Norwegian football is unfair (with video evidence)

Ollie Irish

10th, August 2009

8 Comments

Taken from this weekend’s Norwegian Cup quarter final between Odd Grenland and SK Brann:

Brann keeper Hakon Opdal crocks himself as he is going to kick out the ball, then Odd striker Peter Kovacs taps the ball in the net, much to the furious anger of Brann players and fans alike. (Odd won the game 5-1, btw.)
Should Kovacs have stopped and put the ball out (or given it back to a Brann player), or was he justified in playing on? Be interested to hear your thoughts…
I think it happened quickly enough that most players would have played on. Kovacs’ finish was instinctive and therefore it’s a little unfair to criticise him too much. But perhaps Odd could than have allowed Brann to score direct from the kick-off?

Posted in FAIL, Videos

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8 Comments

  1. Joe says:

    I remember this happening in an England B friendly a few years back, with Rob Green injuring himself with his first kick of the game and the opposition lad scoring. It’s not really good form, but what else is he supposed to do? He’d get stick from the gaffer if he doesn’t pounce.

  2. jeanperiquito says:

    Looks more like he trod on the ball and pretended to be injured to cover his embarrassment!

  3. Greg says:

    Personally fine with this, if the goalie had taken a hit, or gone for a cross and landed awkwardly then yeah, kick it out, but if he can’t kick the ball/panicked under pressure then stick it in the net

  4. S says:

    FYI:
    The GKs injury actually occured some minutes before Kovacs scored the goal. Opdals knee took a hell of a beating on a corner incident, and it was quite obvious when this situation happened that the injury was a serious one. After the match the goalie was ruled out for 4 to 6 weeks.

  5. cjustice says:

    That makes it worse. Seems like it’s on the gaffer for not making the sub. That’s the risk you take by leaving an injured player on the pitch.

  6. oller says:

    It’s the way the goalie tried to tackle him afterwards. If he’d have just stayed still clearly in pain, the striker should have probably thought twice. Can’t blame him.

  7. ..ss.. says:

    And the player injurying the goalkeeper was ironically Kovacs… btw

  8. komutan says:

    i’m fine with the goal, but not with the celebration on the sideline

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