Netherlands' controversial opening goal in their 3-0 Euro 2008 win over Italy Monday was correctly awarded, UEFA said Tuesday.
UEFA General Secretary David Taylor told the press that scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy was played onside by Italy defender Christian Panucci, who was off the pitch at the time.
Replays showed Van Nistelrooy was behind all the defenders - except Panucci - when he knocked the ball home off a long shot by Real Madrid partner Wesley Sneijder.
Azzurri centre forward Luca Toni was booked when he asked the referee to look at the replay.
Italian pundits said the relevant law should not have been applied because Panucci - chucked behind the goal-line by keeper Gianluigi Buffon - was not ''active''.
They argued that since he was lying on his back, clutching his face, he could not have tried to get back to take part in the action.
