France scores controversial goal against Ireland to reach 2010 World Cup

SAINT-DENIS, France -- France striker Thierry Henry admits he intentionally handled the ball to set up William Gallas' equalizing goal, sending France to the World Cup at Ireland's expense after an intense 1-1 draw on Wednesday.

With Ireland leading 1-0 and the match level on aggregate deep into the first period of extra time, France won a free kick and Henry twice handled the ball -- stopping it going out of play, then controlling it -- before setting up Gallas for a header.

France's Thierry Henry (12) passes the ball for the winning score after what he admitted was a handball. (AP)

"It went so fast. I saw Thierry's pass, the Irish were surprised and I put my head, my chest ..." Gallas said of the goal as his voice trailed off.

Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni was livid and had to be calmed down by officials.

"I'm not only disappointed tonight, I'm also very sad," Trapattoni said. "The referee should have asked Henry, I'm sure he would have admitted there was a handball."

After the match, Henry, the Barcelona striker said, "I will be honest, it was a handball. But I'm not the ref," Henry said. "I played it. The ref allowed it. That's a question you should ask him."

Ireland captain Robbie Keane was furious with Henry, and said goalkeeper Shay Given had a clear view of the incident.

"We knew anyway. When you see the reaction of Shay, he's two yards away from it. You don't get a reaction like that [otherwise]. [Henry] almost caught it and walked into the net with it," Keane said. "He's an absolutely top player and has been for a long time, but it was a clear handball. He actually dragged it in from going out. I wouldn't expect it from anybody."

At the final whistle, Given collapsed and lay on the ground in total dejection for several minutes as France celebrated. Gallas jumped into coach Raymond Domenech's arms.

"It was difficult, arduous and sometimes miraculous," Domenech said. "We are happy, like the whole France of football. I knew we were going to make a 1-1 draw."

Domenech added that he didn't see the handball and that it was a shame that Ireland didn't qualify as well.

"It was a victory by the skin of our teeth," Domenech said. "I want to congratulate the Irish players for this battle, they gave us a very hard time."

Keane scored for Ireland in the 33rd to level the two-leg playoff at 1-1 after France's 1-0 win in Dublin on Saturday.

Ireland took the lead when Damien Duff found space down the left and pulled the ball back for Keane to shoot past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Although Ireland was furious at Henry's goal -- the Irish fans chanted "Cheat, Cheat" at Henry -- France had an appeal for a penalty turned down when Nicolas Anelka tried to go around Given and went down in the eighth minute of extra time.

The linesman was right next to the action and referee Martin Hansson gave a goal kick. Hanson also ruled out Sidney Govou's effort for offside in the 111th minute.

The match would never have reached extra time if not for Ireland's missed chances and Lloris. He kept France level on aggregate with two great saves in each half, first from Keane and then from Duff midway through the second half.

Keane, outstanding throughout, missed the chance to finish off the French with 15 minutes left when he skipped into the penalty area unchallenged. But instead of tucking the ball past Lloris, he took an extra touch and the ball went out.

Domenech had to reshuffle his team because of injury, replacing the injured Eric Abidal with Julien Escude to partner Gallas in the center of the defense.

Ireland packed out the Stade de France four years ago for a World Cup qualifier, but this time the Irish were jammed into one section of the crowd behind the goal -- numbering about 8,000 -- and the rest of the stadium was awash with French flags.

Escude won his first header against striker Kevin Doyle, but hurt himself moments later in a clash of heads with Patrice Evra and was carried off on a stretcher. Sebastien Squillaci came on, Domenech's third-choice center half.

France looked nervous, constantly losing possession, with Andre-Pierre Gignac failing to hold the ball up in attack.

Lloris had denied Keane earlier in the first half after rushing off his line, and Kevin Doyle should have given Ireland the lead when he failed to get his head on to Liam Lawrence's cross from the right in the 23rd.

In the 46th, Manchester United defender John O'Shea was left totally unmarked at the back post but spooned his shot over the crossbar. Shortly after, Lawrence forced Evra into a desperate tackle as Ireland got on top.

Gignac was replaced by Govou in the 56th minute, and not long after Lloris made a stunning save to deny Duff as he sprinted on to Lawrence's pass with Bakary Sagna unable to close him down.

France charged up the other end and Henry's shot from a narrow angle was saved by Given. France gradually got back into the match, and Sagna's floating cross was headed wide by Anelka in the 72nd.

Domenech looked a lonely man during the pause before extra time, walking in small circles with his hands in his pockets while the players spoke among themselves.

Domenech added he didn't feel particularly lucky after winning a spot at next year's tournament in South Africa with a controversial goal and that his team experienced a similar situation when Lloris was sent off after only 10 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Serbia this year.

"Nobody said at the time that it was a miracle for Serbia," Domenech said.