England and '66: It wasn't a goal

[AreliusIV]

With the World Cup in Germany, it was only a matter of time before the old debate about England's controversial extra-time goal in the 1966 final raged anew. A shot by England's Geoff Hurst hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced straight down. The referee ruled it had crossed the line and was a goal, giving England a 3-2 lead that became 4-2 in the closing moments of extra time when Germany pressed forward recklessly in search of an equalizer. A British group recently transferred grainy, color footage from the '66 final to high-definition TV, which allows a far clearer image of the ball and the goal line. And the verdict? No goal. “The footage shows the line in almost full view as the ball bounces down from the bar,” Chris O'Hearn, the commercial director of ITN Archive, told British media. “It hardly crossed the line at all, and certainly didn't cross completely as it should have done to be legitimate. I don't know who should feel bad, England or German supporters, but that's what it shows.”

[Old Ska]

Originally Posted by AreliusIV

With the World Cup in Germany, it was only a matter of time before the old debate about England's controversial extra-time goal in the 1966 final raged anew. A shot by England's Geoff Hurst hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced straight down. The referee ruled it had crossed the line and was a goal, giving England a 3-2 lead that became 4-2 in the closing moments of extra time when Germany pressed forward recklessly in search of an equalizer. A British group recently transferred grainy, color footage from the '66 final to high-definition TV, which allows a far clearer image of the ball and the goal line. And the verdict? No goal. “The footage shows the line in almost full view as the ball bounces down from the bar,” Chris O'Hearn, the commercial director of ITN Archive, told British media. “It hardly crossed the line at all, and certainly didn't cross completely as it should have done to be legitimate. I don't know who should feel bad, England or German supporters, but that's what it shows.”

Give us "The Hand of God" back and the Germans can have the '66 one back.

[AreliusIV]

Originally Posted by Old Ska

Give us "The Hand of God" back and the Germans can have the '66 one back.

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