Football News And Views

Yesterday saw one of the strangest goals you are ever likely to see not just in the Premiership but at any ground around the world. It came at the Stadium of Light in the match between Sunderland and Liverpool. A Liverpool fan needlessly tossed up a beach ball and smacked it on to the pitch just after kickoff. The Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina then did the sensible thing and place the red inflatable into his goal but then as Sunderland launched an attack in the 5th minute of the game the wind blew the beach ball into the middle of the 6 yard box and as Sunderland were in the middle of an attack nobody could move the inflatable from the playing surface. When the ball came to Sunderland forward Darren Bent he unleashed a shot which hit the beach ball and deflected the football past the reach of Pepe Reina. After deliberation with his linesman the Referee Mike Jones allowed the goal to stand and despite feeling rather aggrieved with their bad luck the Liverpool players seem to accept the decision. It has later emerged that this goal should actually have been disallowed as their is a law that states if there’s an outside interference the game has to be stopped and a drop-ball should be contested at the resumption of play but it would appear that none of he players, the four officials or manager of either side was aware of this law so the goal was aloud to stand. I cant help thinking what the fan who threw the beach ball onto the pitch but be feeling at this moment in time especially if that point costs his team a place in the Champions League next season.

The pain of this incident is still not over for Liverpool fans as when bitter rivals Manchester United visiting Anfield this weekend they are planning a version of Nena’s 99 Red Balloons just to add insult to injury. For Liverpool fans who are interested in purchasing a Liverpool beach ball then it is available as part of the official Liverpool beach set which is currently on sale for the reduced price of £10.