The goalkeeper was not a cheat, he played to the whistle and didn't challenge the referee's decision - something players are constantly criticised for doing. You can't have it both ways, if you have to accept the dodgy decisions which go against you you are entitled to take the ones that go in your favour.
If he knew the ball had crossed the line he was a cheat.
If he didn’t see it cross the line, then he’s correct to accept the referee‘s decision.
I’m sure he’d have been all over the referee had the decision gone against his team - just like always in the modern game. Sorry. Did I say game? I meant business.
Unfortunately, it’s a sad fact that cheating is rife in the modern game. Both sets of players play-acting in order to get an opponent sent off and gain an unfair advantage.
It isn’t limited to football, in cricket we have batsmen who don’t walk when they know they’ve edged the ball, and fielders who claim a invalid catch or an lbw just to put pressure on the umpires and batsmen.
The last piece of sportsmanship I remember in the Premiership was Paulo Di Caneo admitting to the referee that he hadn’t been touched after being awarded a penalty. That was a long time ago, but it’s moments like that which stick in my mind rather than the cheating antics of modern ‘Sportsmen’.
So, it seems like we‘ll have to put up with cheating in modern sport - but surely we don’t have to try and justify or condone it?
