I've just finished watching the most bizarre and extra-ordinary ending of a football match. Ghana missed a penalty with literally the final kick of the match in extra-time, and then proceeded to miss two more and Uruguay advance to the semi-finals.
Penalty shoot-outs are always dramatic. But the circumstances around tonight's were exceptional. A Uruguayan player deliberately handles the ball to prevent a goal being scored. A penalty is awarded, the player is shown a red card. All fair so far. Except the kick is missed, and Uruguay go on to win.
Jump to joyous Uruguayan celebrations, and who is the player being hoisted onto the shoulders of the Uruguay team? Not the goal-keeper or the man who kicked the winning penalty, but the player who committed a deliberate foul and is sent off for cheating.
It's an extra-ordinary picture of what football has become - a sport with not a shred of moral fiber, a sport where cheating pays, and where cheats are celebrated as icons. And it's not just Uruguay - it's Ronaldo, Robben, Drogba, Henry...
Tonight's match just provided a timely snapshot of a sport that is supposed to be the beautiful game, but is in fact the world's least moral and ethical sport. Cycling takes a lot of criticism for doping, but football doesn't merely condone cheating, it celebrates it. Disgraceful.
-mr C- big fan of Ghana..
Penalty shoot-outs are always dramatic. But the circumstances around tonight's were exceptional. A Uruguayan player deliberately handles the ball to prevent a goal being scored. A penalty is awarded, the player is shown a red card. All fair so far. Except the kick is missed, and Uruguay go on to win.
Jump to joyous Uruguayan celebrations, and who is the player being hoisted onto the shoulders of the Uruguay team? Not the goal-keeper or the man who kicked the winning penalty, but the player who committed a deliberate foul and is sent off for cheating.
It's an extra-ordinary picture of what football has become - a sport with not a shred of moral fiber, a sport where cheating pays, and where cheats are celebrated as icons. And it's not just Uruguay - it's Ronaldo, Robben, Drogba, Henry...
Tonight's match just provided a timely snapshot of a sport that is supposed to be the beautiful game, but is in fact the world's least moral and ethical sport. Cycling takes a lot of criticism for doping, but football doesn't merely condone cheating, it celebrates it. Disgraceful.
-mr C- big fan of Ghana..
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