Goal that never was could be key
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 27, 2012
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AC Milan forward Sulley Muntari (right) calls for referee's attention as Juventus Goalie Gianluigi Buffon saves a ball beyond the goal line during a Serie A match at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. |
This season's Italian Serie A title race could ultimately be decided by the goal that never was during Saturday's top-of-the-table clash between AC Milan and Juventus.
Milan's Sulley Muntari was already celebrating after heading the ball over the line, oblivious to the fact that officials had waved play on even though replays showed the ball was a good meter inside the goal.
Had the goal counted, Milan would have gone 2-0 ahead at a point where it was dominating the game and there might well have been no way back for a ragged Juventus.
Instead, the visitors regrouped to force a 1-1 draw and in doing so provided another boost for the case in favor of goal-line technology, currently being tested by soccer's governing body FIFA.
Juventus stayed one point behind Serie A leader Milan with a game in hand, whereas a defeat would have left it four points adrift with the psychological blow of having lost its unbeaten record this season.
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was typically philosophical about the incident.
"The best thing would be not to talk and to stay quiet, divine justice can punish everyone for what they say," he said.
"If it had been 2-0, the game would have been well under control, especially as we were on top.
"Maybe they painted the goal line too thick," he added.
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