I wasn’t going to say anything, but as most of you know, I find it hard to keep my mouth shut sometimes. I’m talking about this. I didn’t actually watch this game, but a friend of ours at college has been watching most matches and was telling us about it the next day. After he gave me a run down of what happened, I had to check it out for myself. Here’s the story:

It was Ghana vs Uruguay in the quarter-finals. The game was being played with the usual amount of theatrics, as well as a lot of skill. At full-time, it was dead-locked at 1-1 (as so many soccer matches are) so they started extra time. Towards the end of extra time, it happened. (if you’re looking at the video link, it’s about 1 min 22sec in) Ghana were attacking and took a shot at goal, which was saved, then they had another shot, which was deflected, and on their third attempt, the ball was in. At least, it would have been in, if a Uruguay defender hadn’t used his hand to save the goal. Note I used the word defender, not goalkeeper. This defender took it upon himself to cheat to save the goal. It was so damn blatant and it has made me so mad. He cheated and that’s that. There’s nothing more to it. It was a certain goal, and he knew it, and he decided in that split-second to “sacrifice” himself (knowing he would miss the next game), use his hand to stop the goal, get red-carded and sent off, and give his team an opportunity to save a goal in a spot kick. (Incidentally, Ghana missed the spot kick – the player hit the crossbar. This is not the point).

I cannot tell you how much this has upset me. How it has taken the fun out of watching the World Cup. If this was a Rugby League game, and a player committed a professional foul to prevent a certain-try, the team would have been awarded a penalty try. This should be a rule in soccer. Now before you get all up in arms about how hard that would be to police, give me an alternative. Do we just let teams win any way they can?? Any way they want?? And you know the worst part about all of this? That cheater has been hailed a hero.

Yeah, well done for being a big fat cheater who cheats his side into the final. Nice work. Bravo. Three cheers for the big cheater. And the comments left on one of the forums really paints a sad, sad picture:

“congrats uruguay. you deserve this. the sacrifice made in this game shows you have true passion for soccer. sorry ghana, not a good day. GOO URUGUAY!” 
Passion is no substitute for fair play; for being a good sport; for not being a lousy cheater. (Or for bad spelling).

“Well, Uruguay played well and deserved to win. Suarez (the dirty cheater) made a wise move and paid the price for it.”
A wise move?? Paid the price?? Missing a game?? Aw the poor cheater misses a game. Waaah waaah waaah.

Seriously! What is this teaching young kids who want to play professionally one day? Winning is everything? Win at all costs? “Sacrifice” yourself for your team’s glory??

If Uruguay make it past the next round (I’m not going to watch their game) or if worse comes to worst, they make it through to the final, I’ll never watch another world cup game again.

Note: The Netherlands knocked Uruguay out in the following round. Justice has been done.