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FIFA sets out timetable for technology tests

The announcement came three days after Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the English Premier League with a late goal in which, replays showed, the ball did not cross the line.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who was opposed to goal-line technology until an incident in last year's Germany-England World Cup match, has already said that it could be used at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil if a suitable system could be found in time.

On April 3, Lazio appeared to have a goal wrongly disallowed against Napoli in Italy's Serie A when Cristian Brocchi's long-range effort bounced down off the crossbar and replays showed it had crossed the line by at least a metre.

Tottenham's defeat kept them four points behind Manchester City, who are fourth and in the Champions League qualifying round spot.

Goal-line technology has been on and off IFAB's agenda for the last five years, and was brought back to the table after being "finally" dismissed last year.

FIFA's, and Blatter's attitude, changed after the failure of officials to award a goal to England when a shot from Lampard clearly crossed the goal-line against Germany at last year's World Cup in South Africa.

Germany, leading 2-1, went on to cruise to a 4-1 win and Blatter described it as an "immense" error.