By Joseph Viney
A tepid end-of-season encounter between Spanish Tercera Division Group 18 sides CD Marchamalo and Toledo B won’t have been on many people’s radars but it has provided one of the weirdest moments of the European season so far.
With his side already one up with a minute until full time, Marchamalo’s Mario collects the ball in his own half, beats three opponents, rounds the ‘keeper and pokes it past a sprawling defender on the line.
A goal to savour by all accounts, but it has prompted an investigation by the Spanish game’s ruling body after rumours of foul play.
Feel free to judge for yourself at least…
As you can see, Mario’s cumbersome progress was barely impeded by the entire Toledo defence. The contributions of their goalkeeper and man on the line didn’t help either.
This decidedly limp reaction to the oncoming ‘super’ Mario has seen the semi-professional regional Tercera League structure invaded by the game’s professional authorities.
Marchamalo coach Juan Alonso was bullish in response to whispers of match-fixing. He deemed critics of the goal and its build up as “gilipollas” (arseholes, basically) before comparing it to Saul Niguez’s goal for Atletico Madrid against Bayern Munich last month.
Much like Mario, this case will probably run and run.