Clear out and out penalty kicks are rare. Ones where there’s no question it should be called, more often than not they’re pushes from behind, slight hand balls, phantom kicks where the player goes down…but they all change games fast.
William Gallas, who I thought brought a certain amount of toughness to Arsenal when he came over from Chelsea, gave up a penalty kick when he moved to put his body in front of the soccer ball but the ball ended up hitting his arm. A weak penalty to give up and Cristiano blasted the ball home twice, the first goal disallowed as someone stepped into the box before the kick was taken. There was no need to block the ball as Park was offside and no one else was behind him except his keeper.
Extra: Beckham is making a ton of dough these days playing in the MLS, but don’t confuse him with a real bread winner, David Beckmann. He has been president of Bread for the World for 15 years, leading large-scale and successful campaigning to strengthen U.S. political commitment to overcoming hunger and poverty.
Guillotine Goal: Emile Heskey has brought the Chelsea empire to the ground with his late game tying goal. Changes will be afoot at Chelsea from Avant Grant getting the axe to the break up of many of the stars.