Rooney ref rewarded with final
Rooney ref rewarded with final
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Thursday, 06, Jul 2006 08:02
The referee who sent off Wayne Rooney against Portugal, Horacio Elizondo, will officiate the World Cup final.
The Argentine referee has seen off the challenge of Europe's top officials to be given the dream job.
English referee Graham Poll was sent home after a massive blunder in the group stages when he produced three yellow cards for one player in the Australia Croatia match.
Another favourite to get the final Markus Merk was also given his marching orders by Fifa after some bizarre decisions.
That left the path open for the South American Elizondo to make his way to the final. Sepp Blatter came out strongly after the controversy over Rooney's red card and Fifa's support has now gone one step further.
President of Fifa's World Cup organising committee, Lennart Johansson, was also right behind the referee.
Johansson said: "I was at the game and I had a different opinion when I first saw the incident from the stands and then later on television. But having seen the replay, in my opinion he was absolutely right to send him off.
"I also saw this referee in opening match and I did not notice him much which is a very good thing - much better than if you see a referee who says 'here comes the king of the road'."
Johansson and Blatter rarely agree over referees with the two men rowing furiously over the decisions made by the referee in the Champions League final.