From gulf news paper
Fifa reject Bahrain plea on disallowed goal
MANAMA: Fifa turned down the Bahrain Football Association's (BFA) appeal against Hussain Ali's disallowed goal in the 2006 World Cup finals playoff clash with Trinidad and Tobago at the National Stadium.
The BFA discussed Fifa's decision at a meeting at its premises in Riffa, chaired by president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
The association, however, refused to give details on what transpired at the meeting, which was held on Saturday.
Bahrain's Ali scored the goal after kicking the ball out of the hands of Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Kelvin Jack in second-half stoppage time on Wednesday.
But Colombian referee Oscar Acosta disallowed the goal under controversial circumstances.
Trinidad, who were held 1-1 by Bahrain in the first-leg at Port-of-Spain, won this decisive match 1-0 courtesy of a 49th-minute header from defender Dennis Lawrence to gave the Caribbeans a 2-1 aggregate win and a berth in next year's World Cup finals in Germany.
The cancellation of the goal by Acosta sparked unruly scenes on the pitch and in the stadium.
Bahrain players also pushed the referee around resulting in a red card for defender Hussain Baba.
A section of the packed house threw seat covers and water bottles on to the field. The spectators' reaction was, however, condemned by the BFA.
Bahrain's 53-year-old Belgian coach Luka Peruzovic had indicated after the match that the association would study the video evidence before a decision to lodge an appeal to Fifa was made.
