FIFA admit refereeing mistakes

Fifa has admitted "one or two major mistakes" have been made by referees during the World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

The latest in a string of controversial decisions yesterday helped South Korea beat Spain in front of 42,000 fanatical fans.

Referee Gamal Ghandour cancelled out two Spanish goals, including one in extra time, before the Koreans went on to triumph in a penalty shoot-out.

On 49 minutes, Kim Tae-young appeared to knock the ball into his own net from a Spanish free-kick only for the effort to be ruled out because of offside against Fernando Morientes.

Then in the second minute of extra-time Morientes had a header cancelled out when the assistant referee wrongly ruled the ball had crossed the line before Joaquin put in the centre.

Fifa chairman Keith Cooper today said: "I have a comment from the chairman of the referees' committee Senes Erzik who says there have been one or two major mistakes which have been a cause for concern.

"But he feels that the referees have been very well prepared for the World Cup. He is keen to point out, as it has been done many times before, that referees are only human and errors cannot be entirely eliminated."

Korea also benefited from refereeing decisions in their second-round clash, with Italy having a golden goal disallowed and Francesco Totti sent off, both in dubious circumstances.

But Cooper denied the notion there was any plot to get the co-hosts as far as possible in the tournament.

He said: "Conspiracy theories crop up on all occasions and in 99% of the cases, they prove to be unfounded. This is one of those 99% of occasions."

Fifa also re-affirmed that the idea of video replays to help the officials is "not on the agenda".