Dutch vs Italy - 2nd goal?

[Karl]

Good goal or off-side?

Truth is - I am not sure which way to go - offside or no offside?

One thing I know the ref allowed it!

I wonder if the Italian (behind the goal) was treated for an injury? You definitely cannot run off the field to put an attacker offside...but if you were bundled off the field as that Italian player was and the ball was put back in from the outfield after a series of passes????? as was this play

[Rudi]

Don't you mean the first goal? Looked offside to me.

[Me]

I think it is offside since the player did not deliberately come off the pitch.

[Lazie]

He faked the injury. Didn't you notice he was on the field for the kick off? GOAL!!

[Me]

The referees decided that he was faking injury when they made that call? Highly doubt it. Bad call.

[No Mercy]

That was clearly offside...anyway the man deh seh the youth

n dutch midfield who hardly run but control the middle ...Tall and mostly use him left foot. Italy could have score 2 easily another day..Good game except that the ref spoil it with that no offside call. Fifa need to change the advantage rule because only offensive players benefit and the refs and assistants are all confuse about it.

[Karl]

Good goal or off-side?

Truth is - I am not sure which way to go - offside or no offside?

One thing I know the ref allowed it!

I wonder if the Italian (behind the goal) was treated for an injury? You definitely cannot run off the field to put an attacker offside...but if you were bundled off the field as that Italian player was and the ball was put back in from the outfield after a series of passes????? as was this play

Correction: not mere bundled off the field...but bundled off and down and out...and yes it was the 1st goal!

[Twan]

He was "bundled out, down off the field by his own GK !! ....GOAL !!!

[Twan]

Dutch goal correct says ref chief

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy's opening goal in the win over Italy was legitimate, says Premier League referees' chief Keith Hackett.

Van Nistelrooy looked yards offside when he prodded home from close range.

But it appears he was played onside by defender Christian Panucci, who was lying off the pitch at the time.

"The fact is the assistant was correct; the defender who slid off the field is still regarded as active," Hackett told BBC Sport.

"Christian Panucci went off through contact with his own goalkeeper (Gianluigi) Buffon. He is still considered part of the game."

Uefa general secretary David Taylor said Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt and his assistant Stefan Wittberg were absolutely correct in their interpretation.

He told a news conference: "There is a lack of understanding as to why this particular goal was awarded. In fact some television commentators have insisted the goal was clearly offside, but that is not the case.



Dirk Kuyt on Van Nistelrooy's goal
"The player was not offside because in addition to the goalkeeper there was another Italian player in front of the goalscorer. Even though he had fallen off the pitch his position was still relevant for the purposes of the offside law.

"Not many people, even in the game, and I include the players, know this interpretation.

"Incidents like this are very unusual - although I'm informed that there was an incident like this about a month ago in a Swiss Super League match between FC Sion and FC Basel 1893."

Van Nistelrooy stuck out a leg to poke home a Giovanni van Bronckhorst shot, after Italy had initially cleared the ball.

Italy's players were furious with the decision and even the Dutch delayed their celebrations until they were sure the goal had been given.

Italy striker Luca Toni, who was booked for protesting, said: "I looked at the replay during the match and it looked to me as if it was offside.

"I said to the referee, 'look at the replay'. But he didn't look so that was that."

It also provoked some angry reaction among the Italian fans when it was replayed on the giant screens inside the Stade de Suisse stadium.

Taylor said Toni's yellow card would stand and that goals wouldstill be replayed on the screens throughout the tournament.

After the game, Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt admitted he was waiting for the goal to be chalked off for offside.

He told BBC Sport: "I thought it was definitely offside but Ruud told me Panucci was in the goal. Maybe he was behind the line but he is still included in the game so he is not offside. But I definitely thought it was at the time - I was looking at the assistant but he didn't wave his flag so we were really happy."

Hackett's comments were also backed up by the chairman of Austria's refereeing commission Gerhard Kapl, who said the decision was "100% correct".