Swedes blast blunder referee

Blundering Swedish referee Martin Hansson was this morning condemned in his homeland.

Hansson missed Thierry Henry’s handball in extra-time which led to France’s equaliser against the Republic of Ireland in Paris last night.

The match finished 1-1, meaning France advanced to South Africa with a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Hansson’s blunder – and Henry’s dishonesty – were the major talking points afterwards but Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet laid the blame squarely at the official’s door.

Their story said: “There are approximately 80 million Irishmen around the world. We guarantee they all feel pretty bad today.

“But I sincerely hope there are three Swedes that feel even worse.

“They are Martin Hansson and (referee’s assistants) Stefan Wittberg and Fredrik Nilsson.”

They concluded by adding: “There will be no World Cup for Ireland and I assume that Team Hansson has also forfeited it’s right to continue to take charge of major international matches.

“Anything else would be a further insult to the Irish nation.”