Soccer World In Uproar: Ireland Demands Rematch With France
French soccer ... er, football ... player Thierry Henry "has admitted handling a ball before a crucial goal that sent his team to the World Cup at the expense of Ireland." Henry's touch, by the way, is known now as "the Hand of Gaul" -- a nice homage to the "Hand of God" score by Argentina's Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup quarter final against England. Henry didn't score the French goal in Wednesday's match 1-1, but one of his teammates did soon after. The Irish argue that play should have stopped when Henry's hand touched the ball.
As it so happens, the FIFA has decided that there will NOT be a rematch. The result cannot be changed.
This reminds me of the infamous college football game between Colorado and Missouriin the 1990 college football season when the Buffaloes, thanks to an error, got a "fifth down" at the end of the game (on which, they scored and won the game). Even more egregiously, this win allowed the Buffaloes to share the National Championship this year.
So, Missouri Tigers fans can sympathize with Ireland this week, especially if France goes deep into the playoffs at the World Cup this year.