FIFA President Apologizes for Refereeing Errors

England and the misfortunes of Mexico caused a previously recalcitrant Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president, to apologize for arbitration on Tuesday to announce that errors and would reopen debate on the use of goal line technology in football .

"I deplore when you see the obvious errors of the referees," said Blatter told reporters. "There has been a five star game for referees. I'm sorry for the mistakes of the arbitrators evident."

Teams from England and Mexico paid the price for FIFA resistance to improve their arbitration in this World Cup, when they were eliminated in the knockout stage after 16 obvious mistakes by referees.

England were denied a clear scoring against Germany when Frank Lampard shot hit the cross bar and bounced beyond the goal line. TV cameras showed clearly what the referee and his assistants were not able to field. Later that day, Argentina received by mistake a goal against Mexico when striker Carlos Tevez score was allowed to stand despite the fact that Tevez was clearly offside.

A repeat of the Tevez goal was shown on video screens at the Soccer City stadium, causing outrage Mexican players to confront the referee. Video operators are under strict orders not to repeat FIFA controversial call on the screens of the stadium, but they have done on numerous occasions during this tournament.

"I apologized to England and Mexico," said Blatter. "The English thanked him and accepted that you can win and lose, and Mexicans bowed their heads and accept it."

He also said that renewed discussions about the technology to determine if a goal was scored, as was the case in England-Germany, but not "video to have the goal ruled Argentina against Mexico.

"The only principle that we will bring back for discussion is the goal-line technology," said Blatter. "In situations like the game in Mexico, does not need technology."

The issue will be addressed in July in Cardiff, Wales, where the International Football Association Board meets to discuss rule changes. Last December, the board decided against the improvements to the 2010 World Cup.

Federer and Clijsters Advance on a Busy Day

Every Monday, Wimbledon bombarded the senses with the overhead of tennis, match after match after match intriguing showdown, from the afternoon till night and from the center court before the Court 18.

Roger Federer rolled into the quarterfinals with a victory even easier, while Venus Williams avoided his toughest challenge, while Kim Clijsters rallied from one set down and called her fellow Belgian Justine Henin in the tournament.

These parties are not only developed in the same day but at the same time. Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova had not yet started a rematch of the 2004 final. Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Andy Roddick were all hours of heating. In women alone, the seeds were third and fourth place in the afternoon.

Tennis fans often rank the second Monday of Wimbledon among the best days on the calendar for this sport, if not the top. Each of the 16 remaining men and women fighting for beds in the quarter-finals and this year, 24 seeded players remained, including 15 seeded 10 or higher.

"There was not much room for error," Venus said Williams.

She played before the others, but too late to cut 2, because it was expected that someone from the tournament in his escort for the party. That happens in the two main courts, which is where almost always plays Williams. But not Monday.

Once there, Williams found an unorthodox opponent Jarmila Groth, who was the right hand, but sometimes came back with the left. Groth is ambidextrous, though stronger from the right.

The service, ahead, 5-4, Williams won the set-point with a winner right that Groth dizzy as a crossover dribble. Groth missed a forehand on the next point, but Williams forced a second tie-break, which Williams won to take the match 6-4 7-6 (5).

"She played very well," Williams said.

With Williams struggling to its destination, Clijsters and Henin sound traded groundstrokes from the baseline on Court 1. Henin scraped elbow diving for a shot, as angry demonstrations were marked by a flurry of blonde ponytail.

Henin won the first set with different methods of attack. Sometimes, charged forward and placed backhand volleys into the corners. Other times, she hit one-handed backhand down the line.

"She came out of the blocks very fast," said Clijsters. "She started just really dominant from the start of the meetings. I was overwhelmed."

This marked the 25th meeting between the players, who shot to fame and then broken tennis almost exactly at the same time. Clijsters recovered it behind his powerful forehand. In the end, won, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, to join Williams in the quarterfinals.

While the Belgians fought as if it were 2007 again, Federer made his argument more convincing, however, as the defending champion, rolling over 16th-seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria.

Italy Coach Blames Himself for Early Exit

JOHANNESBURG - As a car on a cold morning, Italy seemed to always take time for your engine to deliver the World Cup.

In 1982, the Azzurri idle three ties in the first round, but still won the tournament. In 1994, Italy lost their first match against Ireland, then lost goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca to a red card in his second game, before settling on an impulse to the final.

Not this time. Italy seemed to have no alternator or accelerator to power and speed without a steering wheel. N classic unreliable, Baresi and Baggio, no new model rolling off the assembly line as Toto Schillaci in 1990.

Finally, perhaps thankfully, the rusted hulk of a team was towed out of the World Cup on Thursday, your dead battery, flat tires, broken windows after a 3-2 loss to Slovakia, which was playing in his first World Cup.

While advanced Slovakia, Italy, the defending champion and four-time winner, left after playing in a group for the first time since 1974, after having run the distance his career.

A draw would have sent Italy into the second round, but still remains difficult for a team that seemed without direction until late in the second half. Slovakia played with more urgency, control much of the game, getting two goals from striker Robert Vittek and refuses to amaze the reputation of Italy.