favour nations like France, they qualify – and Ireland don’t – because of a blatant cheat?
It’s way past time for video technology to be introduced, if only simply to have the 4th official review all “goals” to ensure they are legitimate.
Having said that, and as unfair as it was, both Keane and Duff failed to take golden opportunities to put Ireland 2-0 ahead late in normal time… a great effort from the Irish team, and a dismal showing from the French – Henry has tarnished his reputation in the same way that Zidane will be remembered for his head-butt as much as anything else.
That was no way to settle a football match – especially one of this importance – mais, c’est la vie!
Maybe because Ireland lost unfairly!!
The referee also missed a crucial penalty for France,an undisputable one on Anelka.
Why isn’t anybody talking about that one?
highlight in french : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQhZbCH_780
kill platini….asshole…spoiling this beautiful game of football..
i never really liked henry but now i hate him. acts like that are a disgrace to football, shame on u henry
They won, but it’s still a shame. What I don’t get is why Domenech is still the coach!!!
France won with four-footed Henry. What a disgrace. Ireland played with their Irish Pride and had been the better team on the pitch.
Shame on France.