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Football

10th Jun 2018

Everyone is calling for goal-line technology after Usain Bolt’s shot bounces on the line

Video footage is inconclusive

Reuben Pinder

Was it over the line?

Usain Bolt has always fancied himself as a footballer. He has made no secret of the fact that he’d love to play for Manchester United one day. This evening, he fulfilled his dream of playing at Old Trafford. Only, it was for the Rest of the World XI at Soccer Aid.

The 100m world record holder was a constant threat in behind, his pace constantly playing on the mind of England centre-backs Phil Neville and Wes Brown.

On one occasion, Bolt found himself on his favoured left foot, not far form goal, at an acute angle. The Jamaican managed to dig a shot out from under his feet that flew over David Seam (not for the first time) and clipped the inside of the bar.

As the ball dropped, where it bounced is up for debate. From some angles it appeared to cross the line, but from other angles, video footage is inconclusive.

Of course, in the Premier League, goal-line technology would have resolved this issue. But the technology had not been installed for tonight’s charity friendly, so I guess we’ll never know.

Viewers at home were raging that there was no technological help to award Bolt his goal.

https://twitter.com/Tomster7uk/status/1005907124201971712

Robbie Savage also suggested that VAR would have cleared it up, forgetting that VAR and goal-line technology are not the same thing.

https://twitter.com/rugbyaddict88/status/1005907683608875013