UEFA has opened a real can of worms by ordering the final 18 seconds of the European Women's Under 19 Championship qualifier between England and Norway to be replayed following a refereeing error. However, FIFA did something similar during a 2006 World Cup qualifier. Back in 2005 Uzbekistan were playing Bahrain in the Asian zone fourth-round play-off first leg when Japanese referee Toshimitsu Yoshida incorrectly awarded an indirect free-kick to Bahrain after the Uzbeks had encroached at their penalty kick when 1-0 up. This happened in the 38th minute and FIFA ordered that the entire match be replayed which did not please either team. England are awarded a penalty during their European U19 Women's Championships qualifier in Belfast . Referee Marija Kurtes points to the spot as England are awarded a penalty in the 96th minute . Leah Williamson steps up to take a penalty in the closing stages of the match against Norway . Williamson runs forward to strike the ball but team-mate Rosella Ayane (circled) has entered the box . Williamson turns and celebrates as she slots the ball into the goalkeeper's bottom-right corner . Bahrain players and staff celebrate after beating Uzbekistan in a 2006 World Cup qualifier on away goals . Have UEFA just triggered a landmark moment for football? Final 18 seconds of England match to be replayed after ref disallowed penalty for encroachment... and gave indirect free-kick instead. Read more HERE. Uzbekistan only managed a 1-1 draw in the replay and a 0-0 scoreline in the second leg in Manama meant that Bahrain qualified. Current FIFA head of refereeing, Massimo Busacca, was in charge for the first-leg rematch and I was appointed to the second leg in Bahrain. It was surprising to receive four or five calls on the day of that game from FIFA stressing how important it was that the game passed without any errors in law which would provoke another appeal. Winding forward to the latest incident which was caused, incredibly, by an identical error by German referee, Marija Kurtes, in the 96th minute of England’s 2-1 'defeat' by Norway in their qualifying group. England thought they had scored an equaliser in the dying seconds of the game from the penalty spot but Kurtes had spotted encroachment by at least one England player and rightly disallowed the goal. Had the penalty been missed she would have been correct to award an indirect free kick but as it had been scored she should have ordered a retake. England players celebrate after they thought they had equalised against Norway . But referee Kurtes awards an indirect free-kick and the celebrations are cut short . Williamson has the ball back in her hands ready for what she thought would be a retake . But Williamson then realises the referee's decision and two Norwegian players are seen celebrating . German referee Marija Kurtes incorrectly awarded an indirect free kick after disallowing a penalty . Kurtes has been sent home from the European Women's U19 qualifiers after her mistake . Now, UEFA has upheld England’s appeal and ordered that in an evolution of the FIFA decision in 2005, the game should be replayed from the moment the technical error occurred. This bizarre decision was perhaps influenced by the fact that both teams are still present in the host city, Belfast, and are available following their final qualifying matches. However, this sets a dangerous precedent. If the same error is made in the opening minutes of a late group match in next year’s European Championship finals in France, will that match be replayed and the schedule of the whole tournament be thrown into disarray? I almost caused just that at Germany 2006; my error, in not sending Josip Simunic off when showing him his second yellow card, could not be disputed and given FIFA’s decision in the qualifying stages of the same competition they would have struggled not to allow a rematch. The game was 2-2 at the time of the mistake and it stayed that way until the final whistle but had Croatia scored they would have ‘qualified’. I remember being told by the Australians that had Croatia scored a winning goal in the final three or four minutes they would have appealed and expected a rematch at the very least. Precedent set; now let’s wait for the next refereeing error. It will happen – and UEFA must just hope it doesn’t affect one of their premiere tournaments. Referee Graham Poll shows a yellow card to Croatia's Josip Simunic during a 2006 World Cup match . Poll sends Simunic off but only after he had failed to show a red card after a second booking .
UEFA have ordered the final 18 seconds of the European Women's U19 Championship qualifier between England and Norway to be replayed.
Referee Marija Kurtes incorrectly awarded an indirect free kick after disallowing an England penalty for encroachment.
FIFA did something similar during a 2006 World Cup qualifier.
But the entire match between Uzbekistan and Bahrain was replayed.
UEFA must hope it doesn't affect one of their premiere tournaments.