Lewandowski, 24, was given his marching orders for a foul on Per Skjelbred, with Rafael van der Vaart claiming he convinced the referee to show red by “kicking up a fuss”.

But during a 90 minute hearing in Frankfurt the sports court of the German Football Association confirmed that the three game ban would be upheld.

“It was a hefty challenge, in which Robert Lewandowski was lucky that neither he nor his opponent were hurt. With a suspension of three games, he is well served,” the presiding judge Hans E. Lorenz said.

The Polish international will now miss the upcoming games against Borussia Monchengladbach and Hannover, having already served the first game on Saturday when Dortmund recorded a 3-0 win against Frankfurt.

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FIFA said it is now seeking tenders from companies that want their system to be used at the Confederations Cup in June and next year’s World Cup.

“Interested GLT companies will be invited to join an inspection visit to the Confederations Cup venues, currently scheduled for mid-March, with a final decision due to be confirmed in early April,” FIFA said in a statement.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter insisted on giving World Cup referees high-tech aids to make goal-line decisions after seeing England midfielder Frank Lampard have a clear goal denied against Germany at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

Tuesday’s decision was expected once FIFA’s rule-making panel, known as IFAB, decided in July to approve goal-line technology at competitive matches after two systems passed extensive tests.

The camera-based Hawk-Eye system and GoalRef, which uses magnetic sensors, were used at the Club World Cup in Japan in December.

Those two systems were expected to compete for World Cup duty, although two competitors are making late entries in the contest.

FIFA said two German systems have completed tests and could soon be approved for use. The companies are not being formally identified until licensing is approved.

One system has passed tests devised for FIFA by a Zurich-based technical institute, and results for the second are expected this month, FIFA said.

Hawk-Eye is already used in tennis and cricket. The English company was bought by Sony Corp., a World Cup sponsor, during the testing process.

GoalRef uses magnetic sensors in the goalposts to track an “intelligent” ball, made by Danish company Select.

Both systems relay information within one second to the referee’s wristwatch. Both passed all pregame tests in Japan but were not called upon to determine a goal.

Before the 2010 World Cup, Blatter had long opposed taking the human element of decision-making from referees. He changed his stance after seeing match officials miss Lampard’s shot bounce off the crossbar and land fully over the goal line in Bloemfontein. England would have leveled at 2-2 before halftime but lost 4-1 in the second round.

Blatter said two days later that FIFA should reopen the debate, although video replay remains off-limits for judgment calls.

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Celtic were incensed that the officials had allowed manhandling to take place on several occasions during corner kicks in Tuesday’s Champions League clash, with Lennon saying after the match at Parkhead that he felt Mallenco has been “very pro-Juventus”.

The Bhoys now plan to submit video evidence to the governing body.

“The referee didn’t do his job and there has been a lot of talk since Tuesday night regarding it so we are looking for clarification on the referee’s decisions during the game,” he said. “We are going to compile a DVD and send it to them (UEFA) and wait and see what answers we do get.”

He added: “It’s a myth that Juventus ‘did their homework’. That’s rubbish. Juventus defend like that week-in, week-out in Serie A. If anything we had done our homework and we made sure the referee was aware of it and he was looking at it time and again and Juventus went unpunished. We needed a strong referee and we didn’t have that.

“It was blatant. I have seen photographs where the shirt was almost pulled off Gary Hooper’s back and he ends up at one stage in the goal. I admire Gary for keeping his cool – if it had been me I might have got sent off for something I would have regretted later on.

“As I said after the game, 10 or 11 years ago we got a penalty against Juventus in the exact same circumstances, the player was warned about grappling with Chris Sutton, the corner comes in he did again and the referee gave a penalty. Have the rules changes since then?

“Gianluca Vialli said we should have had two penalties, (former referees) Graham Poll and Dermot Gallagher… Trevor Francis said that even in his time in the ’80s (in Italy) it was never as blatant as what he saw the other night, so these guys can’t all be wrong and the referee right.”

Lennon also backed defender Efe Ambrose, who was at fault for two of Juve’s goals as well as passing up a good chance to score.

Team-mate Kris Commons said afterwards that the Nigeria international, who had returned from the African Nations Cup on the morning of the game, must take the blame for saying he was ready to play.

However, Lennon said: “On reflection, if I had the opportunity to change anything I wouldn’t – I would go with the same team. Efe made two basic mistakes but he had the clear-cut chance of the game for us and if he had scored then no one would have been talking about his selection.

“I spoke to him and he said he was ready to play. When you make basic mistakes like Efe did then you are open to criticism and he has apologised for his performance.

“However, he has been a fantastic signing. He has added a new dimension to the way we play and some of his performances in the Champions League this season have been of an exceptionally high standard and so he doesn’t need to apologise. We all have bad nights.”

The Northern Irishman was also happy to forgive Commons for his outspoken remarks.

“It was heat of the moment stuff,” he said. “I have spoken to Kris about it and it has been dealt with internally, and there is no bad feeling from anyone. Kris really cares and he was disappointed but he did overstep the line a little bit. Sometimes you have to keep your emotions in check.”

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City goalkeeper Hart admitted in the build-up that anything but victory at St. Mary’s would all but end any their hopes of retaining the title, with leaders Manchester United already boasting a nine-point cushion.

Roberto Mancini’s side simply did not look like a side in need of a victory Saturday, conceding after just seven minutes when Jason Puncheon slotted home.

Hart could have possibly done better with the shot that led to the opener, but there was no doubting his culpability for Southampton’s second.

Excellent team interplay put through Rickie Lambert, whose fierce drive squirmed through the England international’s grasp, allowing Steven Davis to bundle home.

Edin Dzeko reduced the deficit as halftime approached, though a two-goal lead could have been restored on the stroke of halftime had referee Martin Atkinson not waved away Jay Rodriguez’s penalty appeals.

That was soon forgotten, though, as Barry passed into his own goal unchallenged to put Saints on course for a first win since Pochettino replaced Nigel Adkins at the helm.

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Edin Dzeko’s 12th goal of the season put the hosts ahead from close range midway through the first half only for Daniel Sturridge to smash home his fourth in six matches since his move from Chelsea.

An even better trademark Steven Gerrard strike put Liverpool ahead with 17 minutes to go only but Sergio Aguero salvaged a point with an exquisite shot from the narrowest of angles.

All the early pressure was with City but once Liverpool had weathered that initial storm, it started to come into its own. Luis Suarez, busy without being particularly threatening, flashed a shot across Joe Hart and wide of the far post as it seemed the visitors were about to take control.

That notion was dispelled in the 24th minute as some neat interplay from Silva and James Milner from a throw-in on the left saw the latter cross low for Dzeko to sneak behind Daniel Agger and tap home from close range.

If that goal was founded in simplicity, Liverpool’s equalizer was made of pure brilliance, although it was viewed as controversial by indignant City players and their fans. Agger appeared to go through Dzeko to get the ball but referee Anthony Taylor saw no foul and with the Bosnia international collapsed on the turf in their own half Liverpool played on.

The boos grew louder as the Reds made their way upfield but almost a minute had expired — with City momentarily winning the ball back on the edge of its area — before Sturridge scored. Gerrard rolled the ball forward to the former City striker who smashed a fierce left-footed shot past Hart.

Liverpool finished the half the stronger and having continued that after the break, Mancini made a tactical switch 10 minutes in when he replaced Matija Nastasic with Aleksandar Kolarov and went to a back three.

That appeared to re-energize City but Gerrard hit a sweet strike in the 73rd minute that was very reminiscent of his goal in the 2006 FA Cup final. Gael Clichy’s poor clearance from Jose Enrique’s cross dropped to the midfielder 30 yards out and the England captain controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing a dipping low volley which gave Hart no chance.

Martin Skrtel was introduced for the tiring Enrique and after almost scoring at one end was involved in a mix-up with Reina which allowed City to equalize. Aguero raced onto Gareth Barry’s pass and the goalkeeper’s rush of blood saw him charge out to the left edge of his area, from where the Argentina international turned him and fired in impressively from a narrow angle.

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The Nets squandered a 23-point lead and allowed Oklahoma City to tie it at 85 before ripping off a 23-8 run to seize control. Durant was ejected near the end of the surge, arguing with Danny Crawford after the referee already had issued a technical foul against Kendrick Perkins.

Durant scored 27 points and Russell Westbrook had 26 points and 10 assists for Oklahoma City, which lost for only the third time at home this season.

Durant, the three-time scoring champion, never had before been ejected in his six NBA seasons but got tossed after Brooklyn rallied largely from the foul line. The Nets made 11 free throws in a span of just more than 5 minutes, pulling away after Oklahoma City finally had fought all the way back.

Brook Lopez added 25 points as Brooklyn ended a seven-game losing streak in the series and got a win for interim coach P.J. Carlesimo against the team that fired him back in 2008.

The Thunder clamped down after trailing by 16 at halftime, rallying to pull within 71-68 when Westbrook finished off a 12-3 burst with a jumper from the left elbow with 3:47 left in the third quarter. Lopez powered his way in for a two-handed slam to stem the tide for Brooklyn, but Oklahoma City kept coming.

Durant and Kevin Martin connected on consecutive 3-pointers to finally even it up at 85 with 7:11 to play, only for Johnson to answer with a runner at the other end to put the Nets right back ahead and start the clinching run.

The Nets managed to get Carlesimo a rare win in Oklahoma City — something that proved difficult during his brief stretch on the Thunder sidelines.

Carlesimo was the coach when Oklahoma City got its franchise, leading the SuperSonics for their final season in Seattle and then going 1-12 in charge of the Thunder. He was fired and replaced — then on an interim basis — by Scott Brooks, who has overseen the team’s rise into a championship contender.

Back when Carlesimo was in charge, Durant was starting his second year in the NBA and Westbrook was a rookie who had yet to break into the starting lineup. Now, they’re both established All-Stars.

“For it to come together as quickly as it has, I think people believed that this was going to be a good team, with the nucleus they had and even starting out, the pieces,” Carlesimo said beforehand. “Russell, of course, was a huge addition the first year here and ever since then, there’s been good moves and they’ve tweaked it.”

Carlesimo also singled out the additions of Thabo Sefolosha and Perkins — both after he was fired — as key steps in the franchise’s rise.

“It’s a team I feel closer to than a lot of other teams. Hopefully, we helped KD and Nick (Collison) a little bit and Russell a tiny bit that first year, but I think it’s safe to say they’ve gone on and overcome whatever coaching they got from me,” Carlesimo said, drawing laughs.

At the start, it looked like Carlesimo’s new squad would run away with it against the Thunder, who started the day with the league’s best record.

Johnson and Lopez combined to go 9 for 9 from the field to propel the Nets to a quick 27-11 lead, and Brooklyn tried to keep the hammer down by re-inserting Williams after they had committed three turnovers in a span of five possessions without him to start the second quarter.

Upon returning, Williams immediately set up Keith Bogans for a 3-pointer, then used a behind-the-back, bounce pass for an assist on Kris Humphries’ jumper before nailing a 3-pointer of his own to push the lead out to 45-24. Brooklyn led by as much as 23 twice — including at 55-32 after Johnson drilled a 3-pointer off a touch pass from Gerald Wallace — before Westbrook and Serge Ibaka teamed up to score nine straight points to breathe some life into Oklahoma City.

Game notes
Carlesimo’s only win with the Thunder — after the SuperSonics had relocated from Seattle — came at home on Nov. 2, 2008, against Minnesota. … The Thunder’s largest previous deficit of the season was 16 in a loss at home against Memphis. … Oklahoma City got a delay of game warning for failing to get onto the court in time for tip-off, as part of the NBA’s emphasis on allowing teams 90 seconds between the end of introductions and the tip-off. … Nets reserve Jerry Stackhouse sat out with a sore right hamstring.

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