Hawk-Eye goal fiasco robs Wilder
CHRIS WILDER admitted he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry after a ‘farcical’ failure of goal-line technology cost Sheffield United victory over Aston Villa on the longawaited return of Premier League football. Shortly before half-time of the goalless draw at Villa Park, goalkeeper Orjan Nyland fell behind his line after catching Oliver Norwood’s freekick, only for referee Michael Oliver to insist it was no goal. Replays showed the ball had crossed the line and Wilder said: ‘This goes right in, I’d imagine, top of the pile in poor decisions that have been made by the whole process of technology.’ Hawk-Eye later apologised, insisting the technology malfunctioned for the first time in more than 9,000 matches. ‘I don’t know whether to laugh or cry… speaking to the referee he said to me it had the feel of a goal and that the ball had crossed the line but obviously he has to rely on Hawk-Eye to make the
Decision,’ Wilder said. ‘I am laughing at the minute… because that’s the only way I can look at it, it’s a bit farcical isn’t it? Already the jokes have started. I’ve just seen Del Boy with a Hawk-Eye watch on.’
He added: ‘I’d expect that decision to be given on Graves Park (Sheffield), pitch 17 on a murky, foggy Sunday morning. ‘The goalkeeper was in the Holte End, he was about eight rows back. He’d have been mullered by punters if they were in there… everyone saw it.’ Wilder said the VAR should have had the ‘courage’ to intervene. ‘Surely we can’t put all our eggs in one basket of somebody buying a dodgy watch from a market?’ he said. After the match, a Hawk-Eye statement read: ‘The seven cameras located in the stands around the goal area were significantly occluded by the goalkeeper, defender, and goalpost.
‘This level of occlusion has never been seen before in over 9,000 matches that the HawkEye Goal Line Technology system has been in operation. ‘The system was tested and proved functional prior to the start of the match. Hawk-Eye unreservedly apologises to the Premier League, Sheffield United, and everyone affected by this incident.’
The referees’ governing body, the PGMOL, clarified that the VAR was able to check whether it was a goal, but did not. Wilder added: ‘For someone to tell me that over seven cameras situated around Villa Park and it’s the first time it’s happened in more than 9,000 games, it’s pretty difficult to take. But we have to take it.
‘Does it ultimately decide the game? No. Does it affect the outcome? Well, the first goal in the Premier League is huge.’