The Australian women’s football team, the Matildas, have recorded their first win in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 after they defeated Equatorial Guinea 3-2 in their second Group D match in Bochum, Germany, on Sunday. Fortunately, a bizarre handball moment that occurred during the match didn’t go all Thierry Henry on them.

This has to go down as one of the most ridiculous handball moments that’s been missed by a referee and the assistant referees.

The incident happened after Leena Khamis struck a shot which came back off the post in the 16th minute. An Equatorial Guinea defender, Bruna, then picked up the ball when play was still clearly alive.

Naturally, Khamis and the Australian players appealed for a handball – which should have been called by referee Gyoengyi Gaal or one of her assistants – but Bruna instead dropped the ball and Equatorial Guinea goalie, Miriam, continued as if nothing had happened.

Match commissioner Karen Espelund said after the match:

Gaal Gyoengyi, the referee, told me after the game that she was sorry that she missed that incident. She expressed her deep sorrow.

Supposedly Bruna thought she’d heard the whistle go and this was why she handled the ball.

[Source: SydneyMorningHerald]