Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
WORLD CUP 2014

WORLD CUP

History made as France beat Honduras 3-0

France were awarded the first goal using goal-line technology at a World Cup finals in controversial circumstances during their opening Group E game against Honduras on Sunday night. France won the bruising game 3-0.

Published: 15 June 2014 22:48 CEST
History made as France beat Honduras 3-0
The French team celebrate after scoring against Honduras on Sunday night. Photo: Luis Acosta/AFP
France beat 10-man Honduras 3-0 in a bruising World Cup clash on Sunday where goal-line technology awarded the first international goal in history.
 
Three minutes into the second period, the German-manufactured GoalControl system was called into action when a volley from Karim Benzema, who ended the night with two goals, came back off the post.
 
The ball bounced back into the area before hitting Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares.
 
He then tried to scoop the ball to safety, but Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci awarded the goal – classed as an own-goal – after consulting the instant technology.
 
Benzema was the star man as he opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Wilson Palacios had been sent-off for two bookable offences on Paul Pogba.
 
Benzema then played a major role in his side's historic second goal and the Real Madrid striker rounded off a fine afternoon with an emphatic finish 18 minutes from time.
 
Victory moves Didier Deschamps' men above Switzerland on goal difference in Group E after the Swiss beat Ecuador 2-1 earlier in the day with the two European sides set to meet next on Friday in Salvador.
 
The game had begun in bizarre circumstances as neither sides' national anthem was sung before kick-off, but normality was restored once proceedings got underway as France dominated from the off.
 
Blaise Matuidi had the first clear chance on 15 minutes when Mathieu Valbuena's free-kick was only partially cleared and the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder's effort was brilliantly turned onto the bar by Valladares.
 
Antoine Griezmann was then also denied by the crossbar for Les Bleus as he rose highest to meet Patrice Evra's cross but his header clipped the woodwork on its way over.
 
Benzema saw another good opportunity fly over moments later as he headed off target after a fine counter-attack involving Matuidi, Griezmann and Valbuena.
 
Ricci had a big call to make midway through the half when Pogba clashed with Palacios.
 
The Juventus midfielder lashed out at Palacios after appearing to be stamped on, but Ricci showed only yellow cards to both.
 
Palacios was only to last another 16 minutes in any case as he stupidly bundled Pogba over inside the area a minute before half-time and was shown his second yellow card.
 
Benzema stepped up to convert the resulting spot-kick to register his seventh goal in as many games for France and his first in a World Cup.
 
The 26-year-old was heavily involved again as France doubled their advantage within three minutes of the second-half courtesy of the goal line technology.
 
However, there was still confusion as replays inside the stadium first showed Benzema's initial shot hadn't gone in before confirming the ball had indeed crossed the line via the hand of Valladares.
 
Benzema should have added to his tally moments later when he was picked out by a fine low cross from Griezmann but could only fire straight at Valladares.
 
However, he wasn't to be denied 18 minutes from time when he fired expertly high past Valladares from a narrow angle to seal the three points.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

SPORT

Norway’s football clubs to vote on Qatar World Cup boycott

Will Norwegian football star Erling Braut Haaland stay home or play on what fans have dubbed a "cemetery?" This Sunday, a meeting of Norway's football community will decide whether to boycott next year's World Cup in Qatar.

Published: 18 June 2021 11:27 CEST
Norway's football clubs to vote on Qatar World Cup boycott
Norway's forward Erling Haaland (L) and teammates wear jerseys reading "Fair play for migrant workers" before the international friendly football match between Norway and Greece at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga in preperation for the UEFA European Championships, on June 6, 2021. JORGE GUERRERO / AFP

Under pressure from grassroots activists the Norwegian Football Federation(NFF) has decided to hold an extraordinary congress to decide on whether to pass up football’s showpiece event all together.

The games on the pitches in the Middle Eastern emirate will “unfortunately be like playing on a cemetery,” according to Ole Kristian Sandvik, spokesman of the Norwegian Supporters Alliance (NSA), invoking a commonly used metaphor among opponents of Norway’s participation.

Norway, which has not qualified for a major international competition since Euro 2000, is currently fourth in its World Cup qualifying group behind Turkey, the Netherlands and Montenegro. 

So while qualification seems an uphill task, the result of the vote could have an impact on whether Norway and its young star Haaland — one of the rising stars of world football — continue to play qualifying matches. 

The movement calling for a boycott began north of the Arctic Circle when football club Tromso IL spoke out against turning a blind eye to alleged human rights abuses at the end of February.

“We can no longer sit and watch people die in the name of football,” the first division club proclaimed.

Qatar has faced criticism for its treatment of migrant workers, many of whom are involved in the construction of stadiums and infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup, with campaigners accusing employers of exploitation and forcing labourers to work in dangerous conditions.

Qatari authorities meanwhile insist they have done more than any country in the region to improve worker welfare.

“There is no doubt that this World Cup should never have been awarded to Qatar,” Tom Hogli, a former professional footballer turned public relations officer for Tromso IL, told AFP.

“The conditions there are abominable and many have lost their lives,” he added.

In March, a spokesman for the Qatari organisers put the number of deaths on the construction sites at “three” since 2014, with another 35 having died away from their workplaces, challenging the heavy toll reported by some rights groups.

Push from fans
The Tromso call began gathering pace in Norway, where clubs operate under a democratic structure, and under pressure from fans, many teams now say “nei” (no).

According to Sandvik, the fans feel that the deaths on the World Cup sites would have been avoided “if they had not had to build hotels, railways and stadiums”.

Nearly half of Norwegians, 49 percent, now say they are in favour of a boycott, while only 29 percent are against it, according to a poll published by newspaper VG on Wednesday.

The Nordic country’s national squad has already protested conditions in Qatar, but stopped short of calling for a boycott.

Before recent Norway games, Borussia Dortmund superstar Haaland, captain Martin Odegaard and the rest of the team have worn t-shirts with slogans like “Human rights on and off the pitch.”

Other countries, like Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark have also followed suit.

FIFA, on the other hand, argue that awarding the hosting of the World Cup in Qatar has opened the door to social progress.

“We know there is still work to be done, but we need to recognise the significant progress achieved in a very short time,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in May.

‘Few successes’ 
While the executive committee of the NFF have said they regret Qatar being awarded the World Cup, they oppose a boycott.

President Terje Svendsen said he thought it was “not the right tool to improve the human rights situation or the working conditions in Qatar,” when speaking at the federation’s ordinary annual congress in March.

According to the NFF, a boycott could end up costing Norway 205 million Norwegian kroner ($24 million, 20 million euros) in fines and compensation as well as lost revenue.

Feeling the pressure from grassroots campaigns, the NFF referred the matter to an extraordinary congress which on Sunday will bring together the eight members of its executive committee, representatives of 18 districts and of hundreds of professional and amateur clubs.

The discussions will be revolve around the findings of an expert committee which, with the exception of two members representing fans, has also come out against a boycott.

“For a boycott to succeed, you need a critical mass behind it, an opposition that calls for it in the country, the UN to put pressure on the
authorities, the business world, the trade unions and civil society to put pressure on it in the long term,” committee chairman Sven Mollekleiv said in a debate hosted by broadcaster TV2.

“Historically, there are few successes,” he said.

Rather than a boycott, the committee recommended 26 measures to consolidate and further the gains made in Qatar but also to ensure that FIFA doesn’t become complicit in so called “sportswashing” — the polishing of a country’s public image through a major sporting event.

Some initial supporters of a boycott, like Tromso’s Hogli, have since sided with these conclusions, although calls for a complete boycott remain.

SHOW COMMENTS