Goal line technology makes an appearance in Brazil… and it’s a positive one

The much talked about goal-line technology finally came into full-blown action in the France-Honduras match, and helped the Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci award the second…

Honduras’ goalkeeper Noel Valladares bundles a shot from France’s Karim Benzema, far right, into his net for an own goal during the group E World Cup soccer match between France and Honduras at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Sunday, June 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

The much talked about goal-line technology finally came into full-blown action in the France-Honduras match, and helped the Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci award the second goal of the match to France.

Looking over and over again at the different camera angles of the instant replays, there’s only one take that allows to see that the complete circumference of the ball has gone past the entire goal line. However, thanks to the new technology implemented officially for the first time in a World Cup, Ricci knew instantly that the goal needed to go up on the scoreboard.

To those against the added technology on the field, who base their criticism on the time that will be wasted arguing over each decision, we need to agree that time was, in fact, wasted. Honduras’ players were not happy with the call and Coach Luis Fernando Suarez made it very clear to the 4th official and even to Didier Deschamps that he did not agree with the decision.

SEE ALSO: Goal-line technology put to use, France wins

But then again, when is a play like that not going to reflect in time-wasting? With or without the technology, a play in which there is clear doubt about whether or not the ball has gone in completely will be followed by many allegations and arguing on both sides of the disagreement; at least with the technology being implemented ultimately the right decision was made.

In this specific case, Benzema’s shot and eventual own goal awarded to Honduras’ goalkeeper Noel Valladares was especially tricky. Not only was there the usual issue of perspective when it comes to judging whether or not the entirety of the ball has surpassed the imaginary line that connects the crossbar to the goal line, but the deflection off the goalkeeper was also very close to the base of his right post, blocking the view of the 45 degree camera angles almost completely.

The goal probably served as the best case study for the use of this new technology, as it proved to work in one of the most complex and extreme situations that could occur.

How goal-line technology works

Karim Benzema forced the first real use of goal-line technology.

France’s Karim Benzema celebrates with teammate France’s Patrice Evra after scoring his side’s first goal on a penalty kick during the group E World Cup soccer match between France and Honduras at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Sunday, June 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

The new goal line technology uses 14 cameras directed to cover every which possible angle of the goal, but they all work independently from each other, so that even if some angles are blocked, a judgement can be passed. The technology in and of itself is a compound of five different systems: GoalControl, Hawk-Eye, Cairos GLT System, GoalMinder and GoalRef.

All these systems work in conjunction in order to send the referee of the game and encrypted signal to his watch in under one second of the event, and he then has the authority of making whichever call he deems correct.

The five different systems involve a balanced mix of high-speed cameras covering the goal, a sensor-based technology that signals when the circumference of the ball has fully gone past the goal line, and another set of cameras and sensors set on the crossbar and goal posts that inform the referee of the passing of the ball.

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Only FIFA approved systems and certified installers can actually handle these systems before every match, so the scientific rate of failure is close to none.

And so, regardless of what Luis Fernando Suarez thought, this new technology helped the France-Honduras match be decided in the fairest of ways. The controversy will exist, even more so in these initial stages of usage, because we are used to contesting every single call the referee makes during a game, but ultimately, FIFA should be vested in improving the ability of the referee to make the right decisions.

With goal line technology the refs will have one thing less to worry about, and fans one things less to bicker about.

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