Hawk-Eye explains why goal-line technology failed during Blackpool’s win against Huddersfield Town

Hawk-Eye has broken its silence following the goal-line controversy that mired Blackpool’s win against Huddersfield Town at the weekend.
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Referee John Busby failed to award the home side a goal during the second-half when Yuta Nakayama appeared to bundle the ball home from close range.

Replays showed the ball clearly crossed the line despite Dan Grimshaw’s best efforts to claw it out.

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But because the referee’s watch didn’t signal a goal, Busby was unable to allow it.

“The EFL is incredibly frustrated that a technology failure has overshadowed a fantastic weekend of action on the pitch,” a spokesperson said.

Dan Grimshaw desperately attempts to claw the ball away from goalDan Grimshaw desperately attempts to claw the ball away from goal
Dan Grimshaw desperately attempts to claw the ball away from goal
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“Technology is there to support the decision-making processes of match officials in the Championship and it failing in such a manner on Sunday is a matter of great concern.

“For clarity, the referee’s decision is final and the match result stands.”

Huddersfield also released a statement of their own expressing their “incredible frustration” over the incident.

Hawk-Eye has since expanded on this, explaining the reasons behind the non-award of the goal.

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“Upon further review of system data, Hawk-Eye can confirm that the ball was obscured from the Goal Line Technology tracking cameras as it moved over the line,” Hawk-Eye said in a statement.

“The position of the players, the goal post and the goalkeeper impacted the cameras’ line of sight to the moving ball and as such, a decision could not be determined by the system.

"Hawk-Eye Goal Line Technology is a camera-based system which has seven cameras installed at each end of the pitch for the ball to be tracked, and a goal or no goal decision determined.

“When the system is able to see the ball in two or more cameras it will signal to the match officials when the ball has crossed the line, in accordance with FIFA Quality Programme for Goal Line Technology.

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"As noted in the EFL’s statement, PGMOL has also confirmed officials were unsighted due to obstruction by players and therefore unable to award a goal.”

Continuing, Hawk-Eye reassured supporters that this was an “exceptional” case but did apologise to Huddersfield for their mistake.

“Hawk-Eye Goal Line Technology system has been deployed at over 15,000 matches worldwide since its first use in 2012,” they added.

"We would like to reassure the football community that this was an exceptional edge-case occurrence, and we will continue to review standard operating procedures for such occurrence with the EFL and PGMOL.

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“The system was tested and confirmed functional prior to the start of the match in accordance with the IFAB Laws Of The Game and confirmed as working by the match officials.

"The system was functional throughout, with a correct notification during the Blackpool goal in the 30th minute.

“Hawk-Eye has spoken to both the EFL and Huddersfield Town FC and would like to apologise unreservedly to both parties."