In the 66th minute of the Liga MX Clausura final, Ronaldinho poked the ball away from Santos Laguna keeper Agustin Marchesin while Marchesin was trying to punt and scored. Only he didn't beceuse the ref disallowed the goal.
The ref's decision was key because at the end of the first leg of the final Santos were up 5-0 on aggregate, and things looked bleak for Queretaro. Then Queretaro scored three goals in the first half of the second leg and all hell broke loose. After looking sluggish in the first half, Santos came out in the second with more energy, and looked like they were going to shut the door on Queretaro.
Then Ronaldinho came on. He was half-cheered and half-booed by the crowd, but he gave Queretaro an energy boost and then that "goal" happened. If it had counted, Queretaro would have found themselves merely one goal down with 25 minutes to play, hardly an insurmountable deficit.
But it didn't count, and now an argument has broken out over whether Dinho's goal should have counted.
This is not the first time Ronaldinho has tried this, or even the first time he has been carded for it. Obviously, since he keeps trying this trick, at some point this move has actually worked.
The rule that is being interpreted here is a sub-part of Law 12 in the Laws of the Game, concerning indirect free-kicks: "An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if, in the opinion of referee, a player: (. . .) prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands."
That is, obviously, up to the interpretation of individual referees. Most players who take the ball from the goalie (Neymar, Thierry Henry) get the foul called, and possibly a card. Here, though, is a video of Samuel Eto'o stealing the ball from a keeper who was bouncing it.
Evidently there is a discrepency between bouncing the ball and punting it. What do you think?
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus
