It was a goal that didn't count, and it was a decision that may have changed the outcome of one of the World Cup's most exciting games so far.

England midfielder Frank Lampard's shot from just outside the area hit the Germany crossbar and quickly bounced down, back up off the bar again and down again. Although Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda waved play on, television replays showed the ball had crossed the goal line on the first bounce. If the goal had counted, England would have equalised at 2-2 in the 38th minute.

"It's incredible," England coach Fabio Capello said Sunday after England lost to Germany 4-1 in the round of 16. "We played with five referees and they can't decide if it's a goal or no goal. The game was big different after this goal. It was the mistake of the linesman and I think the referee because from the bench I saw the ball go over the (line)."

The ruling was a reverse of what happened in the World Cup 1966 final, when England had a goal awarded despite German protests.

When Lampard's shot hit the underside of the bar and landed well inside the goal, Capello celebrated what he thought was an equaliser, clenching his fists and shaking his arms. All that changed when he realised the goal had not been given.

"It was one of the most important things in the game," Capello said. "The goal was very important. We could have played a different style. We played I think well at 2-1, but after the third goal it was a little bit disappointing."

As the players walked off the field at halftime, Wayne Rooney walked over to the Uruguayan linesman who didn't flag for the goal, Mauricio Espinosa, and gestured with his hands how far he thought the ball had crossed the line.

David Beckham, who is not in the squad because of injury but is travelling with the team, did the same.

The incident brought back memories of the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley.

England and Germany were level at 2-2 in extra time when Geoff Hurst's shot struck the underside of the crossbar, bounced down and spun back into play. That time, the referee consulted his linesman and awarded the goal.

Hurst went on to score a third goal in England's 4-2 victory, but the Germans have disputed the goal ever since.

Although England was outplayed by the Germans on Sunday at Free State Stadium, the players were dejected by the goal that wasn't given.

"Obviously a disappointment because of the scoreline, but I think ... the sense of irony, the crucial moment was Frank's," England goalkeeper David James said. "Apparently it's gone clearly over the line. Given that we had a lot of pressure at the time, it would have put us in parity, would have gone into halftime in a much more positive mood.

"This essentially changed the game."

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