FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

[lulezim]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.



Holland-Slovakia 2-1



Arjen Robben's first start at the World Cup suggested a player who was impatient to remind fans of his class. There are few with comparable gifts and it was with a typically elegant goal that he instigated this victory for Holland, who will meet Brazil or Chile in the last eight.
Robben's first appearance has come later than he would have liked, a hamstring injury having deprived him of the opportunity to illuminate the group stages before a 17-minute appearance as a replacement against Cameroon, but there was enough in this match to suggest that Lionel Messi might be his only rival when it comes to identifying the player in this tournament with the most devastating left foot.

Robben's 18th-minute goal, and Wesley Sneijder's second of the tournament, six minutes from the end, ensured a routine victory. The manner in which the Bayern Munich winger mesmerised Slovakia's defenders will invigorate the Dutch before Friday's quarter-final in Port Elizabeth. The ovation when he was substituted in the 71st minute told its own story.

Holland have now won all four of their games and they were rarely troubled by a Slovakia side who could not come close to recreating their heroics against Italy. There was only one brief flurry, midway through the second half, when the conquerors of the Azzurri created an authentic threat. Robert Vittek's goal, from a penalty after the Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg had upended the substitute Martin Jakubko, felt inconsequential. It came in the fourth minute of stoppage time and was followed by the final whistle.



The Slovaks were disappointing and Holland could have won more comfortably. Robin van Persie was poor and the Arsenal striker reacted to being replaced by making his irritation clear to the Holland coach, Bert van Marwijk.

Sneijder, however, is having a fine tournament and it was his long, raking pass, turning defence into attack, that created the opportunity for Robben to open the scoring. His movement then took him away from Juraj Kucka and Radoslav Zabavnik and he came inside from the right-hand angle of the area before driving a low and precise shot beyond Jan Mucha.

Mucha made a number of fine saves, denying Robben, Dirk Kuyt and Joris Mathijsen in the second half, but in a competition that has featured a number of goalkeeping mistakes it was his error that led to Sneijder making sure of Holland's victory.



Giovanni van Bronckhorst took a quick free-kick and Mucha charged off his line, only for Kuyt to get there first, nod the ball around the goalkeeper and pass for Sneijder to slot into an exposed net.


Holland-Slovakia 2-1


Arjen Robben



prepared by Luli

[leader4ever]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

netherlands deserves the win I hope they can win brazil

[lulezim]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.



Brazil - Chile 3-0


Robinho celebrates scoring Brazil's third goal against Chile at Ellis Park.

Chile have been among the most eyecatching South American teams at this tournament yet Brazil made them look ordinary in Johannesburg, advancing to a quarter-final against Holland and leaving few in any doubt that winning this World Cup is likely to involve knocking a team coached by Dunga or Diego Maradona out of the competition.

On current form a Brazil v Argentina final seems both likely and logical, though perhaps Holland or Germany can put a word in for Europe at the weekend. Certainly Brazil were irrepressible here, not at all flattered by a three-goal margin of victory and displaying some of the famous attacking fluency that Dunga is supposed to have extinguished. When they needed it, that is. With Chile beaten by half-time, Brazil played the second half with something in reserve, always conscious that bigger challenges lie ahead.



Chile began with every sign of attacking intent, with Humberto Suazo showing a couple of smart turns and an eye for an opening, though within minutes Brazil had them pinned back on the defensive. Gilberto Silva brought the first save of the game from Claudio Bravo with a fiercely dipping drive from 25 yards, after Luís Fabiano had dragged a shot wide following a wonderful, defence-splitting pass from Daniel Alves. When Chile did get a look-in, after almost a quarter of an hour, Suazo stayed onside and with more time than he seemed to realise could have done better than popping a virtual back pass into Júlio César's arms.



The game could not continue at such a pace and it had settled into a midfield stalemate by the mid-point of the first half, with both teams congesting the central area and neither making use of space on the flanks. Kaká occasionally drifted out wide to pick up the ball for Brazil but he was hampered every time he tried to bring Robinho into the game by the former Manchester City player's careless attitude towards possession. When he wasn't giving the ball away with over-ambitious flicks or audacious attempts to beat defenders who were not going to fall for it, the forward was attempting passes that no team-mate could read or reach. Kaká was booked after half an hour while back in his own half, trying to help out his defence but only succeeding in tripping Arturo Vidal.

Just as it was beginning to look as if it would take something special, Brazil took the lead in the most mundane fashion, with a headed goal from a corner. There was nothing wrong with Juan's header – rising to meet Maicon's cross from the right, he planted the ball firmly past Bravo – but we hardly see such straightforward goals from corners in club football anymore, let alone from Brazil at World Cups. The Chilean marking had to be at fault, not least because the only person Juan had to beat to the ball was Fabiano, his team-mate.



That setback appeared to affect Chile's confidence as well as their concentration and Brazil went further ahead five minutes later with the sort of flamboyant goal they tend to score against opponents who are momentarily reeling. Robinho's cross from the left was good but it was transformed by Kaká's first-time touch into Fabiano's path, one that put the centre-forward in on goal and required him merely to step around Bravo before slotting the ball in from an angle.

What was left of Chile's morale began to wilt. They had managed to be competitive for half an hour but two goals in five minutes left Marcelo Bielsa with a rebuilding job to do on his team at half-time.

He decided to make two attacking substitutions during the break, though Jorge Valdivia, in particular, kept running up against Gilberto Silva or Ramires, the two Brazilians screening the back four.

For Brazil, Kaká proved that he does not have magic in his boots all the time just before the hour, by spotting Robinho's run in to space on the right but badly over-hitting the pass. Lúcio went on one of his famous charges forward from defence next, and this time did find Robinho, yet thought the Brazil captain kept on running into the box the cross never arrived.



The third goal arrived in somewhat similar fashion. This time it was Ramires who went on a run, leaving his defensive duties for a while and showing that even the discipline Dunga has brought to the Brazilian rearguard does not entirely preclude the swagger of old. Intercepting his umpteeth pass of the evening exactly on the halfway line, Ramires strode on unchallenged before parting with the ball on the edge of the penalty area, to allow Robinho to sweep a curling shot past Bravo.

Valdivia and Suazo were unlucky not to get on the scoresheet for Chile before the end, both hitting shots just over the Brazilian bar, though at the other end Robinho could have had a hat-trick with a little more application. He played well here but never seems to realise that he could be better. Perhaps he is saving himself for the final.






Prepared by Luli

[galingo]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

As usual, Brazil has demonstrated superiority big ugly fish to fry, but will have the final victory and especially there are many highly competitive South American teams

[brandonlee]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

If Mexico just continue to play how they play before first goal they would be in quarter final.

[brandonlee]

Brasil vs Chile 3-0 world cup 2010 Highlight all goals HD


http://www.*******.com/watch?v=7Tl-QJh6iI4&feature=player_embedded

Two goals in the first half from Juan and Luis Fabiano gave Brazil a comfortable 2-0 lead over Chile in the last-16 clash, before Robinho sealed the win in style with a second half strike as the Selecao set up a tantalising quarter-final showdown with the Netherlands.
South American pride and bragging rights were at stake as both Chile and Brazil looked to avoid becoming the first nation from the continent to be knocked out of the 2010 World Cup.

Chile showed all the initiative in the opening exchanges as they pinned back Brazil, who were happy to absorb the pressure and pounce on the break.

[leader4ever]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

I see that chile since from the first goal they became demoralized

[zoran89]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

Chile was only nation that play to scor goal, and other nations play not to get goal.

[deobi]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

Next saturday a very exciting game! Germay vs. Argentina

I hope germay wins!

[brandonlee]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

what about spain #portugal?? ithink spain will win 2-1

[lulezim]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.



Paraguay 0-0 Japan (5-3 pens)



It was perhaps inevitable that the knockout stages of this World Cup would produce a stinker at some point, and it duly arrived this afternoon in Pretoria before Paraguay advanced to the quarter-finals with a 5-3 victory after penalties.

Before that there had been 120 minutes of nervy and goalless tedium.

But in the penalty shoot-out, there were few nerves from the Paraguay team, who scored with all five of their efforts. And shortly after Yuichi Komano smashed his kick – Japan's third – against the bar, Oscar Cardozo rolled the ball into the bottom-left corner of the goal to put Paraguay through.

But judging on this evidence the winners of tonight's match between Spain and Portugal, who face Gerardo Martino's side on Saturday evening, will surely fancy their chances of reaching the last four.

The game started with brightly with Yoshito Okubo and Keisuke Honda both letting fly from distance. Sadly, it was no precursor of what was to come. A pattern took hold, with Paraguay playing tidy but unthreatening football and Japan content to counterattack, and never really let go. Caution ruled.



There was just one sustained burst of excitement in the whole match, which came in the 20th minute. First Lucas Barrios spun around Yuichi Komano before shooting weakly at the goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, and then a lightning break for Japan ended with Daisuke Matsui smashing a whirling shot over the scrambling Justo Villar and against the bar.

Just before the half-hour, Roque Santa Cruz missed a glorious chance, pulling his shot from a corner wide from eight yards. A goal would have spared us all of what was to follow. Then, moments before half-time, Honda – leaning back – screwed a shot wide.

Paraguay had the better of the second half and Yuki Abe had to be brave to throw himself in front of Edgar Benítez after he was played in by Santa Cruz. But long before the end, both teams seemed content to drift towards the choppier waters of extra-time and penalties.

The substitute Nelson Valdez did provide a brief burst of excitement in extra time and came closest to breaking the deadlock when he took Claudio Morel's pass on the spin only for Kawashima to dash out to smother. Valdez then flicked over the bar after a scramble in the six-yard box. Japan's best opportunity, meanwhile, came from a 25-yard free-kick from Honda, whose toe-poke was going wide when Villar pushed it round the post.



Perhaps we had become overly accustomed to the open football that had led to 21 goals in the first six knockout games. In recent World Cups that hasn't been the norm. In 2002, for instance, there were 25 goals from 15 knockout games (excluding the third-placed play-off), while in Germany 2006 only 26 in 15 matches. Still, the penalties were exciting.











Prepared by Luli

[khurramdar]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

1-brazil..........................

[lulezim]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.



SPAIN - PORTUGAL 1-0 (VILLA 63)



Match pointers

• Spain were the first team since Hungary in 1986 not to collect a single card in the group stages of a World Cup tournament

• Portugal have failed to score in their last two World Cup knockout matches – 0-0 (aet) against England in the quarter-final and a 1-0 defeat to France in the semi-final in 2006

• Spain have kept clean sheets in 26% of their World Cup games (nine out of 34) since the start of the 1982 tournament

• If Portugal avoid defeat in this match they will set a new national team record of 20 games unbeaten in all competitions

• Despite appearing for only 118 minutes in the group stages, Spain's winger Jesús Navas attempted 40 crosses from open play – 18 more than anyone else



Spain: 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 3-Gerard Pique, 5-Carles Puyol, 11-Joan Capdevila; 14-Xabi Alonso, 8-Xavi, 6-Andres Iniesta, 16-Sergio Busquets; 9-Fernando Torres, 7-David Villa.
Subs: Valdes, Albiol, Marchena, Fabregas, Mata, Arbeloa, Pedro, Llorente, Javi Martinez, Silva, Jesus Navas, Reina.

Portugal: 1-Eduardo; 2-Bruno Alves, 21-Ricardo Costa, 6-Ricardo Carvalho, 23-Fabio Coentrao, 16-Raul Meireles, 15-Pepe, 19-Tiago, 7-Cristiano Ronaldo, 11-Simao Sabrosa, 18-Hugo Almeida.
Subs: Beto, Ferreira, Rolando, Duda, Mendes, Liedson, Danny, Miguel, Veloso, Ruben Amorim, Deco, Fernandes.

Referee: Hector Baldassi (Argentina)



How they'll line up: For Spain, Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busdquets will form the shield in front of the back four, with Xavi on the right of midfield, Andres Iniesta on the left and David Villa playing up front on the left behind Fernando Torres, who claims he is fully fit tonight for the first time in this tournament.

The teams are out and the national anthems are being played: Many of the Portugal team will be a bit too young to remember the famous day in 1139 when their country won independence from Spain, but Bruno Alves has probably told them all about it. They'll be up for this.

Pyramid Inverter Jonathan Wilson writes from South Africa: "Actually I thought that Japan v Paraguay game was rubbish," he protests. "When I say goals are over-rated it doesn't necessarily follow that every 0-0 is exquisite. Paraguay had one idea: let Morel cross it; but that was one more than Japan. Because of that they deserved to win, and it wasn't as bad as Ukraine v Swizterland four years ago, but it was dire." I don't know - if it was a woman he was talking about, you'd think he was protesting a bit too much.

On BBC, Alan Shearer is going out on a limb: "I just think Spain will edge it," he says. It's been tipping down with rain all day at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, which should make for a nice greasy surface.

Craven plea: With tonight marking the end of the last 16, I want to hear what your favourite moments of the tournament have been to date, so I can recycle them and pass them off as my own when James Richardson asks me for my favourite moments of the tournament to date in World Cup Daily tonight. So far I've got France, England crashing out to Germany and that bird taking up the vantage point on the Algeria goal-net to watch their scoreless draw with England.

Team news we've culled from the wires: Portugal striker Hugo Almeida and winger Simao Sabrosa are back in the starting lineup for the second round match against Iberian neighbours Spain.

With coach Carlos Queiroz having chopped and changed the team three times in the group stage, forward Almeida made one start, scoring in Portugal's 7-0 rout of North Korea.
The tall striker's inclusion, ahead of poacher Liedson, means Cristiano Ronaldo, who played in the middle of the attack in the final group game against Brazil, can move back to one of the flanks.

The other wing will be occupied by Simao. He replaces Danny, who has been struggling with the thigh injury he picked up late in the 0-0 draw against Brazil.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque sends out the same starting team as in the 2-1 win over Chile. Midfielder Xabi Alonso has recovered from the sprained ankle he picked up in that match to start against the Portuguese.



8 min: Portugal win two corners in a row, but nothing comes from either of them, bar a free-kick for Spain after Cristiano Ronaldo is penalised for offside during an impromptu bout of head tennis in the Spain penalty area.

6 min: Another good save from Eduardo, who is forced to block at his near post when David Villa cuts inside from the left, with Ricardo Costa backing off him, before unleashing a low, diagonal drive.

5 min: Xavi pings the ball out wide to Torres on the right flank and the striker cuts inside, before going down after a coming-together (so to speak) between he and Fabio Coentrao. Spain's fans appeal for a penalty, but it was something and nothing.

4 min: Corner for Spain, which Xavi takes from the left. Eduardo charges off his line to pluck his inswinger from the air. Good goalkeeping. It's been a lively start.

4 min: David Villa tries his luck and he too is on target. Eduardo makes his second save of the game.

3 min: Portugal are playing a 4-3-2-1, with Raul Meireles , Pepe and Tiago making up the three, Ronaldo and Simao on the right and left respectively, just behind Hugo Almeida.

1 min: They're off, and within a minute Fernando Torres brings a smart save from Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo, with a swerving shot from outside the penalty area.



20 min: Portugal go close with the chance of the game after Ronaldo and Coentrao combined marvellously down the left. Ronaldo, who has swapped wings with Simao, took out two defenders and played the ball inside two the left-back, who back-heeled it to Tiago, who had a pop. Casilla palmed that effort up in the air and it looked to be dropping over his head and into the goal, but he managed to fist it clear under pressure from Almeida, who was charging in on top of him.

19 min: From about 40 yards from the Spain goal, out on the right flank, Ronaldo stands over the free-kick, before failing to trouble Iker Casillas despite hitting the target.

15 min: It's all Spain at the moment, tiki-taka-ing the ball around the midfield to little effect. Portugal earn some respite when Sergio Ramos fouls Fabio Coentrao wide on the left flank, moments after Cristiano Ronaldo had threatened to burst with indignation after not getting a free-kick for being kicked by Carles Puyol.

14 min: Sergio Ramos gets forward, sending an inswinger of a cross towards the far post of the Portugal goal. It's too high for Torres and the ball sails out of play.

12 min: Xabi takes a shortish corner to Fernando Torres, standing with his back to goal just inside the Portugal penalty area. He swivels and hits the ball first-time, nearly catching Eduardo and his defence napping. The ball loops over the bar.

9 min: Whether by accident or design, Pepe clips Sergio Ramos's heels as he tries to run the ball out of defence, but the referee waves play on, tacitly suggesting Ramos was diving. The Spain full-back is unimpressed at having his good name traduced in this manner



Half-time in a cagey encounter. It's been interesting, but remains scoreless. Spain are struggling to create chances and Portugal are defending obdurately.

45+1 min: Iniesta tries to pick out Torres with a pass, but not for the first time, the striker looks off the pace.

45 min: There'll be one minute of added time.

44 min: Coentrao turns provider again, hoisting up a cross from the left. Tiago gallops into the box and leaps into the air, flashing a header across the face of goal and wide.

41 min: With Ramos and Puyol jogging back into position after a sortie into the Spain penalty area, Coentrao plays a through-ball for Almeida to chase. Iker Casillas sprints off his line and out of his penalty area to hack the ball clear and only just beats the Portugal striker to the chase.

39 min: Portugal attack down the left flank. Simao sends in a marvellous cross to Almeida and Ronaldo who are queuing up at the far post, with only Carles Puyol to mark them. Almeida leaps highest, but his header is only glancing and the ball skims wide. He really should have scored.

38 min: Spain are playing into Portugal's hands here. The Portuguese are sitting back, happy to defend as Spain repeatedly try to play through them, rather than around them. The only other way is over them, which they haven't really tried yet.

35 min: Sergio Ramos goes on the rampage again, up the right wing. He pulls the ball back to Iniesta on the edge of the penalty area, but he's robbed of possession before he can pull the trigger. Moments later, the ball is rolled back to Xabi Alonso a few yards outside the Portugal penalty area, but his shot his blocked by one of three defenders who throw themselves in front of him when he shapes to shoot.

34 min: I forgot to mention earlier, by the way, that Spain are wearing their usual colours tonight, while Portugal's players are kitted out in white shirts, green shorts and white socks.

33 min: In the Portugal right-back position, Iniesta dinks the ball towards Xavi, who tries to divert it into the path of a Torres run. It's blocked by a defender.

31 min: Spain try to play their way through the centre, as is their wont, with Pique passing to Xavi between the lines of midfield and defence, then Xavi helping it on its way for Torres to chase. He puts his boot through the ball a bit too hard, leaving Torres with too much to do.

28 min: Xavi has a shot from about 30 yards. Close, but no cigar.

27 min: Despite the distance, Ronaldo has a go. The ball takes a horrible wobble at the last moment, forcing Iker Casillas to punch clear uncertainly. Luckily for him, it doesn't break kindly for any of the lurking Portuguese. Spain clear.

27 min: Xabi Alonso is late with a challenge on Coentrao, left of centre about 45 yards from the Spain goal. Spain have all eleven players back to defend, as Cristiano Ronaldo stands over it.

24 min: Free-kick for Spain about 45 yards from goal, right of centre. Xavi pings the ball into the middle of the penalty area, but it's half-cleared. Assorted Spain players ping the ball to each other around just outside the left hand side of the penalty, waiting for a space to open or a team-mate to dart into the box. Xavi eventually makes his move, but the through-ball is too meaty and rolls wide.

24 min: The camera cuts to Iker Casillas, who exhales in the traditional "Phew, that was close," style-e.



GOAL! Spain 1-0 Portugal (Villa 62 ) Spain finally tiki-taka their way through the Portugal defence, with Andres Iniesta, among others, ping-ping-pinging a series of short passes through a thicket of five or six defenders on the edge of the penalty area. Xavi slid the ball out wide to Villa on the left-side of the penalty area. The talismanic striker's first effort was saved by Eduardo, who could only parry the ball into Villa's path. Second time lucky, off the underside of the bar.

61 min: A shocking miss from Fernando Llorente with his first touch. Diving to convert a cross home from five or six yards out, he heads straight at Eduardo when a steer a couple of feet either side of the goalkeeper would almost certainly have resulted in a goal.

59 min: "Portugal was ruled by Spain from 1580 to 1640," writes CONor Dean. "It was called the Iberian Union but it was the sort of 'union' Ireland got roped into
with Great Britain and Portugal had to fight to get its independence back. Which it got - one of the reasons this game is spicier for the Portuguese than Spanish. Which might explain Colin Bolster's girlfriend getting bothered." I reckon the reason's Colin Bolster's girlfriend is getting bothered are more to do with Colin Bolster than Portugal's time under the heel of Spanish oppression.

58 min: Portugal substitution: Almeida off, Danny on. Spain substitution: Fernando Torres off, Fernando Llorente on.

56 min: Portugal go forward, Meireles pings a cross in towards the Spain goal and Casillas punches clear.

55 min: Spain try to go over-the-top, with a bomb from deep dropping in towards Torres in the penalty area. Carvalho heads clear.

54 min: Xavi and Ramos combine down the right wing, but the former's return pass to the latter has too much welly on it and trickles through to Eduardo.

52 min: After breaking down the right with the ball at his feet and Cristiano Ronaldo haring down the centre, Hugo Almeida cuts inside Pique and unleashes a shot. With Carles Puyol aware that Ronaldo is lurking behind him, he sticks out a leg and the ball loops up in the air, over Iker Casillas's head and bounces inches wide of the post. Casillas thought that was heading into his goal - he's not the only one.

50 min: Sergio Ramos crosses from the left, Portugal clear. Iniesta dinks a ball over the top for Torres to chase, but Coentrao hacks clear. Portugal attack on the break and almost score.

49 min: Xavi tries to pick out Iniesta wandering in the narrow strip of no-man's land between the two banks of four defending the the Portugal penalty area. The pass goes astray and Portugal break, only to see their counter-attack fail due to lack of numbers.

48 min: The second half has picked up where the first half left off, at a snail's pace with Spain pressing and probing, trying unsuccessfully to find an opening, with Portugal defending patiently and resolutely, content to attack on the break.

Second half: In the BBC studio, Jurgen Klinsman reckons that Spain need to get the ball out to David Villa on the left flank and isolate Portugal right-back Ricardo Costa. It's a fiendishly cvlever plan that will almost certainly work, but one they've been unable to execute more than once or twice throughout the first half.

Keith Shaw writes: "The biggest problem for Spain is that Xavi has looked tired since March," he writes. "He might not play in the Best League in the World (TM), but Euro 2008, World Club Championship, and Confederations Cup have taken their toll."

Half-time analysis: "Could you apologise for your comment before the match about some of the Portuguese team being too young to remember the famous day in 1139 when their country won independence from Spain," asks Colin Bolster. "The Portuguese girlfriend wasn't too pleased with the BBC saying the same thing. Apparently Portugal has never been part of Spain and Spain is actually 'just a bunch of stupid counties where no-one speaks the same language'. The rest of her shouting has mostly been in Portuguese but I did understand 'stupid Wikipedia page'." Consider it done - mea culpa. I copied my information from the BBC.






Prepared by Luli

[sqazilou]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.

hats off to spain they merit their quarter finalist place !

[lulezim]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 -Who Wins? Vote.



World Cup 2010: Sepp Blatter performs U-turn over goalline technology
• Fifa president apologises for goal that should have been
• 'It would be a nonsense not to reopen file of technology'


Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, has had a change of heart over the issue of goalline technology following England's phantom goal.


The Fifa president Sepp Blatter today performed an uncharacteristic U-turn, promising to consider the introduction of goalline technology in the wake of Frank Lampard's disallowed goal for England against Germany.

Blatter relented after former referees and players added their voices to the media clamour for the Fifa president to reconsider a decision made in March, and reiterated on Saturday, that the "human aspect" of the game must be retained and technology ruled out.

Blatter, who revealed he had apologised to the English FA over the Lampard incident and to their Mexican counterparts over a Carlos Tevez goal that was clearly offside during their defeat to Argentina, said the issue of goalline technology would be discussed next month. "It is obvious that after the experience so far in this World Cup it would be a nonsense not to reopen the file of technology at the business meeting of the International FA Board in July," he said. "Personally I deplore it when you see evident referee mistakes but it's not the end of a competition or the end of football, this can happen."

Trials of two rival systems were ruled out at a meeting of IFAB in March. Only the English and Scottish FAs voted in favour, with Wales, Northern Ireland and Fifa's four votes appearing to rule it out for the foreseeable future – until today.

Although the issue will be discussed at the business meeting next month, a vote to revisit the decision could not be taken until the next full meeting at Celtic Manor in Wales next March.

"It happened in 1966 and then 44 years later – though it was not quite the same," Blatter said. "I apologised to England and Mexico. The English said thank you and accepted that you can win [some] and you lose [some], and the Mexicans bowed their head and accepted it."

Howard Webb, the English referee retained by Fifa for the quarter-finals, said he would be open to the introduction of goalline technology. Urs Meier, the former referee who officiated in a Champions League final and a World Cup semi-final but retired amid a storm of acrimony over his decision to rule out a late Sol Campell goal at Euro 2004, said most referees were in favour. "You need help. You need a chip in the ball for example. I'm in favour of that. It's the best way out of this discussion. All the referees want technology. I was always in favour."

Making it clear that it would only consider goalline technology, and not video replays, Blatter said Fifa would launch a new drive to improve refereeing standards later this year. "We will come out with a new model in November on how to improve high-level referees," he added. "We will start with a new concept of how to improve match control. I cannot disclose more of what we are doing but something has to be changed."

The officials who refereed the England and Mexico games, Jorge Larrionda and the Italian Roberto Rossi, will not be retained for the rest of the tournament, Fifa disclosed today.

Blatter has warned the French president Nicolas Sarkozy that France risks suspension from football if he interfered in the running of the game. Sarkozy has promised to head an investigation into France's disastrous World Cup campaign, where the players boycotted training and failed to win a match. "In France they have made an 'affaire d'Etat' with football, but football remains in the hands of the federation," Blatter said. "We will help the national association and if it cannot be solved by consultation then the only thing we have is to suspend the federation."

The threat came as a National Assembly spokeswoman said disgraced coach Raymond Domenech, whose contract ended after the finals, and FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes, who has quit his post, would appear at a parliamentary commission on Thursday. French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot spoke before that commission today and said the government was determined to preserve the independence of the FFF. The FFF president will officially resign at a council meeting on Friday in Paris at which Laurent Blanc is expected to be confirmed as Domenech's successor.



Prepared by Luli