As they say, don’t hate the player, hate the game....
I see it as nothing more than using the rules to his advantage - the rules committee could’ve just as easily made the penalty for such an action a goal conceded just like goaltending in basketball... but they didn’t.
Whether you think he cheated or not, it was undoubtedly a smart play that gave his team a chance and paid off.
It’s funny, on this board, people are always talking about how soccer should be played, rip teams for playing the ball over the top, etc... people have in their minds how a game is supposed to be played and get all bent out of shape when someone does something different or don’t play how they expect. But the reality is they just weren’t prepared for it. It’s called strategy. It’s called innovation. And many times it evolves the game and is what makes it interesting because it forces opponents to adjust accordingly. Those who lack the ability to adjust have nothing left but to whine and label their opponents as cheaters or jerks because they can’t accept the reality that they simply lost.
