Byron Moreno's Ex-World Cup ref pleads guilty in JFK Airport

Soccer Extreme : A former referee involved in Italy's controversial elimination from the 2002 World Cup pleaded guilty Thursday to heroin smuggling charges, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Byron Moreno, who is being held without bail, pleaded guilty to one count of heroin smuggling, spokesman Robert Nardoza said. He faces up to 5 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. No sentencing date was set.

Moreno was arrested in September at John F. Kennedy International Airport after arriving on a commercial flight from his native Ecuador with bags of heroin attached to his body, prosecutors said.

During a routine inspection, Moreno "became visibly nervous," according to a complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn.

A customs agent felt "hard objects on the defendant's stomach, back and both of his legs," the complaint said. A strip search revealed that the lumps were 10 clear plastic bags containing more than 10 pounds of heroin, it said.















Moreno enraged Italian fans in 2002 when he ejected Francesco Totti, giving the Italian a second yellow card for an alleged dive in the penalty area 13 minutes into overtime of a 2-1 loss to South Korea in the World Cup's second round.

A 111th-minute goal by Italy's Damiano Tommasi that would have advanced the team was disallowed, apparently for offside, and South Korea was awarded a penalty kick -- that goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon saved -- for a foul by Christian Panucci against Seol Ki-Hyeon.

In 2003, Ecuadorean soccer officials suspended Moreno for 20 games after a match there drew complaints about him from both teams. He added 11 minutes of stoppage time to a game between domestic clubs Barcelona and Liga de Quito without recording it.

He resigned a short time later.

Moreno also refereed the United States' opening 3-2 upset of Portugal at the 2002 World Cup. (AP)

Howard Webb : referees want goal-line technology

Soccer Extreme : Howard Webb has revealed he would be in favour of goal-line technology, claiming most of his fellow referees would welcome its introduction.

Webb, who this summer became the first Englishman to take charge of a World Cup final for 36 years, has previously offered cautious support for it to be brought in.

He has now argued more strongly for its use, telling BBC Sport: "It's got to be worth looking at to make our job on those really crucial decisions that bit easier.

"I don't think you'll find many referees who say, 'It's not something we want'.
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"It's a matter of fact whether or not all of the ball has crossed all of the goal-line between the posts and under the crossbar.

"Bearing in mind that's the entire aim of the sport, to score a goal.

"If we were to have some support - some assistance that was totally accurate and totally reliable and instantaneous - then I guess it's got to be worth looking at."

Having previously ruled out using goal-line technology, FIFA reopened their investigations into it in the wake of Frank Lampard's disallowed goal for England against Germany at the World Cup, with the midfielder's shot clearly crossing the line.

The International Football Association Board - the body that determines the laws of the game - will report to FIFA in March after a period of testing different systems.

Opposition to goal-line technology remains among some members of the game's governing bodies and Webb added: "We sit here in 2010 and other sports have embraced certain types of technology.

"Football hasn't - but that tells me that's because it's really difficult, without changing the basic way the game is played.

"That's the fear, which I understand." (mirrorfootball)

Real Madrid coach Mourinho explains sending off

Soccer Extreme : Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho this Monday explained why he was sent off during his side's Copa del Rey match at home to Murcia.

Referee Paradas Romero sent Mourinho from the dugout into the stands after 38 minutes of the game that Madrid won 5-1 to assure a place in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey for the first time in three seasons.

It was one of several controversial actions from the referee, who allowed Madrid's decisive second goal to stand despite a clear offside from Sergio Ramos, gave Madrid a dubious penalty for their fourth goal and then sent Alvaro Arbeloa off for two yellow cards.

As well as sending off the Real Madrid coach, Paradas showed a total 12 yellow and one red card.

The referee's match report said that Mourinho had insulted him, but the Madrid coach preferred not to enter into details of what he had said.

"It is down to the referee to write that in his match report. I don't want to speak about him or the sending off," said Mourinho, who then went on to do exactly that.

"It is enough to look at his statistics to see how many cards he shows. I am not saying if it is good or bad, but this referee has shown over 250 yellow cards and 14 or 15 red cards in the Primera Liga. He has an average of 6 bookings a game and in his last game in Zaragoza he produced a record number of cards," he said in the pages of sports paper Diario AS.

"I'm a dreadful referee, but I think he could have controlled this game without any cards," said Mourinho, who was much happier with his side's performance against a third tier side.

"The fans can go home happy and now we'll see who we get in the next round. I was not surprised by my team. We played a serious game and we were intense and mentally prepared. It was a good game for the fans," he said.