EFL ‘incredibly frustrated’ over goal-line technology failure in Huddersfield game

The EFL is “incredibly frustrated” by the failure of goal-line technology (GLT) during Sunday’s Championship match between Huddersfield Town and Blackpool.

Huddersfield were denied an equaliser when Yuta Nakayama’s effort crossed the line, only for GLT to fail to detect the goal.

Blackpool ended up winning the match 1-0, after Theo Corbeanu had earlier scored his third goal in four matches.

The error means Huddersfield remain in the Championship relegation zone, with just four points from their opening seven matches. 

In a statement, the EFL it was “incredibly frustrated that a technology failure at Huddersfield Town and Blackpool has overshadowed a fantastic weekend of action on the pitch”.

The statement added: “We have now received an initial assessment from Hawk-Eye, the providers of the Goal Line Technology service in the Championship, that during a second-half incident with Huddersfield attacking, the match officials did not receive a signal to their watch or earpiece as, due to multiple factors, the ball was no longer being tracked following it entering the Blackpool goal area.

“Separately, PGMOL have confirmed officials were unsighted due to obstruction by players and therefore unable to award a goal.

“Whilst the system was tested and functional prior to the start of the game, further information is expected from both Hawk-Eye and PGMOL following a full review of the incident.

“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.”

The Huddersfield incident is not the first time Hawk-Eye have suffered a technological fault that cost a team a goal.

In the very first Premier League post-lockdown game in June 2020, Sheffield United scored what replays proved to be a legitimate goal when Oliver Norwood’s 42nd-minute free-kick was carried over the line by Aston Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.

Referee Michael Oliver, however, did not receive a signal to indicate the ball had crossed the line and play continued.

Hawk-Eye later offered “unreserved apologies” and acknowledged that the ball had gone over the line. The company explained how all seven cameras monitoring the goal were obscured by the goalkeeper, defenders or goalpost.

The game went on to finish 0-0 and there were consequences later in the season, with Villa staying up in 17th place by a point while third-bottom Bournemouth boasted a superior goal difference.

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