Mamadou Sakho played a pivotal role for Deschamps this Tuesday, securing France’s qualification for the Brazil 2014 World Cup. The Liverpool defender achieved a remarkable feat by scoring a double, marking his first goals for the national team.
While video evidence clearly shows that Sakho scored both the first and second goals for France, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) currently only attributes one goal to the former PSG player. Sakho’s second goal, scored with the tip of his right knee, is currently credited to Oleg Gusev as an own goal: “The Blues played very collectively, and the qualification goal, an own goal by Oleg Gusev under pressure from Sakho, perfectly illustrates the impact made by the French,” states the FIFA website.
This discrepancy is likely an error that FIFA should reevaluate and correct. Despite the current scoring confusion, France’s victory has secured their participation in a World Cup final phase for the 14th time in their history.
