Soccer: Ref 'said sorry' for error

KAISERSLAUTERN - Australia's players said Egyptian referee Esam Abd El Fatah had apologised for allowing a disputed goal against them in their 3-1 World Cup win over Japan.

Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer said El Fatah had apologised for allowing Shunsuke Nakamura's goal to stand after Atsushi Yanagisawa collided with the Australian keeper and knocked him off balance as the ball sailed into the empty net.

The goal, which led to a furious protest from the Australians, gave Japan the early lead in the Group F match and the controversy threatened to overshadow the match until the Australians scored three times in a devastating late flurry.

"At the end of the day the referee made a mistake but everybody makes mistakes and I think it was big of him to admit it. Overall I think he refereed the game okay," Schwarzer said.

"He said after the game [to Australia captain Mark Viduka] that God was on his side because the result went our way in the end ... in the sense that it didn't affect the result in the end."

Viduka confirmed the referee had spoken to him about the incident.

- REUTERS