UEFA wants five officials at Euro 2012

Referees before a UEFA Europa League football match in 2010. UEFA wants to have five officials on hand for matches at Euro 2012, its chief Michel Platini said Tuesday, in a renewed drive to deal with disputed on-pitch decisions.

UEFA wants to have five officials on hand for matches at Euro 2012, its chief Michel Platini said Tuesday, in a renewed drive to deal with disputed on-pitch decisions.
Speaking during a visit to Poland, co-host of the 2012 European championships along with neighbour Ukraine, Platini said adding officials to the traditional trio of a referee and two linesmen had proven its mettle in continental club competitions.
"I'm 500 percent satisfied with the way having five officials has worked in the Champions League and Europa League," he told reporters.
"The results have been great, and the referees are really happy to have two colleagues to help them out," he added.
The concept of extra officials is being tested out by FIFA, world football's governing organisation.
The International Football Association Board, which determines the rules of the game, has been wrestling with how finally to end years of controversy over goals deemed to have been disallowed or approved unfairly.
"We have an International Board meeting on Friday and Saturday in Wales and we're going to return to the issue of five officials," Platini said.
"We've asked the International Board to allow five officials during the European championships. We'll see that they have to say to us. I hope the answer will be positive," he added.
Platini spoke at a ceremony to mark the start of ticket sales for the 16-nation tournament -- European football's showcase -- which kicks off in Warsaw on June 8, 2012 and ends with the final in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on July 1.
The event started with hiccups, as staff had to rip down a stage curtain behind which Platini and fellow officials were sitting, after it failed to glide open.
Platini's microphone then failed to work right away and when it did, was hit by interference from his mobile telephone, which he threw to a colleague in the audience.
"You see, that's the problem with technology," Platini said, with a grin, taking advantage of the situation to reaffirm what he not want to see in refereeing.
"That's why I'm against using video," he said.
FIFA has also rebuffed calls for the use of video to resolve contentious decisions, despite it being a success in sports such as tennis, cricket, and rugby league and union. The rationale is that it would disrupt the flow of the game.

Moyes 'massive disappointment' after Everton FA Cup KO

Reading's Antiguan midfielder Mikele Leigertwood (L)vies with Everton's French forward Louis Saha during their English FA Cup fifth round football match in Liverpool. Reading won 1-0.

Everton manager David Moyes admitted his side deserved to lose after the Toffees were sent tumbling out of the FA Cup by Championship side Reading here Tuesday.
After stunning Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the previous round, Everton had entertained hopes of a lengthy run in the FA Cup and were expected to progress safely to the quarter-finals against Reading.
But a first-half goal from Reading defender Matt Mills stunned Goodison Park into silence and ultimately sent the Royals into a last eight tie against either Manchester City or Aston Villa.
It was a bitterly disappointing exit for Everton, who left the field to a chorus of boos as Reading's players celebrated a famous win.
"It's a massive disappointment for us because we did so well in the previous round," Moyes said afterwards. "You can only ask for a home tie and we didn't take advantage of it."
Moyes said poor defending and a lack of creativity in the opposition half had weighed against his side.
"We could have defended the set piece for the goal, our attacking wasn't good enough. I think they defended really well," Moyes said.
"They got back behind the ball and we didn't have enough craft at the top of the pitch to make things happen."
Moyes also paid tribute to Reading's performance. "Terrific the way they got about their job," he said.
"The longer it went on the more desperate we became."
Reading manager Brian McDermott meanwhile said his team had been quietly confident of scoring an upset just as they did last year when they knocked out Everton's city rivals Liverpool in the third round.
"We thought there was an opportunity for us," McDermott said.
"We've got such a good bunch of players and spirit and we wanted to take the game to Everton.
"It didn't work for the first 15 minutes, they passed around us. But we got the goal and once you've scored it gives you something to hang on to."
McDermott believes the result will lift the club as they mount a late push for a Championship play-off place.
"We are close. If you can come to Goodison and put on a performance like that it gives you a lot of hope for the future," he said. "Nights like that are just going to galvanise the club."
Reading grabbed a shock lead after 26 minutes, when Mills stabbed home from eight yards after the Everton defence failed to clear a corner.
The goal infused Reading with confidence and Jimmy Kebe had a golden chance to make it 2-0 when clean through on Everton's goal.
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was alert to the danger however, snuffing out what looked like a certain Reading goal and keeping the home side in the match.
Leon Osman had a clear chance to level it for Everton just before half-time only for the midfielder to head just over after being picked out by a Leighton Baines cross.

Sevilla cruise past 10-man Gijon

Mallorca's defender Pau Cendros (L) vies with Espanyol's forward Jose Maria Callejon (R) during the Spanish league football match RCD Espanyol vs Mallorca at the Cornella-El Prat stadium in Cornella de Llobregat. Mallorca recorded their first away win at Espanyol in over a decade with a 2-1 comeback win

Sevilla boosted their European hopes with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over 10-man Sporting Gijon on Tuesday to move level on points with sixth-placed Athletic Bilbao.
Brazilian international forward Luis Fabiano opened the scoring from the penalty spot for his ninth league goal of the season with Diego Perotti and Alvaro Negredo also on target in a convincing home win.
It was Sevilla's fourth game in nine hectic days but the hosts were aided by the first half sending off of Gijon midfielder Sebastian Eguren.
Eguren fouled Fabiano to concede a penalty on 28 minutes and Sporting had to stomach a double punishment as the Uruguayan was given a red card.
Fabiano made no mistake thumping a low penalty into the bottom left hand corner.
Minutes later Federico Fazio hit the crossbar with a downward header before Argentine Perotti made it 2-0 with a fine first time volley.
Negredo scored a third in the second half as Sevilla climbed to seventh while Sporting hover one point above the relegation zone.
Earlier on Tuesday Real Mallorca recorded their first away win at Espanyol in over a decade with a 2-1 comeback win at the Cornella-El Prat thanks to second half goals from Pierre Webo and Emilio Nsue.
Fifth-placed Espanyol had taken an 18th minute lead through Alvaro Vazquez but Cameroon forward Webo headed an equaliser on 62 minutes and Nsue netted the winner eight minutes from time as the islanders won at Espanyol for the first time since 2000.
"After the break our goalkeeper practically didn't touch the ball and I think it was a deserved win," said Mallorca coach Michael Laudrup.
It was a major setback for Espanyol's European hopes and Athletic Bilbao, two points behind in sixth, can move above them with a win at Real Zaragoza on Wednesday.
For Mallorca it was only their third away win of the season as they move four points off the top six.
With just seven minutes gone Mallorca won a penalty with centre-back Jordi Amat clipping Webo in the box.
Chori Castro stepped up but goalkeeper Carlos Kameni guessed the right way and got down low to palm away the spot-kick.
A minute later Espanyol went down the other end and Jose Callejon crashed a shot against the post.
The hosts got the breakthrough on 18 minutes with Mallorca getting their offside trap horribly wrong as Vazquez bent his run before keeping a cool head to slot home.
Mallorca thought they had equalised on the half hour mark but Webo's header was harshly ruled out for offside.
Livewire Webo got the goal his performance deserved with a header to level the scores just after the hour mark.
Winger Nsue then popped up with a late 82nd minute winner as Mallorca took the spoils.
Barcelona have a tough trip to third-placed Valencia on Wednesday as they bid to stretch their seven-point lead over Real Madrid.
It will be a special game for Barcelona striker David Villa who returns to Valencia for the first time since his 40 million euro move in the summer.
Real Madrid host lowly Malaga on Thursday looking to bounce back from their disappointing 0-0 draw at Deportivo La Coruna with a 13th win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Malaga, second from bottom of the table, are coached by former Real boss Manuel Pellegrini who managed the club last season but a club record 96 points saw them finish runners-up to Barcelona and the Chilean was axed.