FIFA will reject calls for goalline technology to be introduced despite the controversy over Frank Lampard’s disallowed strike.

Had the goal been given in yesterday’s last-16 match, England would have drawn level at 2-2 with Germany – they eventually tumbled out of the World Cup 4-1 in humiliating fashion.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson called on FIFA to change their stance – they ruled out goal-line technology at the International FA Board meeting in March in favour of experiments with two extra assistant referees.

Robertson said: ‘‘This was a disappointing end to a tournament in which England hardly ever performed. Once the dust has settled, I hope the FA take a long hard look at the reasons why, and FIFA reassess their opposition to using goal-line technology.’’ FIFA refused to comment after the match, saying: ‘‘FIFA will not make any comment on the decisions of the referee on the field of play.’’ However FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said on Saturday: ‘‘We can talk about refereeing decisions which, when you looked at them after the game, you could say were perhaps not good decisions.

We didn’t say you could have a zero-fault system in the World Cup.

‘‘Additional assistant (behind each goal-line) could happen in 2014 to make sure these kind of things are not happening in refereeing.

‘‘It doesn’t mean the use of video, that is definitely not on the table today, but one thing we are discussing is two additional assistants to support referees to make decisionmaking easier and to have more eyes helping him to make such decisions. We knew this is where criticism would come.’’ After the IFAB meeting in March, Valcke admitted he feared just such a controversy in this World Cup.

Valcke said then: ‘‘Questions will always come, we just hope they will not come in the final of the World Cup.’’ FIFA president Sepp Blatter has also defended their position, saying: ‘‘No matter which technology is applied, at the end of the day a decision will have to be taken by a human being. This being the case, why remove the responsibility from the referee to give it to someone else?

‘‘It is often the case that, even after a slow-motion replay, 10 different experts will have 10 different opinions on what the decision should have been. Fans love to debate any given incident in a game. It is part of the human nature of our sport.’’ Gordon Smith, the ex-chief executive of the Scottish FA who had proposed a new look at technology, said: ‘‘It was not significant to the result but even if it had been I don’t think they would change their minds.

‘‘I’m sure FIFA were relieved it was not 2-1 as it would have been a major issue and talking point.”

German keeper's lucky escape

GERMANY goalkeeper Manuel Neuer all but admitted he had a lucky escape after the goal that never was.

With England 2-1 down, Frank Lampard was convinced he had equalised when his shot beat Neuer before hitting the underside of the bar. The ball bounced down and TV replays showed it had gone about two feet over the line. To Lampard’s astonishment, Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda disallowed his effort.

It was a pivotal moment in the last-16 match as Germany went on to win 4-1.

Neuer said: ‘‘I tried not to react to the referee and just concentrate on what was happening – it was difficult. I knew it was close.

‘‘Then I saw it on the television in the doping control office and what actually happened. I knew it was tight – probably about two metres!’’