Brazil vs. Chile: Was the Ref Right to Disallow Hulk's Goal?

What's an important elimination match like Saturday's Brazil/Chile World Cup one without a good referee controversy? It would have made for less drama, but where's the fun in that? What drama? Early in the second half Hulk (awesome name by the way) appears to blast a kick in to the back of the net to give Brazil a 2-1 lead

But the ref made a controversial call by disallowing the goal. The call? Handball.

@_MarcusD_/Twitter

For those of us who are not up on the letter of the law in soccer here it is (via Soccer History):

A hand ball is called when a player (excluding the goal keeper when he is in the box) intentionally touches the ball with his hand or any part of his arm from shoulder to the finger tips.

 With that in mind lets take another look at the play.

@_MarcusD_/Twitter

You can see the ball hits him in the bicep before bouncing off his chest. So--the ref was right.

Not that it mattered anyway. Brazil fans might have preferred to not have to be o the edge of their seats through overtime, but in the end their team won anyway so no harm no foul.

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