Goal Line Technology, with which it can be instantly determined whether or not a football has crossed the goal-line, would not have had any overall benefit had it been used in the England v. Ukraine game on Tuesday, I claim.
The spectre of GLT raised its ugly head again after the Ukraine's Marko Devic had a 'goal' disallowed after the officials deemed the ball had not crossed the line - which, to billions of TV viewers at home, it clearly had - sending England into the next round after their 1-0 win.
But, say I, the incorrect decision had absolutely no effect on the overall outcome of the group, which England topped with 7 points.
Had the goal been given, and the game finished 1-1, England would have had 5 points, still ahead of France on 4 points, and Ukraine, who would, with the extra point, have then finished level on points with the French, but with an inferior goal difference. So they would still have gone home early.
Actually, this isn't quite true, as they were already 'home'.
The table as it finished:
Team Played GD Points
England 3 2 7
France 3 0 4
Ukraine 3 -2 3
Sweden 3 0 3
How it would have finished had the Ukranian 'goal' been given:
Team Played GD Points
England 3 1 5
France 3 0 4
Ukraine 3 -1 4
Sweden 3 0 3
GD = Goal Difference
And there you have it. Conclusive proof that GLT does not change the results of tournaments, and has no overall benefit to the game of football.
So there.
