FIFA finally drag themselves into 21st century as goal-line technology debuts in Club World Cup

 
6 December 2012

Goal-line technology has been used for the first time by FIFA.

GoalRef was deployed during the opening match of the Club World Cup between Japan's Sanfrecce Hiroshima and part-timers Auckland City. Sanfreece won 1-0.

The match was the first in which soccer's governing body officially used the goal technology although there was little opportunity to test its effectiveness in a game of few chances.

Toshihiro Aoyama's dipping drive in the 66th minute lit up a pedestrian encounter and sent the J-League champions into the quarter-finals where they will face Egypt's Al-Ahly.

FIFA are using GoalRef and Hawk-Eye technology in Yokohama and Toyota City after finally bowing to calls to eliminate 'ghost' goals from the game.

GoalRef, which uses a microchip coil in the ball and low magnetic waves around the goal, was used in today's game with no problems reported.

FIFA said pre-match tests conducted by the referee at both ends of the pitch 100 minutes before kick-off were successful.

Hawk-Eye, a familiar presence in cricket and tennis, will be used in Sunday's quarter-finals in Toyota.

FIFA will be given analysis from the competing companies in January and decide which system to use at next year's Confederations Cup in Brazil.

Dethroned European champions Chelsea and South American Libertadores Cup holders Corinthians join the seven-team competition at the semi-final stage next week.

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